North Carolina General Assembly of 1783

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.[1][2][3][4][5]

7th North Carolina General Assembly (1783)
←1782 April 1784→
Overview
Legislative bodyNorth Carolina General Assembly
JurisdictionNorth Carolina, United States
Meeting placeHillsborough
Term1782
Senate
Members50 Senators authorized
SpeakerRichard Caswell, Sr.
House of Commons
Members106 Representatives authorized
SpeakerEdward Starkey
Sessions
1stApril 18, 1783 – May 17, 1783

The General Assembly elected Alexander Martin of Guilford County as governor on April 26, 1782. James Glasgow was Secretary of State. James Iredell was Attorney General. There was no Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina until 1868.[2]

Councilors of State
Councilor Nathaniel Macon
Councilor Robert Burton

The General Assembly elected the following Councilors of State on May 9, 1783:[2]

Members
Sen. Richard Caswell, Dobbs County
Hawkins Philemon Jr., Granville County
Sen. James Kenan, Duplin County
Rep. Richard Dobbs Spaight, New Bern
Rep. William Lenoir, Wilkes County

There was one senator and two members of the House of Commons for each of the 50 counties. In addition, each of the six districts had one representative each. The House of Commons leadership and staff included: Edward Starkey, Speaker; John Hunt, Clerk; and John Haywood, Assistant Clerk. The Senate leadership and staff included: Richard Caswell, speaker; John Haywood, clerk; and Sherwood Haywood, assistant cleark. Members of the House of Commons and Senate are listed below for each county and district.[1][3][4]

County/DistrictSenate MemberHouse MemberHouse Member
Anson CountyThomas WadeJohn JacksonJohn Jackson
Beaufort CountyWilliam BrownThomas AldersonJohn Gray Blount
Bertie CountyJames CampbellWilliam HornDavid Turner
Bladen CountyThomas BrownSamuel CainFrancis Lucas
Brunswick CountyBenjamin SmithWilliam WatersDennis Hawkins
Burke CountyCharles McDowellWaightstill AveryJoseph McDowell
Camden CountyIsaac GregoryDempsey SawyerBenjamin Jones
Carteret CountyJohn EastonEnoch WardEli West
Caswell CountyWilliam MooreDavid SheltonUnknown
Chatham CountyAmbrose RamseyMatthew JonesRichard Kennon
New Bern DistrictRichard Dobbs Spaight, Sr.[note 1]
Chowan CountyCharles JohnsonStephen ChambersRichard Benbury
Craven CountyJames CoorWilliam BryanWilliam Blount
Cumberland CountyIca AtkinsEdward WinslowPatrick Travis
Currituck CountyWilliam FerebeeThomas JarvisJoseph Ferebee
Dobbs CountyRichard Caswell, Sr. (Speaker)Richard Caswell, Jr.John Herritage
Duplin CountyJames KenanRichard ClintonJames Gillespie
Edgecombe CountyElisha BattleRobert DiggsJames Wilson
Franklin CountyAlexius M. FosterSimon JeffreysHarrison Macon
Gates CountyJacob HunterJoseph RiddickDavid Rice
Granville CountyRobert HarrisThomas PersonPhilemon Hawkins, Jr.
Guilford CountyCharles BruceJames GallowayJohn Leak
Halifax CountyBenjamin McCullochJohn WhitakerJohn Geddy
Halifax DistrictHenry Montfort
Hertford CountyJohn BrickellLewis BrownThomas Brickell
Hyde CountyWilliam RussellBenjamin ParmeleJohn Eborne
Johnston CountyHardy BryanArthur BryanNathan Williams
Jones CountyNathan BryanFrederick HargettWilliam Randall
Lincoln CountyRobet AlexanderDaniel McKissickJohn Sloan
Martin CountyWhitmell HillSamuel SmithwickSamuel Williams
Mecklenburg CountyRobert IrwinCaleb PhiferDavid Wilson
Montgomery CountyEdward MooreJames McDonaldMark Allen
Nash CountyHardy GriffinMicajah ThomasJohn Bonds
Wilmington DistrictArchibald MacLaine
New Hannover CountyJohn A. CampbellTimothy Bloodworth[note 2]Thomas Bloodworth[note 3]
Northampton CountyAllen JonesJames VaughanDrury Gee
Hillsboro/Hillsborough DistrictThomas Farmer
Onslow CountyJohn SpicerEdward Starkey (Speaker)[7]James Howard
Orange CountyWilliam McCauleyAlexander MebaneThomas Burke
Pasquotank CountyEdward EveraginWilliam LaneThomas Reading
Perquimans CountyJesse EatonJonathan SkinnerJohn Reed
Pitt CountyJohn WilliamsJohn JordanRichard Moye
Randolph CountyThomas DouganJeduthan HarperRobet McLean
Richmond CountyHenry William HarringtonRobert WebbJohn Childs
Salisbury DistrictDr. Anthony Newman
Rowan CountyGriffith RutherfordMatthew LockeGeorge Henry Barrier
Rutherford CountyJames HollandWilliam Gilbert[note 4]Richard Singleton[note 4]
Sullivan County (became part of Tennessee)Joseph Martin[8]Abraham BledsoeWilliam Cage
Surry CountyMartin ArmstrongWilliam T. LewisJames Martin
Tyrrell CountyJeremiah FrazierNehemiah NormanNathan Hooker
Wake CountyJoel LaneTheophilus HunterHardy Sanders
Warren CountyHerbert HaynesJoseph HawkinsJohn Macon
Washington County (became part of Tennessee)UnknownJoseph HardinThomas Haughton
Wayne CountyBurwell MooringNeedham WhitfieldRichard McKinnie
Wilkes CountyElijah IsaacsJoseph HerndonWilliam Lenoir
Edenton DistrictWilliam Cumming

Legislation
North Carolina in 1783

The American Revolution was ending, so much of the session was devoted to enacting legislation to compensate soldiers. There were also act to name an agent for dealing with the Cherokees, dealing with slaves, monetary policy, and an act dealing with pardoning some loyalists (not David Fanning). The town of Fayetteville was authorized by the assembly. Martin Academy (later changed to Washington College) in Washington County was chartered by the assembly.[9][10][5][11]

The territory of North Carolina extended to the Mississippi River in 1783. The General Assembly established Greene and Davidson Counties in the western region of North Carolina that eventually would become Tennessee in 1796.[12]

Notes
  1. Richard Dobbs Spaight was elected Delegate to the Continental Congress on April 25, 1783
  2. Timothy Bloodworth was ineligible for seat since he was already Treasurer for the Wilmington District.
  3. Thomas Bloodworth was ineligible since he was Marshal of the Court of Admiralty for the Port of Bruswick.
  4. William Gilbert and Richard Singleton's seats were vacated on May 10, 1783. A new election was scheduled for September 15-16.

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. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  3. Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State House of Commons 1783". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State Senate 1781". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  5. Laws of North Carolina for 1783 (PDF). 1783.
  6. Brawley, James S. (1991). "Spruce Macay". NCPedia. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  7. Littleton, Tucker Reed (1994). "Edward Starkey". NCPedia.
  8. Shrader, Richard A. (1991). "Joseph Martin". NCPedia.
  9. Clark, Walter, ed. (1901). Journal of the Senate of the General Assembly of North Carolina, April 18, 1783 to May 17, 1783 (PDF). Nash Brothers.
  10. Clark, Walter, ed. (1899). Journal of the House of Commons of the General Assembly of North Carolina, April 18, 1783 to May 17, 1783 (PDF). Nash Brothers.
  11. Troxler, Carole Watterson (2006). "Act of Pardon and Oblivion". NCPedia.
  12. Williams, Wiley J. (2006). "Tennessee Formation". NCPedia.
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