Associators

These were more commonly known as Maryland Protestant, Pennsylvania, and American Patriot and British Loyalist colonial militias.

The term Non-Associators was applied to American colonists who refused to support and sign "military association" charters.

During the American Revolutionary War, some associator units were said to operate more like, or were in fact loose-knit criminal gangs, taking advantage of the disruption of warfare.

During King George's War, Benjamin Franklin, in 1747, wrote and published the pamphlet, "Plain Truth", calling for a voluntary association to defend Philadelphia.

Loyalist Associators often served in mixed-race units, composed of whites, escaped slaves, and even American Indians.

English Puritans in the Province of Maryland , known as "Protestant associators", revolted in the Maryland Protestant Rebellion ; this was part of the Glorious Revolution of 1689. They were led by John Coode , who overthrew the colonial Catholic government within the colony.
Benjamin Franklin , in 1747, during King George's War , wrote and published the pamphlet, Plain Truth , calling for a voluntary association to defend Philadelphia .
Joseph Brant , a Native American led Brant's Volunteers an irregular British Loyalist associators unit, of mixed Mohawk Indians and white soldiers raised during the American Revolutionary War who fought on the British side in the Province of New York .
2nd Battalion, "Associators", Pennsylvania National Guard , U.S. Army 111th Infantry Regiment insignia patch