Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress

Fourth North Carolina
Provincial Congress
←3rd 5th→
de facto flag of the United Colonies
Overview
Legislative bodyNorth Carolina Provincial Congress
JurisdictionNorth Carolina (de facto)
Meeting placeHalifax Court House
TermApril 4, 1776 – May 14, 1776
Provincial Congress
Members153 delegates
PresidentSamuel Johnston
Vice PresidentCornelius Harnett
Sovereign
MonarchHM George III
GovernorHE Josiah Martin

The Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress was a meeting of the provincial congress of the de facto provincial government of North Carolina, composed of 153 delegates from 35 counties and nine towns. The congress convened in Halifax on April 4, 1776, and ended on May 14, 1776, during the final year of Josiah Martin's gubernatorial administration. Samuel Johnston was unanimously chosen as president, and Cornelius Harnett was appointed as vice president of the congress.[1][2]

History

Resolutions

John Trumbull's painting, Declaration of Independence, depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress. Hewes and Penn are depicted in the back row. Hooper missed the initial vote approving it on the Fourth of July, 1776, but was able to sign it on August 2, 1776.

The delegates authorized their representatives to the Second Continental Congress to vote for independence, including Joseph Hewes, William Hooper, and John Penn. The 83 delegates present on April 12, 1776 adopted the Halifax Resolves. On April 13, 1776, the delegates formed a committee to start working on a North Carolina Constitution, which was ratified in December by the Fifth North Carolina Provincial Congress. In April 1776, the congress passed a resolve to move loyalists while allowing them to dispose of their property. Later in May 1776, the congress passed a resolve to confiscate the property of those taking up arms against the United Colonies.[3][4][5]

Delegates

Samuel Johnston, Chowan County
Thomas Amis, Halifax County
John Baptista Ashe, New Hanover County
Thomas Burke, Orange County
Richard Caswell, Dobbs County
Philemon Hawkins, II, Bute County
Joseph Hewes, Edenton
William Hooper, New Hanover County
Samuel Johnston, Chowan County
Allen Jones, Northampton County
Willie Jones, Halifax County
Abner Nash, New Bern
John Penn, Granville County
Nathaniel Rochester, Orange County
Joseph Winston, Surry County

The following is a full list of delegates to the fourth congress by constituency.[6][7][8]

ConstituencyName
Anson CountyJohn Child
Anson CountyJohn Crawford
Anson CountyDaniel Love
Anson CountyJames Pickett
Anson CountySamuel Spencer
Beaufort CountyJohn Cowper
Beaufort CountyRoger Ormond
Beaufort CountyThomas Respess, jun.
Bertie CountyJohn Campbell[9]
Bertie CountyJohn Johnston
Bertie CountyCharles Jaycocks
Bladen CountyThomas Amis[10]
Bladen CountyMaturin Colville
Bladen CountyJames Council
Bladen CountyNathaniel Richardson
Bladen CountyThomas Robeson, jun.[11]
Brunswick Countynot represented
Bute CountyWilliam Alston[12]
Bute CountyPhilemon Hawkins[13]
Bute CountyGreen Hill[14]
Bute CountyWilliam Person
Bute CountyThomas Sherrod
Carteret CountyJohn Backhouse[15]
Carteret CountySolomon Shepard
Carteret CountyWilliam Thompson
Chatham CountyElisha Cain
Chatham CountyJeduthan Harper
Chatham CountyAmbrose Ramsey
Chatham CountyJoseph Rosser
Chatham CountyJohn Thompson
Chowan CountyThomas Benbury
Chowan CountyJohn B. Beasly
Chowan CountyThomas Hunter
Chowan CountySamuel Johnston[16]
Chowan CountyThomas Jones[17]
Craven CountyJacob Blount[18]
Craven CountyJohn Bryan
Craven CountyWilliam Bryan
Craven CountyJames Coor
Craven CountyLemuel Hatch
Cumberland CountyDavid Smith
Cumberland CountyAlexander McAllister
Cumberland CountyFarquard Campbell[19]
Cumberland CountyThomas Rutherford[20]
Cumberland CountyAlexander McKay
Currituck CountySamuel Jarvis
Currituck CountyGideon Lamb[21]
Currituck CountySolomon Perkins[22]
Currituck CountyJames Ryan
Currituck CountyJames White[23]
Dobbs CountySimon Bright
Dobbs CountyRichard Caswell
Dobbs CountyWilliam McKinnie
Dobbs CountyGeorge Miller
Dobbs CountyAbraham Sheppard
Duplin CountyRichard Clinton
Duplin CountyWilliam Dickson[24]
Duplin CountyThomas Gray
Edgecombe CountyElisha Battle[25]
Edgecombe CountyNathan Boddie
Edgecombe CountyWilliam Haywood[26]
Edgecombe CountyHenry Irwin[27]
Edgecombe CountyDuncan Lemon[28]
Granville CountyCharles A. Eaton
Granville CountyMemucan Hunt
Granville CountyJohn Penn
Granville CountyThomas Person
Granville CountyJohn Taylor
Guilford CountyWilliam Dent
Guilford CountyRalph Gorrell, jun.[29]
Guilford CountyRansom Sutherland
Halifax CountyWillis Alston
Halifax CountyJohn Bradford
Halifax CountyJames Hogun
Halifax CountyDavid Sumner
Halifax CountyJoseph John Williams
Hertford CountyLawrence Baker[30]
Hertford CountyMatthias Brickell, jun.
Hertford CountyWilliam Murfree[note 1]
Hertford CountyRobert Sumner
Hyde CountyJoseph Hancock
Hyde CountyJohn Jordan
Hyde CountyRotheas Latham
Hyde CountyBenjamin Parmelin
Johnston CountySamuel Smith, jun.[31]
Johnston CountyHenry Rains
Johnston CountyNeedham Bryan, jun.[32]
Martin CountyWhitmell Hill
Martin CountyKenneth McKenzie
Martin CountyEdward Smithwick
Martin CountyThomas Wiggins[33]
Martin CountyWilliam Williams[34]
Mecklenburg CountyJohn McKnitt Alexander
Mecklenburg CountyRobert Irwin
Mecklenburg CountyJohn Phifer
New Hanover CountyJohn Ashe
New Hanover CountySamuel Ashe
New Hanover CountyJohn DeVane
New Hanover CountyJohn Hollingsworth
New Hanover CountySampson Mosely
Northampton CountyJeptha Atherton
Northampton CountyHowell Edmunds
Northampton CountyDrewry Gee
Northampton CountyEaton Haynes
Northampton CountyAllen Jones[35]
Northampton CountySamuel Lockhart
Northampton CountyEaton Haynes
Onslow CountyBenjamin Doty
Onslow CountyJohn King
Onslow CountyGeorge Mitchell
Onslow CountyJohn Norman
Onslow CountyJohn Spicer[36]
Orange CountyThomas Burke
Orange CountyJohn Butler[37]
Orange CountyJohn Kinchen[38]
Orange CountyNathaniel Rochester
Orange CountyJames Saunders
Pasquotank CountyHenry Abbot[39]
Pasquotank CountyThomas Boyd[40]
Pasquotank CountyDempsey Burgess
Pasquotank CountyWilliam Cumming
Pasquotank CountyJoseph Jones
Perquimans CountyCharles Blount
Perquimans CountyMiles Harvey[41]
Perquimans CountyThomas Harvey[42]
Perquimans CountyCharles Moore
Perquimans CountyWilliam Skinner
Pitt CountyWilliam Robeson
Pitt CountyEdward Salter
Pitt CountyJohn Simpson[43]
Rowan CountyJohn Johnston
Rowan CountyMatthew Locke
Rowan CountyGriffith Rutherford
Surry CountyCharles Gordon
Surry CountyJoseph Williams
Surry CountyJoseph Winston
Tryon CountyJames Johnston[44]
Tryon CountyCharles McLean
Tyrrell CountyArchibald Corry
Wake CountyJohn Hinton[45]
Wake CountyWilliam Hooper
Wake CountyTignal Jones
Wake CountyJoel Lane[46]
Wake CountyJohn Rand
Town of BathWilliam Brown[47]
EdentonJoseph Hewes
NewbernAbner Nash
WilmingtonCornelius Harnett
Brunswicknot represented
HalifaxWillie Jones[note 2]
HalifaxJohn Webb[note 2]
HillsboroughWilliam Johnston[48]
SalisburyDavid Nesbitt
Campbelton[note 3]Arthur Council[49]

References

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Possibly the father of William Murfree
  2. 1 2 Willie Jones had to leave the provincial congress because he was elected by the Continental Congress to serve as the Superintendent of Indian Affairs. John Webb replaced him.
  3. ↑ Campbelton became part of Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1783.

Citations

  1. ↑ Butler, Lindley (2006). Powell, William Stevens (ed.). Encyclopedia of North Carolina, Provincial Congresses. University of North Carolina Press. pp. 917–918. ISBN 0807830712.
  2. ↑ "State Library of North Carolina. Information page for Tryon Palace". Archived from the original on May 3, 2008.
  3. ↑ Minutes of the Provincial Congress of North Carolina, North Carolina. Provincial Congress, April 04, 1776 - May 14, 1776. Vol. 10. pp. 499–590. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  4. ↑ Agan, Kelly (2012). "North Carolina Manual: Halifax Resolves". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  5. ↑ Marshall, Elain F., ed. (2005). North Carolina Manual of 2005-2006 (PDF). p. 95. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  6. ↑ Lewis, J. D. "4th Provincial Congress". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  7. ↑ Connor, Robert Diggs Wimberly, ed. (1913). A Manual of North Carolina Issued by the North Carolina Historical Commission for the Use of Members of the General Assembly Session 1913. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  8. ↑ Norris, David A. (2006). "Borough Towns". NCPEDIA. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  9. ↑ Parramore, Thomas C. (1979). "John Campbell". NCPEDIA. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  10. ↑ Starnes, Sam (2013). "Thomas Amis". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  11. ↑ Smith, Maud Thomas (1994). "Thomas Robeson, Jr". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  12. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Patriot Leaders in North Carolina, Willis Alston". Carolana.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  13. ↑ Maupin, Armistead Jones (1988). "Philemon Hawkins, III". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  14. ↑ Malone, E. T. Jr. (1988). "Green Hill, Jr". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  15. ↑ Littleton, Tucker (1979). "John Backhouse". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  16. ↑ Bair, Anna Withers (1988). "Samuel Johnston". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  17. ↑ Powell, William S. (1988). "Thomas Jones". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  18. ↑ Maupin, Armistead Jones (1979). "Jacob Blount". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  19. ↑ Fields, William C. (1979). "Farquhard Campbell". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  20. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Thomas Rutherford". carolana.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  21. ↑ Watson, Alan D. (1991). "Gideon Lamb". Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  22. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Colonel Solomon Perkins". Carolana.com. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  23. ↑ Powell, William S. (1996). "James White". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  24. ↑ Ingram, Charles M. (1986). "William Dickson". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  25. ↑ Taylor, R. Hargus (1979). "Elisha Battle". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  26. ↑ Watson, Alan D. (1988). "William Haywood". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  27. ↑ O'Donnell, John Burke Jr. (1988). "Henry Irwin". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  28. ↑ Smith, Claiborne T. Jr. (1991). "Duncan Lamon". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  29. ↑ Bell, John L. Jr. (1986). "Ralph Gorrell". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019. His grandfather was Ralph Gorrell, Jr. (1735–1816), … Ralph, Jr., was a member of the Halifax Provincial Congresses of April and December 1776,
  30. ↑ Smith, Claiborne T. Jr. (1979). "Laurence Baker". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  31. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Samuel Smith". Carolana.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  32. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Needham Bryan". Carolana.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  33. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Thomas Wiggins". Carolina.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  34. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "William Williamson". Carolana.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  35. ↑ Howerton, Timothy L. (1988). "Allen Jones". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  36. ↑ Smith, William S. Jr. (1994). "John Spicer". Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  37. ↑ Butler, Lindley S. (1979). "John Butler". Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  38. ↑ Lewis, Henry W. (1988). "John Kinchen". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  39. ↑ Cotton, Jerry W. (1979). "Henry Abbot". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  40. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Thomas Boyd". Carolana.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  41. ↑ O'Donell, John Burke Jr. (1988). "Miles Harvey". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  42. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Thomas Harvey". carolana.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  43. ↑ Maupin, Armistead J. (1994). "John Simpson". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  44. ↑ Asbury, Hayden (2013). "Colonel James Johnston". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  45. ↑ Hodges, Eudora Coleman (1988). "John Hinton". Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  46. ↑ Reid, Elizabeth Davis (1991). "Joel Lane". Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  47. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "William Brown". Carolana.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  48. ↑ Powell, William S. (1988). "William Johnston". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  49. ↑ Rockwell, Paul A. (1979). "Arthur Council". Retrieved November 2, 2019.

Further reading