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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Deposition of Tyree Harris concerning the resolutions of the Regulators
Harris, Tyree, 1728-1787
August 03, 1768
Volume 07, Page 798

-------------------- page 798 --------------------
[B. P. R. O. Am. & W. I. N. C. No. 216.]
Deposition of Tyree Harris late Sheriff of Orange County

North Carolina
Orange County } No. 15.

This day came Tyree Harris before me James Thackston one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said County of Orange and being first sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, Deposeth and Sayeth that on Monday ye first day of August in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and sixty eight he set out to meet a Company of People called Regulators, at George Adam Sally's on Rocky river the next day, and accordingly met on the same day, a large number of men assembled a large part whereof were armed, and that on his arrival he delivered a Letter from His Excellency the Governor, to James Hunter, which he the said Hunter, publicly read and after reading thereof, he the said Hunter, read another Letter, which he said the Governor had before sent them, and then a Proclamation which this Deponent, carried in the first mentioned Letter, after which this Deponent mixed with the Company and it appeared to be the general resolution of the whole Assembly to pay no Taxes And this Deponent sayeth, that he heard several Persons to him unknown swear that they would kill any man who should dare to take anything from any of them till they came to a Settlement with many other menacing expressions against Officers in general; and this Deponent sayeth he heard Wm. Butler who appeared to be a Leader amongst them declare himself to this purpose, “We are determined not to pay the Tax for the next three years, for the Edifice or Governor's House We want no such House, nor will we pay for it.” And on a further conversation which this Deponent had with William Butler, James Hunter and several others relative to his Proceeding, on his Collection of the Taxes agreeable to Law he does verily believe that had he distrained he should have endangered his Life. And furthermore this Deponent saith not—

TYREE HARRIS.

Sworn to before me at Hillsborough the 3rd day of August 1768.
JAMES THACKSTON.