North Carolina General Assembly of 1781

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1781 met in Wake Court House (also known as Bloomsbury) from June 23 to July 14, 1781. Each of the 50 North Carolina counties were allowed one Senator and two members of the House of Commons; 6 districts/boroughs towns also elected one House member each.[1][2][3][4]

5th North Carolina General Assembly (1781)
←1780 1782→
Overview
Legislative bodyNorth Carolina General Assembly
JurisdictionNorth Carolina, United States
Meeting placeBloomsbury, Raleigh, North Carolina
Term1781
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
1stJune 23, 1781 – July 14, 1781

Leadership

The governor of North Carolina during the time of this session of the legislature was Thomas Burke, who was elected by the General Assembly in June of 1781. James Glasgow served as Secretary of State and James Iredell served as Attorney General.[5]

Councilors of State
Councilor John Penn
Councilor Willie Jones

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 1781 included:[2][1]

  • June 26, 1781 John Penn, Granville County
  • June 26, 1781 Spruce Macay, Rowan County
  • June 26, 1781 Willie Jones, Halifax County
  • June 26, 1781 Benjamin Seawell, Franklin County
  • June 26, 1781 Philemon Hawkins, Jr., Granville County (declined to serve)[2]
  • June 26, 1781 John Butler, Orange County
  • June 26, 1781 Edward Jones, Warren County
  • July 11, 1781 Whitmel Hill, Martin County

Members
Rep. Joseph McDowell, Jr
Sen. Benjamin Williams
Rep. Richard Henderson
Rep. Richard Dobbs Spaight
Rep. William Hooper
County or District/CityHouse of Commons MemberSenate Member
Anson CountyVacant (no election held)Vacant (no election held)
Beaufort CountyThomas AldersonWilliam Brown
Beaufort CountyCharles Crawford
Beaufort CountyThomas A. Grist
Bertie CountyWilliam HorneJonathan Jaycocks
Bertie CountyDavid Turner
Bladen CountySamuel Cainunknown or vacant
Bladen CountyUnknown or Vacant
Brunswick CountyVacant (no election held)vacant (no election held)
Brunswick CountyVacant (no election held)
Burke CountyHugh Brevard (died)Andrew Wood
Burke CountyJoseph McDowell, Jr.
Camden CountyVacant (no election held)Vacant (no election held)
Camden CountyVacant (no election held)
Carteret CountyJohn EastonUnknown or vacant
Carteret CountyUnknown or Vacant
Caswell CountyJosiah ColeUnknown or vacant
Caswell CountyUnknown or Vacant
Chatham CountyJames WilliamsAmbrose Ramsey
Chatham CountyJohn Luttrell[note 1][3]
Chowan CountyThomas BenburyCharles Johnson
Chowan CountyMichael Payne
Chowan CountyEdmund Blount
Craven CountyWilliam BryanJames Coor
Craven CountyJohn Tilghman (Tilman)
Cumberland CountyDavid SmithEbenezer Folsome
Cumberland CountyThomas Armstrong
Currituck CountyJames PhillipsSamuel Jarvis
Currituck CountyJohn Humphreys
Dobbs CountyBenjamin SheppardUnknown or vacant
Dobbs CountyWilliam Caswell
Duplin CountyThomas HicksJames Kenan
Duplin CountyJohn Molton
Edgecombe CountyHenry Irwin TooleElisha Battle
Edgecombe CountyJames Wilson
Edgecombe CountyRobert Diggs
Franklin CountyWilliam BrickellHenry Hill
Franklin CountyWilliam Green
Gates CountyJethro SumnerJames Gregory
Gates CountyJoseph Riddick
Granville CountyThomas PersonJoseph Taylor
Granville CountyRichard Henderson
Guilford CountyJames HunterAlexander Martin
Guilford CountyWilliam Gowdy
Halifax CountyJohn Branch, Sr.Oroondates Davis
Halifax CountyBenjamin McCulloch[note 2]
Hertford CountyLewis BrownPleasant Jordan
Hertford CountyThomas Brickell
Hyde CountyRobert LathamWilliam Russell
Hyde CountyRobert Jennett
Johnston CountyJoseph BooneBenjamin Williams
Johnston CountyHardy Bryan
Jones CountyFrederick HargettNathan Bryan
Jones CountyEdward Whitty
Lincoln CountyRobert AlexanderJames Johnston
Lincoln CountyJohn Sloan
Martin CountySamuel SmithwickKenneth McKenzie
Martin CountySamuel Williams
Mecklenburg CountyCaleb PhiferRobert Irwin
Mecklenburg CountyDavid Wilson
Montgomery CountyRobert MossThomas Childs
Montgomery CountyPeter Randle
Nash CountyJoseph ArringtonHard Griffin
Nash CountyEdward Nicholson*
New Hanover CountyThomas BloodworthJohn DeVane
New Hanover CountyCaleb Grainger
Northampton CountyJohn DawsonJames Vaughan
Northampton CountyJames Sikes
Onslow CountyEdward StarkeyJohn Spicer
Onslow CountyLewis Williams
Orange CountyJesse BentonJohn Butler
Orange CountyRobert Campbell
Pasquotank CountyUnknown or vacantEdward Everagain
Pasquotank CountyUnknown or vacant
Perquimans CountyJohn WhedbeeJesse Eaton
Perquimans CountyJonathan Skinner
Pitt CountyJames GorhamEdward Salter
Pitt CountyGeorge Evans
Randolph CountyAndrew Balfour
Randolph CountyAbsalom TatumJohn Collier
Randolph CountyJeduthan Harper
Richmond CountyEdward WilliamsCharles Medlock
Richmond CountyCharles Medlock
Rowan CountyWilliam SharpeMatthew Locke
Rowan CountySamuel Young
Rutherford CountyJames WithrowWilliam Porter
Rutherford CountyGeorge Moore
Rutherford CountyDavid Miller
Sullivan County (became part of Tennessee)Unknown or vacantUnknown or vacant
Sullivan County (became part of Tennessee)Unknown or vacant
Surry CountySamuel CummingsWilliam Shepherd
Surry CountyWilson T. Lewis
Tyrrell CountyIsham Webb
Tyrrell CountyJohn HarringtonJeremiah Frazier
Tyrrell CountyNehemiah Norman
Wake CountyBurwell PopeMichael Rogers
Wake CountyJames Hinton
Warren CountyJoseph HawkinsNathaniel Macon
Warren CountyJohn Macon
Washington County (became part of Tennessee)Unknown or vacantUnknown or vacant
Washington County (became part of Tennessee)Unknown or vacant
Wayne County (newly established in 1779)Joseph GreenUnknown or vacant
Wayne County (newly established in 1779)Burwell Mooring*
Wilkes CountyJoseph HerndonCharles Gordon
Wilkes CountyWilliam Lenoir
Edenton DistrictRobert Smith
Halifax DistrictHenry Montfort
Hillsborough DistrictThomas Tullock
New Bern DistrictRichard Dobbs Spaight
Salisbury DistrictAnthony Newman (Nunan)
Wilmington DistrictWilliam Hooper

Notes:

  1. John Luttrell was killed while in office leading the Chatham County Regiment at the Battle of Lindley's Mill on September 13, 1781.
  2. Benjamin McCulloch, Edward Nicholson, Jeduthan Harper, and Burwell Mooring were disqualified from taking their seats in the House of Commons since they were considered to be Prisoners on Parole. New elections were ordered for August.

References
  1. Wheeler, John H. (1874). "The Legislative Manual and Political Register of the State of North Carolina". Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  2. Connor, R.D.D. (1913). A Manual of North Carolina (PDF). Raleigh: North Carolina Historical Commission. p. 453-. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  3. Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State House 1781". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State Senators 1781". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  5. Watterson, John (1979). "Thomas Burke". NCPedia.
  6. "1776 Constitution of North Carolina". Avalon Project. December 18, 1776. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
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