USA > North Carolina > Historical sketches of North Carolina : from 1584 to 1851, Vol. I > Part 64
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boring counties, communicating with the Governor, or traveling that way without a proper permission. -
Resolved, That James Carrall has leave to bring suit against James Brooks for a debt under £5.
Resolved, That James Irvin has leave to bring suit against Abm. Little for a debt under £20.
Col. Martin brought Mathias Sapinfield to the bar of this Committee, and after some time spent, he cheerfully signed the Test, professed his hearty approbation of the American measures, and also signed and swore to the same declaration that was signed and sworn by John Colson, in Provincial Con- gress.
Jacob Beck being again brought to the Committee bar, cheerfully signed and swore as above.
Resolved, That the said Sassinfield and Beck be discharged from their at- tendance on this Committee.
Resolved, That it be recommended to Col. Martin, or the Commander of the regular troops in the District of Salisbury, that so long as they continue in Rowan County, in all cases of impressments of horses or other necessaries, that application be first made to a Justice of the Peace, or any three mem- bers of Committee.
The Committee adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.
The Committee met according to adjournment.
Nov. 11th, 1775 ..
Robert Latta came into Committee, and acknowledged the receipt of £14 10s., supposed to be counterfeit, from Col. Adlai Osborne, agreeable to order of Committee.
A petition was preferred, signed by eight inhabitants of the South Fork of Yadkin, part of Capt. Morrison's company, and read. 6
Resolved, That the said petition. and order of the last Committee be con- tinued until next Committee and the parties appear.
William McBride being sent for, appeared under guard at the bar of this Committee, for contempt offered to the same.
Ordered, that he be reproved in the name of this Committee by Mr. Chair- man. From the contradictory and equivocal behavior of William McBride before this Committee-
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the advertisement charging Captain Thomas Whitson with falsehood, &c., and signed William McBride, is a false and scurrilous performance, and the author thereof ought to be treated with every mark of disrespect.
The following is the state of the accounts of the several Militia Compa- nies that have contributed towards defraying the contingent expenses, viz., paying delegates, &c.
Ordered, that each Militia' Company as soon as possible pay up their ar- rears, so as to make four pounds each, agreeable to order of Committee, and that a farther tax be immediately collected of sixpence from each taxable, to pay delegates for going to Hillsborough, and other small contingencies.
A list of officers nominated by this Committee, to be returned to Provincial Congress, agreeable to resolve of Congress.
Captains .- Jas. Purviance, Christ. Beekman, David Caldwell, Charles McDowell, John Harden, John Graham, John Work, Jesse Harris, David Smith, Patrick Morrison, George H. Barringer, Rudolph Conrod, Jacob Eagle. -
Lieutenants .- John Purviance, Wm. Beekman, Hugh Hall, Wm. Pend- land, George Walker, Francis Ross, William Neil, Benjamin Davis, Peter Frederick, Walter Sharpe, Windel Miller, John Sigman, Henry Miller.
Ensigns .- William Waugh, Bolser Sigman, John Rosebrough, John Simp- son, Benjamin Baker, Paul Cunningham ; Richard Quick and John Couger, commissions made out ; James McGahey, Henry Fulwider, John Sigman, B. Smith, Evan Davis.
Alexander Allison, being cited before this Committee, freely signed the
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Test and is discharged. Alexander Osborne has leave to bring suit against Andrew Allison in a case of a three pound Proc. Bill counterfeit. William Franklin being in prison bounds was brought to the bar of this Committee, and was admitted to take the following oath, viz. :-
I, William Franklin, do freely and solemnly swear on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that I will not take up arms against the friends of American Liberty ; nor will I directly or indirectly aid or assist, comfort, or encourage any person opposing in any manner the measures pursuing by the Americans in de- fence of their liberty.
Resolved, That the said Wm. Franklin be discharged from his attendance on this Committee.
Ordered that James Fitzpatrick has leave to bring suit against Daniel Rusk for a debt under £20.
The Committee adjourned till to-morrow morning nine o'clock. Wednesday the Committee met according to adjournment.
Resolved, That Captain Falls and Captain Work are hereby required with- out delay, and immediately to demand and receive of James Cook, on oath if necessary, all the gunpowder and other ammunition in his possession: or by him lent or lodged in the hands of any other person or place : and in case he or they to whom it is lent, or in whose hands it is lodged, refuse or ne- glect to deliver the same immediately, the said captains are hereby required to raise a sufficient number of militia to take the powder and the ammunition and safely convey it to Salisbury, and also to take the body of the said Cook, and all others opposing the delivery of the said powder, and him or them convey, and have confined in the common jail of this county, until further order is given concerning them. And this Committee doth hereby engage to see the aforesaid powder paid at a future day.
. Ordered, if James Cook deliver the powder without being brought into con- finement, that he be notified to appear before the next Committee, to answer for his former contempt of a respectable body of this Committee.
Ordered, that James Garnon has leave to bring suit against John Robinson for a debt under £20.
The Committee adjourned one hour. Met according to adjournment. Or- dered, that John Mackie has leave to bring suit against George Russel for debt under £20.
John Marrah having made it appear on oath before this Committee, that William Roberts is indebted to him the sum of £9 10s., and that said Roberts proposes to remove himself and effects out of this province,
Resolved, That John Marrah has leave to take into his possession effects of . the said Roberts equivalent to the debt, or for want thereof, the body of the said Roberts, until the debt is paid, or sufficient security given for the same.
Whereas, Messrs. James and Thomas Smith have made it appear before this Committee, that sundry debtors to the estate of Andrew Smith, deceased, after being properly advertised, have failed to pay or give security for their dues.
Ordered, that James and Thomas Smith have leave to bring suit against all persons so advertised, and indebted in sums not exceeding five pounds.
Resolved, That Mr. Chairman, Mr. Sharp, Mr. King, Mr. Winslow, Mr. Smith, Mr. Archibald, be a Committee to answer the people from the Forks of the Yadkin, and report to-morrow morning.
Inasmuch as the judgments of God are at this present in an extraordinary manner impending over this province, therefore,
Resolved, That Monday, the 14th instant, be and is hereby appointed a day of public fasting, humiliation, and prayer in this country. And it is recom- mended that the same be religiously observed.
The Committee adjourned till to-morrow morning at nine o'clock. The Committee met according to adjournment.
John Orton has leave to bring suit against Margaret Johnston, widow, for a debt under £5.
Charles Adams has leave to bring suit against Michael Wilson for a debt 33
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under £20. James Weston has leave to bring suit against William Johnson for a debt under £5.
Resolved, That John Lawrence has leave to bring suit against Alexander Brown in a case concerning base gold.
Ordered, that Richard Johnston has leave to take into his possession a sufficient quantity of the effects of Peter Kettle as security for a debt of £17 7s., said debtor having absconded himself.
The Committee appointed to answer the people in Forks of the Yadkin made the following report :-
GENTLEMEN-This Committee, with singular pleasure, receive the assur- ances of your pacific dispositions towards your neighbors and countrymen ; but would have been much more satisfied had your names been sent us by Mr. Brown; that we might have distinguished our friends from our enemies, and afforded that protection and friendship to the peaceable they have a right to claim, at a time when the friends of American liberty in these Southern Colonies are determined, by the assistance of Almighty God, at the hazard of their lives and fortunes, to quell an insurrection of the black- est nature, fomented and supported by the arts of wicked and abandoned men, in the very bosom of this County. .
Ordered, that the above answer be transmitted to the people in the Forks of the Yadkin, who have declared their peaceable disposition to this Com- mittee, in this day of alarm.
The Committee adjourned till Committee in course.
SAMUEL YOUNG, Chairman.
WILLIAM SHARPE, Secretary ..
May 7th, 1776.
The Committee met according to adjournment. Present, Samuel Young, Chairman, James Smith, G. H. Baringer, Alexander Dobbins, Josiah Roun- cifer, John Dickey, Samuel Reed, Gilbraith Falls, William Alexander, John Purviance, William Sharpe, Jonathan Hunt, Robert Moore, John Archibald, John Montgomery, John Sloan, John Lewis Beard.
A petition signed by thirty-seven of Captain Work's company, praying a nomination of other officers in said company, or otherwise a new election, being read,
Resolved, That on Saturday the 11th instant, the said company, commanded by Captain Work, shall meet at their common muster ground and elect pro- per officers to command the same ; and it is recommended that the said com- pany, or such part as is required, hold themselves in readiness to march on the shortest notice, in case of an invasion in this province.
Ordered, That Martin Huckleberry has leave to take into his possession as much of the goods and chattels of Thomas Carris, as shall be equal to the sum of £6 9s. 11d. due to him, the debtor being removed out of the province. Andrew Shields has leave to take into his possession the goods and chattels of Hugh Cunningham, absconded, or demand a hat worth 40s., assumned by Thomas McGuire ; the whole equal to £4 10s., and as security for said debt.
Samuel Young has leave to retain the cash due to Hugh Cunningham, absconded from the public, as a satisfaction for a debt of £3 16s., and, if an overplus, deliver it to Shields to indemnify him.
The Committee adjourned till to-morrow, six o'clock.
May 8th, 1776.
The Committee met according to adjournment. A letter of Colonel Arm- strong, of Surry, to this Committee, purporting that a number of guns were taken during the expedition from the inhabitants of Muddy Creek, in said County, by the officers of Rowan, and requiring a restoration of the same,
Resolved, as the taking originated from the Committee of Safety, together with a subsequent order of General Court-martial, at Cross Creek, the said guns are to be retained until further order be given thereon by the Committee of Safety. Information being made, that Thomas Haggains has lately ex- pressed some things very unfriendly to American liberty ; therefore,
Resolved, That Captain Wm. Frohock immediately take his firearms, if any, and cause his appearance before this Committee at their next sitting, to
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. . answer such things as shall be objected against him, and have then and there Joseph Renchor and Benjamin Wilgore, evidences.
Resolved, in case our delegates return from Congress without having made provision of gunpowder for this County, that the chairman of this Com- mittee apply to some of the neighboring colonies for five hundred weight of powder and flints in proportion, and pledge the credit of this Committee for payment of the same.
A letter from a number of young ladies in the County, directed to the chairman, requesting the approbation of the Committee to a number of reso- lutions enclosed, entered into and signed by the same young ladies, being read,
Resolved, That this Committee present their cordial thanks to the said · young ladies for so spirited a performance; look upon these resolutions to be sensible and polite ; that they merit the honor and are worthy the imitation of every young lady in America.
The Committee adjourned till Committee in course.
SAMUEL YOUNG, Chairman.
WILLIAM SHARPE, Secretary.
The fate of Boote and Dunn, alluded to in the foregoing, is more exemplified in the petition herewith presented, procured from the archives of the Historical Society at the University.
They never returned to North Carolina, but, after the war was over, settled in Florida.
To the Honorable Samuel Ashe, Esq., President, and to the Honorable Members of Council now in Salisbury assembled :
The humble remonstrance of John Dunn showeth,
That on the last day of July, in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, your remonstrant, in consequence of a premeditated scheme and combination previously entered into by William Kennon, Adlai Osborne, Samuel Spencer, and others, this association caused your remonstrant to be taken into custody by a number of armed persons, who were first illegally sworn in private for that purpose, and by force was compelled from his own house in Salisbury, to the house of Matthew Lock, Esq., where he was de- tained many hours in the night as prisoner, under a specious pretext that some gentlemen from South Carolina were desirous of seeing him. That after some time, a body of other armed men arrived from the Counties of Tryon and Mecklenburg, to whom your remonstrant was delivered over in custody, who conveyed him to Mecklenburg, it being pretended that the Committee of that county were desirous to examine him with regard to some matters which should be by them inquired into.
That, notwithstanding the importunities and earnest solicitations of several gentlemen from Salisbury, members of the Committee and the then Council of Safety, who offered themselves as security, and to be bound in any sum for my appearance the next day before the Committee in Salisbury -- not- withstanding, I was forced away the same night to Charlotte, where we ar- rived the next day, and having petitioned to have a hearing before the Com- mittee of that county, which was likewise refused, and an armed force of about sixty horsemen were ordered to convey me to Camden, from thence to the Congress in South Carolina, and thence to Charles Town, where your re- monstrant hath been detained a prisoner for upwards of twelve months, con- trary to every principle of justice and humanity, and contrary to certain re- solves of the General Congress, and in direct violation of those rights and privileges which Americans contend with Great Britain for at this time.
Your remonstrant now prays that you would, in justice to himself and family, who have suffered greatly on account of this unwarrantable and arbi- trary treatment, inquire into the same, your remonstrant being desirous to acquit himself of those false and groundless charges laid against him previous to any oath being tendered to him. In order to satisfy your Honors and the
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world, that he is not in any wise guilty of such matters as have been falsely suggested or alleged against him, by which he hopes to appear in a different light than what has been represented of him, and for a further confirmation of his innocence, your remonstrant is ready and willing to be interrogated, to answer on oath, if the Honorable Board thinks it necessary, and your re- monstrant will pray. JOHN DUNN.
September 11, 1776.
SIR-Pursuant to your request of me, I have drawn up the following state of matters and facts as they are with regard to my person being seized upon in my own province, and sent prisoner to Charles Town, together with Mr. Benjamin Boote, where I now am, and have been for twelve months, wanting a few days.
Some time about the last of August or beginning of September, in the year 1774, and previous to the meeting or assembling of any Congress or Committee in any of the southern provinces, or their having entered into any particular resolves with regard to the general laws of American liberties, so far as at that time I had any knowledge of, a certain William Temple Coles, then ma- gistrate, came to me at the yard in Salisbury, where I then was looking over some hands who were there at work for me about making of bricks, Mr. Boote and others present. Mr. Coles pulled out of his pocket a northern newspaper, where printed I do not recollect, and among other things he read certain re- solves or protests entered into by the people of New York, and declaring their disapprobation to the measures then carrying on by the people of Boston, &c., in opposition to the British acts of Parliament, touching the Tea Act, and other acts. That as soon as he had read those resolves, he seemed to approve of them very much, and then said he thought it very necessary and becoming the people of our province, especially Crown-officers, to enter into such like resolves, or resolves similar to those, and then prevailed on Mr. Boote to draw up something of that nature. That in a few days after, I being at Mr. Cole's house, in Salisbury, Mr. Boote produced a paper containing a declaration of allegiance, fidelity, and obedience to His Majesty, and submission to the British acts of Parliament in general, &c. That this paper being similar to that published at New York, it was approved of by Mr. Coles, Mr. Walter Lindsay (who also was magistrate) and myself, and was then signed by Mr. Lindsay, Mr. Boote, and myself, and I believe, one person more. Mr. Boote then kept the paper, and it was then concluded upon by us, not to offer it to any other person to be signed, neither have I been privy to its being signed, nor no copy thereof, by any other person, to this hour, nor have I made any inquiry about it since. Shortly afterwards, I being at Mecklenburg Court, I had learned that Mr. Avery had by some means procured a copy of Mr. Robinson, a schoolmaster in Salisbury, who had copied it fair from the original rough draft. I was also told that Mr. Avery had read it to the whole Presbyterian congregation, at their meeting at Mecklenburg. I being asked at that court, by some persons who showed me a copy (given, I presume, by Mr. Avery), whether or no I knew anything of it? to which question I' an- swered in the affirmative. In September or October following, and on a day when a general muster was held in Salisbury, some of the inhabitants in Salisbury and adjacent neighborhoods, formed themselves into a Committee, and amongst other matters then deliberated and considered upon, the above paper or copy, and after some time, it was (as I had been informed) voted seditious, libelous, and inflammatory, &c. I heard no more of the matter from that time until the last of July following, which was almost a year, during which time many Committees and Councils of Safety and Commit- tees of Intelligence sat in Salisbury, where I lived. I was never examined or brought to any account before them, neither had I to this day been asked to associate with them, nor join in their deliberations, neither have I ever seen an association paper, nor do I believe they had any until I procured one since my confinement in Charles Town, which I enclosed to them as a pre- cedent to adopt another by it, suitable to the genius of the back inhabitants of North Carolina. I recollect that at a time when the people were met at
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the court house, in order to choose new different Committees, and a Council of Safety, my assistance was asked for by some gentleman. I attended, and told I could not act myself in any public capacity, from mere principle and mat- ter of conscience, have at divers times, and on many occasions before then, taken the several oaths of government, as also being then the sworn and acting attorney for the Crown, in Rowan County Court, as also a notary-public in the province, but that I was ready at any time to assist them in choosing of fit members for Committees, and proper persons to attend as delegates to serve in General Congress, and assist them with my advice or opinion upon any special occasion, with which they seemed well satisfied, and accordingly I did, which gave great umbrage to a certain person then present, he having missed being elected himself, owing, as he imagined, to my fault, and wondered what right I had to interfere in the matter, and swore, as I after- wards was told, if I ever came there, I should be kicked out of doors. I then desisted from concerning myself further, either on the one side or the other.
On Monday, being the last day of July, or the first day of August, 1775, being just recovering out of a fit of sickness, and at my own house in Salis- bury, it being the day before the sitting of the court, as also the meeting of the Committee for the county, I being busy preparing my papers relative to the Crown, as well as civil business, a number of armed persons entered into my house, and after having seized upon my person, I was forced away to Lewis Coffer's house, in Salisbury, and in a few minutes I saw Mr. Boote conducted in the same manner to the same house. Shortly afterwards, William Kennon, Attorney at Law, and Adlai Osborne, entered the room, and they being asked by several gentlemen, merchants and others, the chief of whom were members of the Town Committee and Council of Safety, why we were restrained from our liberty, for what reason, or by what authority, or whose order we were taken into custody ? Kennon and Osborne seemed to signify it was the desire of some gentlemen from the southward, and who were then waiting at Mr. Lock's, about five miles from town, in order to exa- mine us with regard to our political sentiments with regard to American laws of liberty, &c., and that we would be detained but a few minutes before we should be set at large in order to return home. Those gentlemen replied and told them that they looked upon it that they were the only proper judges of our conduct on those occasions, and they only had the best right to exa- mine into these affairs, as nothing could be transacted by us to the prejudice of the common laws, but they, of course, must have their notice thereof, and reflected very much on the arbitrary conduct of those busy and intermeddling men, and looked upon it as an insult offered to them, and prohibition of that liberty which Americans in general were then contending for with Great Britain.
Notwithstanding every argument which could be offered from reason and common justice by Messrs. Troy, Chambers, Nesbit, Beard, and Little, mem- bers of the Council of Safety, and Doctor Anthony, we were sent off under a guard of men whom a few minutes before then, those two conspirators had had out into the woods. . They caused them to be first sworn to secrecy and fidelity (as the men themselves told us afterwards), and then ordered them to take us into safe custody. Thus were we exposed and drove to Mr. Lock's that evening, as felons. When we arrived there, I saw no gentlemen from the southward or elsewhere, but there we were kept under strong guard until about eleven o'clock at night, at which time, those gentlemen above mentioned, who went with us to learn the event of such treatment, grew im- patient, and proposed entering themselves security in any sum of money whatever, so far as their respective estates were worth, for our appearance 'before our own Committee the next day, who were then to meet at Salisbury, according to appointment, and if any such matter which as they could lay to our charge, be fairly and impartially inquired into, but all to no purpose. In the meantime, Mr. Avery, Mr. Willis, who was Kennon's brother-in-law, and a negro fellow, were sent off above the road leading to Mecklenburg, and in some time returned with near thirty or forty armed men from Mecklen- burg and Tryon Counties, who were engaged in the same manner, pur-
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suant to an unjust scheme and plan adopted by the said Kennon, Osborne, Polk, and others, a few days before. That about two o'clock in the morning, we were forced away from Mr. Lock's, escorted by this guard to Mecklen-' burg Court House, where we arrived in, the evening of the next day. , The said Kennon and Osborne having signified that the Mecklenburg Committee would examine into those affairs, we made application to Mr. Polk to call upon the members of that Committee, many of whom were then in town, and that we were ready to answer to any charge that any one could accuse us with, and would give them any reasonable satisfaction, with regard to our. conduct, which they in reason could expect or desire, to which request he seemed to have some thoughts of complying, but, instead thereof, the next morning, he, at the head of about sixty horsemen, all armed, signified to us that we were to be sent to Camden Jail, in South Carolina, and accord- ingly, we were forced to comply. From Camden we were sent to the Con- gress, and from thence to Charles Town, without a shift of any kind of ap- parel, nor a shilling in our pockets to buy us the least necessary of life, and previous to any examination, trial, or Convention, or any legal or just charge, but such as those cruel and unjust persecutors pleased to suggest in order to justify their conduct, having violated of principle, honor, justice, and humanity, and even one of the established maxims and rules of the General Congress before that time made and directed to be observed throughout the whole con- tinent. And now, here we still remain prisoners, in exile from the enjoy- ment and society of our wives, children, and families, who have suffered great distress and hardships, on many occasions, contrary to every principle of humanity and Christian virtue, and without any just cause whatever, un- less it be to gratify the malice and envy of wicked, artful and designing per- sons, who in order to gratify their own ambition, and carry their pernicious and wicked designs into execution, would sacrifice their own honor, and the repose of their innocent neighbors, and happiness of their families, to answer their pernicious views. It has been proposed to us several months ago, by the gentlemen of this place, that if we would release those men, and indemnify them from all actions or causes of actions arising to us on account of our sufferings, we should be released and permitted to go home to our families. As to myself, I answered and told them that I was ready and willing to re- lease and indemnify every person belonging to any Congress, Committee, or Council of Safety, or any person who had been invested to act in any wise by any authority of the people, but those who had treated me with cruelty and barbarity in an arbitrary and unjustifiable manner, I could not, in justice to myself, family, and fellow subjects, forgive. Having suffered near twelve months false imprisonment, and was also indebted near one hundred pounds procl. money, to physicians who attended my son, who was sent hither with a certificate by the gentlemen of Salisbury, in order to show the falsity of the charge laid against me, he being sick of a violent fever for some weeks, exclusive of his board and attendance, and keeping his horse, as also another debt owing from myself to the doctor who attended myself when taken with the yellow-jaunders and a fever, and now cannot command a shil- ling to pay off those just debts.
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