The Province of North Carolina General Assembly of 1775 was a bicameral legislative body of the Province of North Carolina that met from April 4, 1775 to April 8, 1775 in New Bern . The upper house of the legislature was the Executive Council, which was appointed by The Crown as was the Governor, Josiah Martin . The lower house, the House of Burgesses, was elected by the eligible voters in the 34 counties and nine major towns as certified by the local sheriff.[1] [2]
Province of North Carolina General Assembly of 1775Legislative body General Assembly Jurisdiction Province of North Carolina , United Kingdom Meeting place New Bern, North Carolina Term 1775 Lieutenant Governor George Mercer Chief Baron of the Exchequer James Hasell Receiver General John Rutherford Clerk Samuel Strudwick Attorney General Thomas McGuire Members 93 Delegates authorized (21 vacancies, 34 counties, 9 Towns) Speaker John Harvey Clerk James Green, Jr. Assistant Clerk James Glasgow Mace Bearer Benjamin Fordham 1st April 4, 1775 – April 8, 1775
This was the fourth House of Burgesses under Governor Josiah Martin and the final General Assembly of the Province of North Carolina. They met at the same time and with virtually the same representation as the Second North Carolina Provincial Congress , which met in New Bern on April 3 to April 7, 1775. Because the House of Burgesses approved the Continental Congress that was to be held in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775, Governor Martin and the Executive Council issued a proclamation dissolving the House of Burgesses on April 8, 1775.[3] [1]
Executive Council
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Governor Josiah Martin
Martin Howard
The last Governor of the Province of North Carolina was Josiah Martin , who served from 1771 to 1776. His Executive Council, which was the upper house of the general assembly and advisor to the governor, included the following members:[4]
Samuel Cornell[5]
William Dry[6]
George Mercer (Lieutenant Governor)[7]
James Hasell (Chief Baron of the Exchequer, Acting Governor of the Province of North Carolina in 1771)
Martin Howard
Alexander McCulloch[8]
Robert Palmer[9]
John Rutherfurd (Receiver General)[10]
Lewis Henry De Rosset[11]
John Sampson
Samuel Strudwick (Clerk)[12]
Thomas McGuire (Attorney General)[13]
Governor Josiah Martin and the Executive Council issued a proclamation on April 8, 1775 dissolving the Province of North Carolina's General Assembly after the House of Burgesses presented a resolve endorsing the Continental Congress that was to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . The Executive Council met on June 25, 1775 at Fort Johnston in Brunswick County. By this time sedition was rampant and many were under arms. As the Council met for the last time onboard HMS Cruizer in the Cape Fear River on July 18, 1775, they noted that the "deluded people of this Province" will see their error and return to their allegiance to the King.[4]
House of Burgesses
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Robert Howe, Brunswick County
Samuel Johnston, Chowan County
Richard Caswell, Dobbs County
Benjamin Williams, Johnston County
John Baptista Ashe, New Hanover County
William Hooper, New Hanover County
Allen Jones, Northampton County
Joseph Hewes, Edenton
The delegates to the House of Burgesses represented the 34 counties and nine Towns. The number of delegates from the counties was determined by the population and varied from one to four. Each town had one delegate. Elections were certified by the county sheriffs. The delegates are listed below. John Harvey was elected speaker of the House of Burgesses by his fellow delegates.[1] [14]
County/Town
Delegate
Anson County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Anson County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Beaufort County, North Carolina
Roger Ormond
Beaufort County, North Carolina
Thomas Respess, Jr.
Bertie County, North Carolina
John Campbell
Bertie County, North Carolina
John Johnston
Bertie County, North Carolina
David Stanley
Bladen County, North Carolina
William Salter
Bladen County, North Carolina
James White
Brunswick County, North Carolina
Robert Howe
Brunswick County, North Carolina
John Rowan
Bute County, North Carolina
Green Hill
Bute County, North Carolina
William Person
Carteret County, North Carolina
Solomon Shepard
Carteret County, North Carolina
William Thompson
Chatham County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Chatham County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Chowan County, North Carolina
Thomas Benbury
Chowan County, North Carolina
Thomas Hunter
Chowan County, North Carolina
Samuel Johnston
Chowan County, North Carolina
Thomas Jones
Chowan County, North Carolina
Thomas Oldham
Craven County, North Carolina
James Coor
Craven County, North Carolina
Lemuel Hatch
Cumberland County, North Carolina
Farquard Campbell
Cumberland County, North Carolina
Thomas Rutherford
Currituck County, North Carolina
Samuel Jarvis
Currituck County, North Carolina
Nathan Joyner
Currituck County, North Carolina
Thomas McKnight
Currituck County, North Carolina
Solomon Perkins
Currituck County, North Carolina
Francis Williamson
Dobbs County, North Carolina
Richard Caswell
Dobbs County, North Carolina
William McKinnie
Duplin County, North Carolina
Thomas Gray
Duplin County, North Carolina
Thomas Hicks
Edgecombe County, North Carolina
Elisha Battle
Edgecombe County, North Carolina
William Haywood
Granville County, North Carolina
Memucan Hunt
Granville County, North Carolina
Thomas Person
Guilford County, North Carolina
Vacant[note 1]
Guilford County, North Carolina
Vacant[note 1]
Halifax County, North Carolina
Nicholas Long
Halifax County, North Carolina
Benjamin McCulloch
Hertford County, North Carolina
William Murfree
Hertford County, North Carolina
George Wynns
Hyde County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Hyde County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Johnston County, North Carolina
Needham Bryan
Johnston County, North Carolina
Benjamin Williams
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
New Hanover County, North Carolina
John Baptista Ashe
New Hanover County, North Carolina
William Hooper
Northampton County, North Carolina
Colonel Jeptha Atherton
Northampton County, North Carolina
Allen Jones
Onslow County, North Carolina
William Cray
Onslow County, North Carolina
Henry Rhodes
Orange County, North Carolina
Thomas Hart
Orange County, North Carolina
Ralph McNair
Pasquotank County, North Carolina
Edward Everagin
Pasquotank County, North Carolina
Jonathan Herring
Pasquotank County, North Carolina
Joseph Jones
Pasquotank County, North Carolina
Isaac Gregory
Pasquotank County, North Carolina
Joseph Reading
Perquimans County, North Carolina
John Harvey (Speaker)
Perquimans County, North Carolina
Thomas Harvey
Perquimans County, North Carolina
Andrew Knox
Perquimans County, North Carolina
John Whedbee
Perquimans County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Pitt County, North Carolina
Edward Salter
Pitt County, North Carolina
John Simpson
Rowan County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Rowan County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Surry County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Surry County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Tryon County, North Carolina
William Alston
Tryon County, North Carolina
William Moore
Tyrrell County, North Carolina
Jeremiah Frazier
Tyrrell County, North Carolina
Benjamin Spruill
Tyrrell County, North Carolina
Joseph Spruill
Tyrrell County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Tyrrell County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Wake County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Wake County, North Carolina
Unknown / Vacant
Bath Town
William Brown
Brunswick Town
Parker Quince
Campbellton Town (became Fayetteville in 1783)
Robert Rowan
Edenton Town
Joseph Hewes
Halifax Town
Unknown / Vacant
Hillsborough Town
Francis Nash
New Bern Town
Isaac Edwards [note 2]
Salisbury Town
Unknown / Vacant
Wilmington Town
Cornelius Harnett
Notes:
^ a b Election results were not returned and the seats remained vacant.
^ Isaac Edwards died before taking his seat and the seat remained vacant.
See also
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References
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^ a b c Lewis, J.D. "Royal Colony of North Carolina, 27th House of Burgesses" . Carolana.com . Retrieved October 24, 2019 .
^ Norris, David A. (2006). "The General Assembly" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 24, 2019 .
^ Smith, Carmen Miner (2006). "Committees of Safety" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 24, 2019 .
^ a b Lewis, J.D. "Josiah Martin's Executive Council" . Retrieved October 23, 2019 .
^ Price, William S.Jr. (1979). "Samuel Cornell" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Watson, Alan D. (1986). "William Dry, III" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Powell, William S. (1991). "George Mercer" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Price, William S. Jr. (1991). "Alexander McCulloch" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Price, William S. Jr. (1994). "Robert Palmer" . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Watson, Alan D. (1994). "John Ruthefurd" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Price, William S. Jr. (1986). "Lewis Henry De Rosset" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Price, William S. Jr. (1994). "Samuel Strudwick" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Price, William S. Jr. (1991). "Thomas McGuire" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 25, 2019 .
^ Towles, Louis P. (2006). "Speaker of the Assembly" . NCPEDIA . Retrieved October 24, 2019 .