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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from John Barnett to Daniel Burton
Barnett, John
February 03, 1766
Volume 07, Pages 163-164

[N. C. Letter Book S. P. G.]
Mr. Barnett to the Secretary.

Brunswick Cape Fear Feby 3rd 1766

Reverend Sir,

The unhappy disturbances in America has prevented any opportunity of my writing the venerable society till now.

The Governor has wrote you and desires to be admitted a member of the Society; he has enclosed a bill of Exchange on Messrs Drummond Charing Cross.

He is a gentleman of great goodness of heart, and a most sincere well wisher of the Society. His Excellency has lately effected what the late very worthy Governor often attempted.

An act of Assembly is at length obtained for vesting the right of Induction in the Crown, and the salaries are augmented to £133 per annum currency about £70 sterling.—

The Society were pleased to appoint me their Missionary to Brunswick and Wilmington, but these Towns being Capitals of two several Counties I can be minister to only one of them so have chosen Brunswick which is the residence of the Governor however I occasionally officiate in several other places one was upwards of one hundred miles distant from Brunswick.—

The extent of this Parish is I believe about sixty miles by thirty I have visited several times those parts in it appointed by the Vestry and have baptized from the 12th day of Novr to last of January Sixty White Children One Negro Child and one adult Negro—and three times administered the sacrament to about 25 communicants—

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New light baptists are very numerous in the southern parts of this parish—The most illiterate among them are their Teachers even Negroes speak in their Meetings—They lately sent to me to offer the use of their meeting house where I propose to officiate once in two months.

His excellency has been pleased to subscribe about forty guineas towards finishing the church here and I believe the work will now go on briskly—it is a very handsome brick building upwards of Seventy one feet in length and breadth and height in proportion; the roof is finished and the Sashes Glass &c will arrive from England I hope in the next summer

I am &c
JOHN BARNETT.