John Sutton's Grandfather Was a Militia Member

     In 1775, Joshua Sutton was among the (white) citizens in New Hanover County (Wilmington), North Carolina charged with the responsibility to "Keep the negroes in order", by confiscating their weapons (according to the minutes of the meeting of the Safety Committee.)
Joshua's grandson, John, was five years old at the time, on the eve of the Revolutionary War. John would end up setting up a household with Lucy, "a mulatto slave" and fathering their eight children, whom he eventually set free, along with his six grandchildren in his 1846 Will. John and Lucy were my fourth great grandparents.

"On motion, For the more effectually disarming and keeping the negroes in order, within the County of New Hanover,

It was, unanimously agreed, by the members of the committee, for said county, to appoint Patrols to search for, and take from Negroes, all kinds of arms whatsoever, and such guns or other arms found with the Negroes, shall be delivered to the Captain of the company of the District in which they are found—to be distributed by the said officers, to those of his company who may be in want of arms, and who are not able to purchase: and that the following persons be Patrols, as follows: . . .

Holly Shelter—Thos. Jones, Edward Doty, Henry Williams, Thos. Simmons, Jno. Simmons, Joshua Sutton."

Resolved, That the following Association, formerly agreed by the Committee of New Hanover county, stand as the Association of this Committee, and that it be recommended to the inhabitants of this District, to sign the same, as speedily as possible, and that the same, with this Resolution, be printed in the public Newspaper. "

http://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.html/document/csr10-0012