I hope this will be of interest to some people. It was a shock to me as I had never even thought along these lines. From " The State Records of North Carolina, Vol. 22,Miscellaneous " A letter was written " By David Fanning, Esq. Colonel of the Loyal Mititia of N.Ca. To:_______Greeting: Having received sufficient testimony of your Loyalty and Zeal for his Majesty's Service and relying on your courage and good conduct I do hereby appoint you to be_______of Company in the district of____. Next p. 5