The North Carolina General Assembly of 1779 met in three sessions in three locations in the years 1779 and 1780. The first session was held in Smithfield from May 3 to May 15, 1779; the second session in Halifax, from October 18 to November 10, 1779; the third and final session in New Bern, from January to February, 1780.
Each of the 50 North Carolina counties was authorized by the North Carolina Constitution of 1776 to elect one Senator and two members of the House of Commons. In addition, six districts (also called boroughs) were authorized to elect one House member each. Richard Caswell was elected governor by the legislature.Holloman, Charles R. 1979.Caswell, Richard. NCpedia.
Legislation For additional laws and minutes of the 1779 General Assembly, see Legislative Documents.
Councilors of State This General Assembly selected the following Councilors of State on May 3, 1779: Joseph Leech from Craven County Robert Bignall from Edgecombe County John SampsonJohn Sampson declined to serve as councilor of state. John Simpson from Pitt County Thomas Respass, Senior from Beaufort CountyThomas Respass declined to serve as councilor of state. Isaac Guion from Craven County William Whitfield from Dobbs County Waightstill Avery from Burke Count (selected on October 25, 1779) Edward Starkey from Onslow County (selected on October 30, 1779)
House of Commons Leadership of the House of Commons
Speaker: Thomas Benbury (Chowan County) Clerk: John Hunt (Franklin County)
Members of the House of Commons
In 1779, the General Assembly abolished Bute County and Tryon County. They also created eleven new counties: Franklin, Gates, Jones, Lincoln, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Rutherford, Sullivan, Warren, and Wayne Counties. Members of the House of Commons are listed below, along with the county they represented:
CountyHouse of Commons MemberAnson CountyCharles MedlockAnson CountyStephen MillerBeaufort CountyJohn KennedyBeaufort CountyRobert TrippBertie CountyJames CampbellBertie CountyJohn JohnstonBladen CountySamuel CainBladen CountyThomas BrownBrunswick CountyWilliam Dry (possibly)Brunswick County(vacant)Burke CountyWilliam MorrisonBurke CountyThomas WhitsonCamden CountyWillis BrightCamden CountyCaleb GrandyCarteret CountyJohn EastonCarteret CountySolomon ShepperdCaswell CountyPeter FarrowCaswell CountyWilliam MooreChatham CountyJonathan HarperChatham CountyJohn LuttrellChowan CountyThomas BenburyChowan CountyWilliam BoydCraven CountyHardy BryanCraven CountyBenjamin WilliamsCumberland CountyRobert CochranCumberland CountyRobert RowanCurrituck CountyJohn HumphriesCurrituck CountyThomas YoungbloodDobbs CountyJesse CobbThis Dobbs County seat was declared vacant on May 15, 1779.Dobbs CountyWilliam CaswellWilliam Caswell was elected to replace Jesse Cobb. He took office October 20, 1779.Dobbs CountyThomas GrayThomas Gray's seat was declared vacant on May 15, 1779.Dobbs CountyAbraham SheppardAbrham Sheppard was elected to replace Thomas Gray. He took office on October 20, 1779.Duplin CountyRichard ClintonDuplin CountyJames GillespieEdgecombe CountyEthelred ExumEthelred Exum died before the second session.Edgecombe CountyWilliam HaywoodWilliam Haywood was elected to replace Ethelred Exum and served during third session.Edgecombe CountyWilliam HaywoodWilliam Haywood died in November 1779. There was no replacement.Franklin CountyGreen HillGreen Hill was elected Halifax district treasurer. His seat was declared vacant on May 15.Franklin CountyJohn NorwoodJohn Norwood was elected to replace Green Hill on October 18, 1779.Franklin CountyThomas SherrodGranville CountyPhilemon Hawkins IIGates CountyvacantGates County was formed in 1779 from parts of Chowan, Hertford, and Perquimans counties.Granville CountyThomas PersonGuilford CountyDaniel GillespieGuilford CountyJames HunterHalifax CountyWillie JonesHalifax CountyAugustine WillisHertford CountyArthur CottonHertford CountyWilliam WynnsHyde CountyJoseph HancockHyde CountyBenjamin ParmeleJohnston CountyLewis BryanBryan Lewis died in November 1779.Johnston CountyPhillip RaifordJones CountyvacantJones County was formed in 1779 from the southwestern part of Craven County.Lincoln CountyvacantLincoln County was formed in 1779 from the eastern part of Tryon County.Martin CountySamuel SmithwickMartin CountySamuel WilliamsMecklenburg CountyCaleb PhiferMecklenburg CountyDavid WilsonMontgomery CountySolomon GrossMontgomery CountyJohn KimbroughNew Hanover CountyTimothy BloodworthNew Hanover CountyJohn A. CampbellNorthampton CountyRobert PeeblesNorthampton CountyJames VaughanOnslow CountyJames HowardOnslow CountyEdward StarkeyOrange CountyWilliam McCauleyOrange CountyMark PattersonPasquotank CountyJohn BlackstockPasquotank CountyThomas RidingPerquimans CountyJonathan SkinnerPerquimans CountyJohn WhedbeePitt CountyJames GorhamPitt CountyJohn WilliamsRandolph CountyJacob ShepperdRandolph CountyAbsolam TatumAbsolam Tatum was named county clerk of court. His seat was declared vacant on May 8, 1779.Randolph CountyJohn ArnoldJohn Arnold was elected to replace Absolam Tatum. He assumed office on October 15, 1779.Richmond CountyvacantRichmond County was formed from Anson County in 1779.Richmond County Rowan CountyMatthew LockeRowan CountyMoses WinslowSullivan CountyvacantSullivan County was established in 1779 from a portion of Washington County.Sullivan CountyvacantSurry CountyGray BynumSurry CountyFrederick MillerTyrrell CountyBenjamin SpruillTyrrell CountyJoshua SwannWake CountyThomas HinesWake CountyJohn Hinton, Jr.Warren CountyJoseph HawkinsWarren CountyJohn MaconWashington DistrictHenry ClarkWashington DistrictJesse WaltonWayne CountyvacantWayne County was established in 1779 from the western part of Dobbs County.Wayne CountyvacantWilkes CountyElisha IsaacsWilkes CountyBenjamin HerndonEdenton DistrictRobert SmithHalifax DistrictHenry MontfordHillsborough DistrictThomas TullochNew Bern DistrictRichard CogdellRichard Cogdell was elected treasurer for the New Bern district. New Bern DistrictRichard Dobbs SpaightRichard Dobbs Spaight was elected to replace Richard Cogdell. He took office on October 18, 1779.Salisbury DistrictMaxwell ChambersWilmington DistrictWilliam Hooper
Senate
Senate leadership Speaker: Allen Jones (Northampton County), resigned October 25, 1779; Abner Nash, elected to replace Jones October 26, 1779 Clerk: John Sitgreaves (Craven County)
Members of the senate
Members of the senate and counties they represented included the following CountySenate MemberAnson CountyJohn ChildsBeaufort CountyThomas RespessBertie CountyJasper CarltonBladen CountyThomas OwenBrunswick County(vacant)Burke CountyEphraim McLeanCamden CountyJohn GrayCarteret CountyWilliam ThompsonCaswell CountyJames SaundersChatham CountyAmbrose RamseyChowan CountySamuel JohnstonCraven CountyJames CoorCumberland County(vacant)Currituck CountySolomon PerkinsAlthough Solomon Perkins was elected, there is no evidence of service in the minutes.Dobbs CountyBenjamin ExumDuplin CountyJames KenanEdgecombe CountyElisha BattleFranklin CountyBenjamin SeawellGates County(vacant)Granville CountyMemucan HuntGuilford CountyAlexander MartinHalifax CountyOroondate DavisHertford CountyGeorge WynnHyde CountyWilliam RussellJohnston CountySamuel SmithJones CountyAbner NashLincoln CountyWilliam GrahamMartin County(unknown)Mecklenburg CountyKenneth McKenzieMontgomery County(vacant)New Hanover CountyNathan BoddieNorthampton CountyAllen JonesAllen Jones was elected to the Continental Congress. He resigned as senator on October 25, 1779.Northampton CountySamuel LockhartSamuel Lockhart was elected to replace Allen Jones. He served during the third session.Onslow CountyHenry RhodesOrange CountyJohn HoganPasquotank CountyThomas RelfePerquimans CountyThomas HarveyPitt CountyEdward SalterRandolph CountyJohn CollierRichmond County(vacant)Rowan CountyGriffith RutherfordSullivan County(vacant)Surry CountyWilliam ShepperdTyrrell CountyJeremiah FrazierWake CountyJohn RandWarren CountyJohn FaulconWashington DistrictCharles RobersonWayne County(vacant)Wilkes CountyBenjamin Cleveland
See also List of North Carolina state legislatures
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