North Carolina General Assembly of 1780–1781

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 called boroughs) also elected one House member each.[note 1] 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.[note 2][1][2][3][4]

4th North Carolina General Assembly (1780-1781)
1779 1781
Overview
Legislative bodyNorth Carolina General Assembly
JurisdictionNorth Carolina, United States
Meeting place1st New Bern, 2nd New Bern, 3rd Halifax
Term1780–1781
Senate
Members50 Senators (50 counties, including Washington District/County)
SpeakerAlexander Martin
ClerkJohn Haywood
House of Commons
Members106 Representatives authorized (50 counties with 2 each, 6 districts with 1 each)
SpeakerThomas Benbury
ClerkJohn Hunt
Sessions
1stApril 17, 1780 – Unknown date in 1780
2ndSeptember 5, 1780 – Unknown date in 1780
3rdJanuary 27, 1781 – February 13, 1781

Governor and Councilors of State edit

 
Sen./Gov. Abner Nash

In 1780, the General Assembly elected Abner Nash as Governor of North Carolina, as was called for in the Constitution of North Carolina. His term of office was extended by an act of the assembly until June 25, 1781.[5]

The North Carolina Constitution of 1776 required "that the Senate and House of Commons, jointly, at their first meeting after each annual election, shall by ballot elect seven persons to be a Council of State for one year, who shall advise the Governor in the execution of his office."[6]

The known North Carolina Council of State members elected by the General Assembly in 1780 included:[7]

Leadership edit

 
Sen. Alexander Martin

The House of Commons leadership included the following persons:[3]

The Senate leadership included the following:[4]

House and Senate members edit

 
Sen. Benjamin Williams
 
Rep Willie Jones
 
Rep. William Blount
 
Rep. William Hooper
 
Sen. Richard Caswell

New counties created in 1779 included Franklin County, Gates County, Lincoln County, Montgomery County, Randolph County, Richmond County, Rutherford County, Warren County, and Wayne County. Bute County and Tryon County were abolished in 1779. There were no new counties created in 1780 or 1781. There was at least a Senator or one Representative from each county and district.[11][3][4]

Members of the General Assembly were allowed 55 dollars per day for attendance at sessions.[12]

County House of Commons Member Senate Member
Anson County Miller, Stephen Childs, John
Anson County Farr, Richard -
Beaufort County Brown, William Respess, Thomas, Jr.
Beaufort County Willis, Samuel -
Bertie County Turner, David Horne, William
Bertie County Jaycocks, Jonathan -
Bladen County Cain, Samuel Vacant
Bladen County Lucas, Frances -
Brunswick County none MacLaine, Archibald
Brunswick County none -
Burke County Brevard, Hugh McLean, Ephraim
Burke County McDowell, Joseph -
Camden County Burgess, William Grays, John
Camden County Gregory, Isaac -
Carteret County Shepard, Solomon Unknown
Carteret County Unknown or vacant -
Caswell County Farrow, Peter Unknown
Caswell County Williams, John -
Caswell County Moore, Stephen[13] -
Chatham County Scurlock, Mial Ramsey, Ambrose
Chatham County Williams, James -
Chowan County Benbury, Thomas Johnson, Charles
Chowan County Boyd, William -
Craven County Bryan, William Coor, James
Craven County Blount, William -
Cumberland County Cochran, Robet Folsome, Ebenezer
Cumberland County Winslow, Edward -
Currituck County Phillips, James Jarvis, Samuel
Currituck County Humphreys, John -
Dobbs County Caswell, William Caswell, Richard, Sr.[note 3]
Dobbs County Sheppard, Abraham -
Duplin County Dickson, Joseph Clinton, Richard
Duplin County Gillespie, James -
Edgecombe County Gray, Etheldred Battle, Elisha
Edgecombe County Horn, Henry, Jr. -
Franklin County Bryant, Joseph Hill, Henry
Franklin County Brickell, William -
Gates County Sumner, Jethro Gregory, James
Gates County Garrett, James -
Granville County Person, Thomas Hunt, Memucan
Granville County Hawkins, Philemon, Jr. -
Guilford County Hunter, James Martin, Alexander
Guilford County Gowdy, William -
Halifax County Jones, Willie[note 3] Davis, Oroondates
Halifax County Weldon, William/Whitaker, John -
Hertford County Baker, John Unknown
Hertford County Jordan, Pleasant/Mauney, James -
Hyde County Latham, Rotheas Russell, William
Hyde County Barrow, George -
Johnston County Lockhart, James Williams, Benjamin
Johnston County Whitley, John -
Jones County Hargett, Frederick Nash, Abner/Vacant[note 4]
Jones County Isler, John -
Lincoln County Mauney, Valentine Johnston, James
Lincoln County Sloan, John -
Martin County Smithwick, Edward McKenzie, Kenneth
Martin County Averitt, John -
Mecklenburg County Phifer, Caleb Irwin, Robert
Mecklenburg County Wilson, David -
Montgomery County Roper, James Ledbetter, Drury
Montgomery County Moore, Edward -
New Hanover County Campbell, John A. DeVane, John
New Hanover County Bloodworth, Timothy/Bloodworth, James -
Northampton County Vaughan, James/Dawson, John Unknown
Northampton County Peoples, Robert -
Onslow County Starkey, Edward Rhodes, Henry
Onslow County Mitchell, George -
Orange County McCauley, William Courtney, William
Orange County Patterson, Mark -
Pasquotank County Blackstock, John Everagin, Edward
Pasquotank County Harvey, Thomas -
Perquimans County Blount, Charles Eaton, Jesse
Perquimans County Harvey, John[note 5] -
Pitt County George Simpson, John
Pitt County Williams, John -
Randolph County Balfour, Andrew Collier, John
Randolph County Harper, Jeduthan -
Richmond County Harrington, Henry William Medlock, Charles
Richmond County Webb, Robert -
Rowan County Locke, Matthew Rutherford, Griffith
Rowan County Barrier, George Henry (aka George H. Berger) -
Rutherford County Whitesides, David/Porter, William[note 6] Unknown
Rutherford County Gilbert, William -
Sullivan County Looney, David Shelby, Evan
Sullivan County Unknown/Vacant -
Surry County Cummings, Samuel Shepherd, William
Surry County Freeman, Samuel -
Tyrrell County Warrington, John Frazier, Jeremiah
Tyrrell County Blunt, Edmund -
Wake County Jones, Nathanial Hinton, John, Jr.
Wake County Humphries, John -
Warren County Macon, John Haynes, Herbert
Warren County Hawkins, Joseph -
Washington County (became Tennessee in 1789) Allison, Charles Carter, John
Washington County (became Tennessee in 1789) Robertson, Charles/Clarke, Henry -
Wayne County Cobb, Stephen Unknown
Wayne County Mooring, Burwell -
Wilkes County Isaacs, Elijah Cleveland, Benjamin
Wilkes County Herndon, Joseph -
Edenton District Smith, Robert -
Halifax District Montfort, Henry -
Hillsborough District Tullock, Thomas/Shields, John -
New Bern District Green, James, Jr./Blount, William[note 7] -
Salisbury District Newman, Anthony -
Wilmington District Hooper, William[note 3] -

Notes edit

  1. ^ Not all counties sent two representatives. Some sent none or one.
  2. ^ The journal for the first two sessions have been lost, so the locations or dates cannot be confirmed.
  3. ^ a b c He served in the Continental Congress.
  4. ^ Abner Nash was elected governor on April 20, 1780.
  5. ^ John Harvey's Wikipedia biography states that he died in 1775, which is verified on NCPedia. Not sure who the John Harvey was in 1780.
  6. ^ David Whitesides died while in office. William Porter was elected to replace him.
  7. ^ John Green, Jr. was elected to the Council of State and had to give up his seat. William Blount was elected to replace him.

References edit

  1. ^ Connor, R.D.D. (1913). A Manual of North Carolina (PDF). Raleigh: North Carolina Historical Commission. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  2. ^ Wheeler, John H., ed. (1874). "The Legislative Manual and Political Register of the State of North Carolina". Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State House 1780". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State Senators 1780". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  5. ^ Nash, Jaquelin Drane (1991). "Abner Nash". NCPedia. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  6. ^ "Avalon Project: Constitution of North Carolina". Avalon.law.yale.edu. December 18, 1776. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  7. ^ Connor, page 422
  8. ^ Carraway, Gertrude S. (1991). "Joseph Leech". NCPedia. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  9. ^ Littleton, Tucker Reed; Carraway, Gertrude S. "Isaac Guion". NCPedia. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  10. ^ Johnson, Elmer D. (1979). "Thomas Benbury". NCPedia. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  11. ^ See List of counties in North Carolina for sourcing.
  12. ^ "Resolution by the North Carolina General Assembly concerning members' salary, North Carolina. General Assembly, May 03, 1780 - May 07, 1780, Volume 15, Page 205". Docsouth.unc.edu. May 3, 1780. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  13. ^ Anderson, Jean Bradley (1991). "Stephen Moore". Retrieved November 4, 2019.