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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Deposition of Francis Foster concerning the election of North Carolina General Assembly representatives
Foster, Francis, d. after 1735
April 14, 1749
Volume 04, Pages 1169-1170

The Deposition of Francis Forster of Perquimans County in North Carolina, Gentleman, aged about ninety years; who being sworn on the Holy Evangelists, deposes and saith, that he, the said Deponent, upwards of sixty years ago, was chosen a Burgess for Perquimans Precinct, and that he and four other Burgesses represented the said Precinct in the General Assembly of North Carolina, & that he the said Deponent served the said Precinct as a Burgess for several Years; and this Deponent furthur saith, that he was appointed a Member of Council when Thomas Carey Esqre was first Governor of the said Province and that he the said Deponent, continued to be a Member of Council, acted as such, and was conversant in the Publick Affairs of the Province 'till

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seven of the Lords Proprietors had conveyed their Estate and Interest in the Province to his Majesty: And further this Deponent saith that the said Precinct of Perquimans, and likewise the Precincts, now called Countys of Chowan, Pasquotank & Currituck, ever since this Depont hath known the Province have been represented in the General Assembly by Five Burgesses from each of the said Precincts or Counties; and that he never knew, nor heard their right to such a Representation contested or called in Question, 'till after November One Thousand seven hundred and forty six: and further this Deponent saith, that he never knew nor heard that less than a Majority of the Members of the House of Burgesses did proceed in Publick Business; And also that he never knew nor heard, that any new Members of the House of Burgesses were ever qualified till a Majority of the House of Burgesses had met unless since November, One Thousand seven hundred and forty six, and further saith not.


Edenton, 14th April 1749.