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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Affidavit of William McPherson concerning the trial of Herman Husband
McPherson, William
April 23, 1770
Volume 07, Pages 847-848

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]

Some time before ye General Court was held at Hilsborough In September 1768, a Discoarce Commenly passed throughout ye Country yt Harmon Husbands would be then condemd and put to Death, (through a suspision of being protector of ye Regulators,) Which was Cause of great Sorrows to me for I had Been well acquainted with Him well on to 20 years and knew His princaple and practice to be such, yt He was not Worthy of Death—When Court came on my Curiaucity led me to leave ye Regelaters who ware Incamped nigh ye town, and Endevour privately to Inspect into ye matter—When I went to ye town I was taken up by ye guard and took Before an officer who gave me Liberty to go where I saw fit through any part of ye town As I walked a long I saw Collenel Edmen Fanning who

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was then viewing this part of ye Army they Being In an Exercising form ye drums Baiting and Coulers flying and as I drew nigh, ye Collenel Espied me and met me In a genteel manner, and said Well How Do you Do Mr Mcferson, When I had answered He said, Well what temper is ye Regelaters in this morning—I said ye people seems temperate, But they take it Hard yt thee and other gentlemen Concernd therein should offer to touch Harmon Husbandses Life—touch His Life says He, He must be put to Death, Oh no, no Collenel Fanning Says I Dont say so yts hard, yts very Hard, He must says he must surely Die as sure as thee is Born of a Woman I considerd some part of ye Day whether I should tell Harmon or not what I had heard At length I told him, who said Well now I will go of—I waited on him till he mounted his horse then rode by his side Discoarcing of ye matter, John Wilcox fell in with us as we Left ye Regelater Camp, and said to him, What Mr Husbands are you a going of he said yess I Believe I had Best for if they get me into town I believe they will hang me—then Wilcox hastely rode before us and began to Lement in this manner, Oh shocking, shocking my God I wish I had never been born, then he stopt his horse and was as I conceived much in anguish of spirit and says Mr Husbands But will you not stand tryal for If you Dont ye Country is Ruind is Ruind then Harmon said Doest think I had Better stand tryal Yes it would be best Yes Sir it would And I will stand by you to ye very Last, During this Discoarce we had rode near three mile, when on a sudden Harmon Resolved to Return with Wilcox to town and advised me to ride home I being then on ye way which I did with a Sorrowful Heart

The above account is just and true to ye best of my knowledge

William McPherson came before Me and Proved that the above & within writing is the Truth. Proved before Me the 23th Aprile 1770

JOAB BROOKS