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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Deposition of Jacob Williams concerning treatment of loyalists in Anson County
Williams, Jacob
August 18, 1775
Volume 10, Pages 126-127


On Board His Majesty's Ship Cruizer,
in Cape Fear River,
This 18th day of Augt 1775.

Jacob Williams, Planter in Anson County, being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth and saith that about the 25th of last May as he was on the Road to South Carolina one Samuel Wise, appointed by the Committee of Divers persons disaffected to Government, came up to him in a violent manner, called him damned scoundrel, swore he had a great mind to kill him, saying he was surprised that he would be against the country, and some days after one Donaldson came, together with two other persons, took him in custody and carried him by force before several persons who called themselves Committee Men, confined him as their prisoner two days and two nights and read over several papers and endeavoured to persuade him to join with them, and when they had examined him and found he would not concur with their measures and answer such questions as they asked they set him at liberty. After he was discharged he was returning home and stopped at a house to sleep, and after being there some time after dark came one Joseph Pledger, John Andrews and four other Persons unknown to the Deponent, took hold of him by force in a violent manner and carried him into the Woods; the Deponent told them he believed they intended to kill him, they answered they intended to treat him as an Enemy to the Country and ordered the Deponent to strip; took off his coat and began to tye him but after much threatening they released him and the Deponent was informed they intended to take him again dead or alive; one David Love asked the Deponent if he had signed the Protest against the Proceedings of the Continental Congress, he answered he had, upon which the said Love replied, you are an Enemy for that he himself had

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engaged in behalf of the Congress; he then said Lord North was a Roman Catholick, that the King's crown tottered upon his shoulders, for he had established the Roman Catholick Religion in the Province of Quebeck, and that the King and Parliament did intend to establish Popery on all the Continent of America, and that the King was forsworn; that on the 20th of June last Thos Wade, Tavern Keeper of Anson Court House, said to the Deponent that the King and Parliament had Established the Roman Catholic Religion in the Province of Quebeck and did intend to bring in Popish Principles into America, and that the King had forfeited his Coronation Oath and that they the Congress intended to Rule the People of America by way of a Continental Congress and by Provincial Congresses and by Committee; that the Deponent saw him with a cockade in his hat and that he was listing Men as fast as he could. And further this Deponent saith not.

(Signed) JACOB WILLIAMS.