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
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]

  • Joseph Leech from Craven County[8]
  • James Davis
  • Isaac Guion from Craven County[9]
  • James Granger

Leadership
Sen. Alexander Martin

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

The Senate leadership included the following:[4]

House and Senate members
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]

CountyHouse of Commons MemberSenate Member
Anson CountyMiller, StephenChilds, John
Anson CountyFarr, Richard-
Beaufort CountyBrown, WilliamRespess, Thomas, Jr.
Beaufort CountyWillis, Samuel-
Bertie CountyTurner, DavidHorne, William
Bertie CountyJaycocks, Jonathan-
Bladen CountyCain, SamuelVacant
Bladen CountyLucas, Frances-
Brunswick CountynoneMacLaine, Archibald
Brunswick Countynone-
Burke CountyBrevard, HughMcLean, Ephraim
Burke CountyMcDowell, Joseph-
Camden CountyBurgess, WilliamGrays, John
Camden CountyGregory, Isaac-
Carteret CountyShepard, SolomonUnknown
Carteret CountyUnknown or vacant-
Caswell CountyFarrow, PeterUnknown
Caswell CountyWilliams, John-
Caswell CountyMoore, Stephen[13]-
Chatham CountyScurlock, MialRamsey, Ambrose
Chatham CountyWilliams, James-
Chowan CountyBenbury, ThomasJohnson, Charles
Chowan CountyBoyd, William-
Craven CountyBryan, WilliamCoor, James
Craven CountyBlount, William-
Cumberland CountyCochran, RobetFolsome, Ebenezer
Cumberland CountyWinslow, Edward-
Currituck CountyPhillips, JamesJarvis, Samuel
Currituck CountyHumphreys, John-
Dobbs CountyCaswell, WilliamCaswell, Richard, Sr.[note 3]
Dobbs CountySheppard, Abraham-
Duplin CountyDickson, JosephClinton, Richard
Duplin CountyGillespie, James-
Edgecombe CountyGray, EtheldredBattle, Elisha
Edgecombe CountyHorn, Henry, Jr.-
Franklin CountyBryant, JosephHill, Henry
Franklin CountyBrickell, William-
Gates CountySumner, JethroGregory, James
Gates CountyGarrett, James-
Granville CountyPerson, ThomasHunt, Memucan
Granville CountyHawkins, Philemon, Jr.-
Guilford CountyHunter, JamesMartin, Alexander
Guilford CountyGowdy, William-
Halifax CountyJones, Willie[note 3]Davis, Oroondates
Halifax CountyWeldon, William/Whitaker, John-
Hertford CountyBaker, JohnUnknown
Hertford CountyJordan, Pleasant/Mauney, James-
Hyde CountyLatham, RotheasRussell, William
Hyde CountyBarrow, George-
Johnston CountyLockhart, JamesWilliams, Benjamin
Johnston CountyWhitley, John-
Jones CountyHargett, FrederickNash, Abner/Vacant[note 4]
Jones CountyIsler, John-
Lincoln CountyMauney, ValentineJohnston, James
Lincoln CountySloan, John-
Martin CountySmithwick, EdwardMcKenzie, Kenneth
Martin CountyAveritt, John-
Mecklenburg CountyPhifer, CalebIrwin, Robert
Mecklenburg CountyWilson, David-
Montgomery CountyRoper, JamesLedbetter, Drury
Montgomery CountyMoore, Edward-
New Hanover CountyCampbell, John A.DeVane, John
New Hanover CountyBloodworth, Timothy/Bloodworth, James-
Northampton CountyVaughan, James/Dawson, JohnUnknown
Northampton CountyPeoples, Robert-
Onslow CountyStarkey, EdwardRhodes, Henry
Onslow CountyMitchell, George-
Orange CountyMcCauley, WilliamCourtney, William
Orange CountyPatterson, Mark-
Pasquotank CountyBlackstock, JohnEveragin, Edward
Pasquotank CountyHarvey, Thomas-
Perquimans CountyBlount, CharlesEaton, Jesse
Perquimans CountyHarvey, John[note 5]-
Pitt CountyGeorgeSimpson, John
Pitt CountyWilliams, John-
Randolph CountyBalfour, AndrewCollier, John
Randolph CountyHarper, Jeduthan-
Richmond CountyHarrington, Henry WilliamMedlock, Charles
Richmond CountyWebb, Robert-
Rowan CountyLocke, MatthewRutherford, Griffith
Rowan CountyBarrier, George Henry (aka George H. Berger)-
Rutherford CountyWhitesides, David/Porter, William[note 6]Unknown
Rutherford CountyGilbert, William-
Sullivan CountyLooney, DavidShelby, Evan
Sullivan CountyUnknown/Vacant-
Surry CountyCummings, SamuelShepherd, William
Surry CountyFreeman, Samuel-
Tyrrell CountyWarrington, JohnFrazier, Jeremiah
Tyrrell CountyBlunt, Edmund-
Wake CountyJones, NathanialHinton, John, Jr.
Wake CountyHumphries, John-
Warren CountyMacon, JohnHaynes, Herbert
Warren CountyHawkins, Joseph-
Washington County (became Tennessee in 1789)Allison, CharlesCarter, John
Washington County (became Tennessee in 1789)Robertson, Charles/Clarke, Henry-
Wayne CountyCobb, StephenUnknown
Wayne CountyMooring, Burwell-
Wilkes CountyIsaacs, ElijahCleveland, Benjamin
Wilkes CountyHerndon, Joseph-
Edenton DistrictSmith, Robert-
Halifax DistrictMontfort, Henry-
Hillsborough DistrictTullock, Thomas/Shields, John-
New Bern DistrictGreen, James, Jr./Blount, William[note 7]-
Salisbury DistrictNewman, Anthony-
Wilmington DistrictHooper, William[note 3]-

Notes
  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. 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.
gollark: Well, why not?
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gollark: Even assuming no malice at all (or security issues), it could crash/fail and leave money stranded in your wallet.
gollark: Well, <@!111569489971159040>, it's not as if people will immediately notice if they get slightly less money than they might expect.

References
  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. Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State House 1780". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. 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.
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