Would someone on this list be able shed some light on how a tax list 'company' may be defined? For example: My 4 gr-grandfather, Alexander Orr is on the Rutherford County NC 1782 Tax List, listed in 'Captain Robert Rankin's Company'. Many Thanks, Nancy Orr Erb a Michigander

The county was divided into districts similar to present-day townships. The districts were referred to as Companies. The division of the county into districts/companies was based on population. The company was called by the name of its Captain. Often the same man was elected year after year and then his son was elected to the position as a tradition. Residents registered taxes in their company, voted at their company polling place, and served in their company's militia unit. Each company had a Justice of the Peace and a Company Captain and a militia Captain. The company also had a Constable. The same person could fill more than one of these positions and in earliest days the JP was most often his company's Captain and his militia unit Captain. A young man's "career path" in terms of civic prominence would often begin with his service as his company's Constable, moving up eventually to the other positions. The Company Captains and the militia Captains were elected annually by popular vote in their company. Be aware, however, that being Company Captain does not automatically imply that the same person was the militia Captain for that area [confused yet?]. A militia unit had to have a certain number of men of the appropriate age. If a district/company did not have enough eligible men for militia duty, they combined with another district/company to make up sufficient men for one militia unit. This was only for purposes of militia service. ============ 13 September 2000, nancy erb wrote: > Would someone on this list be able shed some light on how a tax list > 'company' may be defined? > > For example: > My 4 gr-grandfather, Alexander Orr is on the Rutherford County NC 1782 > Tax List, listed in 'Captain Robert Rankin's Company'. > > Many Thanks, > Nancy Orr Erb > a Michigander