North Carolina General Assembly of 1779

Last updated
3rd North Carolina General Assembly (1779-1780)
1778 1780
Overview
Legislative body North Carolina General Assembly
Jurisdiction North Carolina, United States
Meeting place1st Smithfield, 2nd Halifax, 3rd New Bern
Term1778–1779
North Carolina Senate
Members49 Senators (48 counties, plus Washington District/County)
Speaker Allen Jones
Clerk John Sitgreaves
North Carolina House of Commons
Members104 Representatives authorized (49 counties with 2 each, 6 districts with 1 each) [note 1]
Speaker Thomas Benbury
Clerk John Hunt
Sessions
1stMay 3, 1779 – May 15, 1779
2ndOctober 18, 1779 – November 10, 1770
3rdJanuary 1780 – February 1780

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1779 met in three sessions in three locations in the years 1779 and 1780. The first session was held in Smithfield from May 3 to May 15, 1779; the second session in Halifax, from October 18 to November 10, 1779; the third and final session in New Bern, from January to February, 1780. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Each of the 50 North Carolina counties was authorized by the North Carolina Constitution of 1776 to elect one Senator and two members of the House of Commons. In addition, six districts (also called boroughs) were authorized to elect one House member each. Richard Caswell was elected governor by the legislature. [5] [1] [2]

Legislation

For additional laws and minutes of the 1779 General Assembly, see Legislative Documents. [6]

Councilors of State

This General Assembly selected the following Councilors of State on May 3, 1779: [2]

House of Commons

Leadership of the House of Commons

Members of the House of Commons

Rep. Benjamin Williams NCG-BenjaminWilliams.jpg
Rep. Benjamin Williams
Rep. Willie Jones WillieJonesNC.jpg
Rep. Willie Jones
Rep. Richard Dobbs Spaight NCG-RichardSpaight.jpg
Rep. Richard Dobbs Spaight
Rep. William Hooper William Hooper.jpg
Rep. William Hooper

In 1779, the General Assembly abolished Bute County and Tryon County. They also created eleven new counties: Franklin, Gates, Jones, Lincoln, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Rutherford, Sullivan, Warren, and Wayne Counties. Members of the House of Commons are listed below, along with the county they represented: [1] [2] [3]

CountyHouse of Commons Member
Anson County Charles Medlock
Anson County Stephen Miller
Beaufort County John Kennedy
Beaufort County Robert Tripp
Bertie County James Campbell
Bertie County John Johnston
Bladen County Samuel Cain
Bladen County Thomas Brown
Brunswick County William Dry (possibly) [7]
Brunswick County (vacant)
Burke County William Morrison
Burke County Thomas Whitson
Camden County Willis Bright
Camden County Caleb Grandy
Carteret County John Easton
Carteret County Solomon Shepperd
Caswell County Peter Farrow
Caswell County William Moore
Chatham County Jonathan Harper
Chatham County John Luttrell
Chowan County Thomas Benbury
Chowan County William Boyd
Craven County Hardy Bryan
Craven County Benjamin Williams
Cumberland County Robert Cochran
Cumberland County Robert Rowan
Currituck County John Humphries
Currituck County Thomas Youngblood
Dobbs County Jesse Cobb [note 4]
Dobbs County William Caswell [note 5]
Dobbs County Thomas Gray [note 6]
Dobbs County Abraham Sheppard [note 7]
Duplin County Richard Clinton
Duplin County James Gillespie
Edgecombe County Ethelred Exum [note 8]
Edgecombe County William Haywood [note 9]
Edgecombe County William Haywood [note 10]
Franklin County Green Hill [note 11]
Franklin County John Norwood [note 12]
Franklin County Thomas Sherrod
Granville County Philemon Hawkins II
Gates County vacant [note 13]
Granville County Thomas Person
Guilford County Daniel Gillespie
Guilford County James Hunter
Halifax County Willie Jones
Halifax County Augustine Willis
Hertford County Arthur Cotton
Hertford County William Wynns
Hyde County Joseph Hancock
Hyde County Benjamin Parmele
Johnston County Lewis Bryan [note 14]
Johnston County Phillip Raiford
Jones County vacant [note 15]
Lincoln County vacant [note 16]
Martin County Samuel Smithwick
Martin County Samuel Williams
Mecklenburg County Caleb Phifer
Mecklenburg County David Wilson
Montgomery County Solomon Gross
Montgomery County John Kimbrough
New Hanover County Timothy Bloodworth
New Hanover County John A. Campbell
Northampton County Robert Peebles
Northampton County James Vaughan
Onslow County James Howard
Onslow County Edward Starkey
Orange County William McCauley
Orange County Mark Patterson
Pasquotank County John Blackstock
Pasquotank County Thomas Riding
Perquimans County Jonathan Skinner
Perquimans County John Whedbee
Pitt County James Gorham
Pitt County John Williams
Randolph County Jacob Shepperd
Randolph County Absolam Tatum [note 17]
Randolph County John Arnold [note 18]
Richmond County vacant [note 19]
Richmond County [note 19]
Rowan County Matthew Locke
Rowan County Moses Winslow
Sullivan County vacant [note 20]
Sullivan County vacant [note 20]
Surry County Gray Bynum
Surry County Frederick Miller
Tyrrell County Benjamin Spruill
Tyrrell County Joshua Swann
Wake County Thomas Hines
Wake County John Hinton, Jr.
Warren County Joseph Hawkins
Warren County John Macon
Washington District Henry Clark
Washington District Jesse Walton
Wayne County vacant [note 21]
Wayne County vacant [note 21]
Wilkes County Elisha Isaacs
Wilkes County Benjamin Herndon
Edenton District Robert Smith
Halifax District Henry Montford
Hillsborough District Thomas Tulloch
New Bern District Richard Cogdell [note 22]
New Bern District Richard Dobbs Spaight [note 23]
Salisbury District Maxwell Chambers
Wilmington District William Hooper

Senate

Senate leadership

Members of the senate

Sen. Samuel Johnston Samuel Johnston Bust.JPG
Sen. Samuel Johnston
Sen. Allen Jones Allen Jones.jpg
Sen. Allen Jones
Sen. James Kenan James Kenan.jpg
Sen. James Kenan
Sen. Alexander Martin NCG-AlexanderMartin.jpg
Sen. Alexander Martin
Sen. Abner Nash AbnerNash.jpg
Sen. Abner Nash

Members of the senate and counties they represented included the following [1] [2] [4]

CountySenate Member
Anson County John Childs
Beaufort County Thomas Respess
Bertie County Jasper Carlton
Bladen County Thomas Owen [8]
Brunswick County (vacant)
Burke County Ephraim McLean
Camden County John Gray
Carteret County William Thompson
Caswell County James Saunders
Chatham County Ambrose Ramsey
Chowan County Samuel Johnston
Craven County James Coor
Cumberland County (vacant)
Currituck County Solomon Perkins [note 24]
Dobbs County Benjamin Exum
Duplin County James Kenan
Edgecombe County Elisha Battle
Franklin County Benjamin Seawell
Gates County (vacant)
Granville County Memucan Hunt
Guilford County Alexander Martin
Halifax County Oroondate Davis
Hertford County George Wynn
Hyde County William Russell
Johnston County Samuel Smith
Jones County Abner Nash
Lincoln County William Graham
Martin County (unknown)
Mecklenburg County Kenneth McKenzie
Montgomery County (vacant)
New Hanover County Nathan Boddie
Northampton County Allen Jones [note 25]
Northampton County Samuel Lockhart [note 26]
Onslow County Henry Rhodes
Orange County John Hogan
Pasquotank County Thomas Relfe
Perquimans County Thomas Harvey
Pitt County Edward Salter
Randolph County John Collier
Richmond County (vacant)
Rowan County Griffith Rutherford
Sullivan County (vacant)
Surry County William Shepperd
Tyrrell County Jeremiah Frazier
Wake County John Rand
Warren County John Faulcon
Washington District Charles Roberson
Wayne County (vacant)
Wilkes County Benjamin Cleveland

Notes

  1. Not all counties sent two representatives. Some sent none or one.
  2. John Sampson declined to serve as councilor of state.
  3. Thomas Respass declined to serve as councilor of state.
  4. This Dobbs County seat was declared vacant on May 15, 1779.
  5. William Caswell was elected to replace Jesse Cobb. He took office October 20, 1779.
  6. Thomas Gray's seat was declared vacant on May 15, 1779.
  7. Abrham Sheppard was elected to replace Thomas Gray. He took office on October 20, 1779.
  8. Ethelred Exum died before the second session.
  9. William Haywood was elected to replace Ethelred Exum and served during third session.
  10. William Haywood died in November 1779. There was no replacement.
  11. Green Hill was elected Halifax district treasurer. His seat was declared vacant on May 15.
  12. John Norwood was elected to replace Green Hill on October 18, 1779.
  13. Gates County was formed in 1779 from parts of Chowan, Hertford, and Perquimans counties.
  14. Bryan Lewis died in November 1779.
  15. Jones County was formed in 1779 from the southwestern part of Craven County.
  16. Lincoln County was formed in 1779 from the eastern part of Tryon County.
  17. Absolam Tatum was named county clerk of court. His seat was declared vacant on May 8, 1779.
  18. John Arnold was elected to replace Absolam Tatum. He assumed office on October 15, 1779.
  19. 1 2 Richmond County was formed from Anson County in 1779.
  20. 1 2 Sullivan County was established in 1779 from a portion of Washington County.
  21. 1 2 Wayne County was established in 1779 from the western part of Dobbs County.
  22. Richard Cogdell was elected treasurer for the New Bern district.
  23. Richard Dobbs Spaight was elected to replace Richard Cogdell. He took office on October 18, 1779.
  24. Although Solomon Perkins was elected, there is no evidence of service in the minutes.
  25. Allen Jones was elected to the Continental Congress. He resigned as senator on October 25, 1779.
  26. Samuel Lockhart was elected to replace Allen Jones. He served during the third session.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Caswell</span> 1st and 5th governor of North Carolina

Richard Caswell was an American politician and lawyer who served as the first and fifth governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1776 to 1780 and from 1785 to 1787. He also served as a senior officer of militia in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War. As a delegate to the First Continental Congress, he was a signatory of the 1774 Continental Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abner Nash</span> American politician

Abner Nash was an American politician who served as the second governor of North Carolina from 1780 to 1781 and as a member of the Continental Congress from 1782 until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina General Assembly of 1777</span> Sessions of the first general assembly of North Carolina held in 1777

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1777 met in two sessions in New Bern, North Carolina, from April 7 to May 9, 1777, and from November 15 to December 24, 1777. This was the first North Carolina legislature elected after the last provincial congress wrote the first North Carolina Constitution. This assembly elected Richard Caswell as the state's first constitutional governor.

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1778 met in three sessions in three locations in the years 1778 and 1779. The first session was held in New Bern from April 14 to May 2, 1778; the second session in Hillsborough, from August 8 to August 19, 1778; the third and final session in Halifax, from January 19 to February 13, 1779.

The Edenton District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). This unit was established by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halifax District Brigade</span> Military unit

The Halifax District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). This unit was established by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war.

The New Bern District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). This unit was established by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war.

Benjamin Exum (1725–1789) was an officer in the North Carolina militia during the American Revolution and a Senator in the North Carolina General Assembly from Dobbs County.

The Dobbs County Regiment was a unit of the North Carolina militia that served during the American Revolution. The regiment was one of thirty-five existing county militias that were authorized by the North Carolina Provincial Congress to be organized on September 9, 1775. All officers were appointed with commissions from the Provincial Congress. On May 4, 1776, the regiment was placed under the command of the New Bern District Brigade commanded by Brigadier General Richard Caswell. The regiment was active until the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783 and was engaged in twelve known battles and skirmishes in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

The Wayne County Regiment was a unit of the North Carolina militia that served during the American Revolution. The North Carolina General Assembly created Wayne County and its regiment of militia out of part of Dobbs County and its regiment of militia on November 2, 1779. The officers were appointed and commissioned by the governor of North Carolina. The regiment was disbanded at the end of the war.

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1780-1781 was the fourth elected legislative body of the State of North Carolina. The assembly consisted of a Senate and House of Commons that met in three sessions in at least two locations in the years 1780 and 1781. Each of the existing 50 North Carolina counties were authorized to elect one Senator and two members of the House of Commons. In addition, six districts also elected one House member each. The first two sessions were probably held in New Bern, North Carolina in April and September 1780. The third session met in Halifax from January 27, 1781 – February 13, 1781.

Thomas Benbury was a revolutionary leader in the early formation of the State of North Carolina. He was a member of the North Carolina Provincial Congress, a member of the North Carolina House of Commons from 1776 to 1782, Speaker of the House of Commons, and an officer in the Chowan County Regiment during the American Revolution.

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1836–1837 met in the Government House in Raleigh from November 21, 1836 to January 23, 1837. The assembly consisted of the 120 members of the North Carolina House of Commons and 50 senators of North Carolina Senate elected by the voters in August 1836. During the 1836 session, the legislature created Davie County, but it was not until 1842 that Davie County began sending delegates to the General Assembly. William H. Haywood, Jr was elected speaker of the House of Commons and Charles Manley was elected clerk. Hugh Waddell was elected President of the Senate and Thomas G. Stone was elected Clerk. Richard Dobbs Spaight, Jr. was the Governor in 1835 and 1836. He was elected by the previous legislature. In 1837, the Governor of North Carolina, Edward Bishop Dudley from New Hanover County, was elected, for the first time, by the people vice the legislature. The Whigs would control North Carolina politics until 1850. While in power, their notable achievements included funding railroads and roads, public education, and State chartered banks.

Colonel John Sheppard was a Revolutionary War soldier and commander of the Wayne County Regiment of the North Carolina militia. His father, Abraham Sheppard was a planter, politician, and commander of the Dobbs County Regiment and 10th North Carolina Regiment. He also had a brother, Abraham Sheppard, Jr., who served with John in the Dobbs County Regiment.

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1783 was the state legislature that convened in Hillsboro, North Carolina from April 18, 1783, to May 17, 1783. Members of the North Carolina Senate and the North Carolina House of Commons were elected by eligible North Carolina voters. This was the last assembly to meet during the American Revolution. Much of their time was devoted to taking care of the North Carolina soldiers that fought in the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fifth North Carolina Provincial Congress</span>

The Fifth North Carolina Provincial Congress was the last of five extra-legal unicameral bodies that met beginning in the summer of 1774. They were modeled after the colonial lower house. These congresses created a government structure, issued bills of credit to pay for the movement, organized an army for defense, wrote a constitution and bill of rights that established the state of North Carolina, and elected their first acting governor in the fifth congress that met in 1776. These congresses paved the way for the first meeting of the North Carolina General Assembly on April 7, 1777 in New Bern, North Carolina. The Fifth Congress met in Halifax from November 12 to December 23, 1776. Richard Caswell served as president, with Cornelius Harnett as vice-president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third North Carolina Provincial Congress</span>

The Third North Carolina Provincial Congress was the third of five extra-legal unicameral bodies that met between 1774 and 1776 in North Carolina. They were modeled after the colonial lower house. These congresses created a government structure, issued bills of credit to pay for the movement, and organized an army for defense, in preparation for the state of North Carolina. These congresses paved the way for the first meeting of the North Carolina General Assembly on April 7, 1777 in New Bern, North Carolina.

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1835 met in Raleigh from November 16, 1835 to December 22, 1835. The assembly consisted of the 137 members of the North Carolina House of Commons and 65 senators of North Carolina Senate elected by the voters in August 1835. This was the last assembly elected before the amendments to the Constitution of North Carolina from the North Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1835 took effect. Thus, the House of Commons included representatives from towns and the number of members of the house was greater than 120. William H. Haywood, Jr was elected speaker of the House of Commons and Charles Manley was elected clerk. William D. Mosely was elected President of the Senate and William J. Cowan was elected Clerk. Richard Dobbs Spaight, Jr. was elected the Governor by the assembly and served from December 10, 1835 to December 31, 1836. He was the last governor of North Carolina to be elected by the General Assembly.

The North Carolina General Assembly of October 1784 met in New Bern from October 25, 1784 to November 26, 1784. The assembly consisted of the 116 members of the North Carolina House of Commons and 55 senators of North Carolina Senate elected by the voters on August 20, 1784. As prescribed by the 1776 Constitution of North Carolina the General Assembly elected Richard Caswell as Governor of North Carolina and members of the Council of State.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Connor, R.D.D. (1913). A Manual of North Carolina (PDF). Raleigh: North Carolina Historical Commission. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wheeler, John H. (1874). The Legislative Manual and Political Register of the State of North Carolina . Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State House 1778". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State Senators 1778". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  5. Holloman, Charles R. 1979.Caswell, Richard. NCpedia.
  6. Lewis, J.D. "Laws of North Carolina, 1784" (PDF). Carolana. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  7. "William Dry, III". NCPedia. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  8. Powell, William S. (1991). "Thomas Owen" . Retrieved November 4, 2019.