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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the New Bern Committee of Safety
New Bern (N.C.). Committee of Safety
February 21, 1776 - February 24, 1776
Volume 10, Pages 459-465

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Proceedings of the Safety Committee at New Bern.

North Carolina,
New Bern District. } Ss.

At a Meeting of the Committee of Safety for the District of New Bern, by Adjournment on Wednesday the twenty first Day of February A. D., 1776.

Present: Col. Richard Cogdell, President; Doctor Alexr Gaston, Mr John Easton, Col. William Thompson, Richard Ellis Esqr., Col. John Simpson, Mr William Tisdale.

The Committee adjourned till to Morrow morning nine o'Clock.


Thursday the 22d Feby, 1776.

The Committee mett according to adjournment.

Present: Col. Richard Cogdell, President; Col. John Simpson, Richard Ellis Esqr, Mr John Easton, Mr William Brown, Doctor Alexr Gaston, Col. William Thompson, Mr William Tisdale.

Mr Robert Jamison exhibited to this Committee an Account for Eight Guns furnished to Major Patten, for the Use of the second Regiment of North Carolina Provincials commanded by Col. Howe; and also for one hundred & twenty five pounds advanced at the Instance of the Committee of Pitt County towards paying the Bounty to the Minute Men of Capt. Armstrong's Company, agreeable to a Resolution of the Congress, which Account amounting in the whole to the Sum of one hundred and forty seven pounds were examined and allowed, Resolved therefore that the Public Treasurer pay the same.

William Palmer Esqr Collector of the Rum Duties for the Port of Bath, in Consequence of a Notice from this Committee appeared & exhibited his Account of Duties by him received from the twenty second day of October A. D. 1772 to the thirtieth day of May A. D. 1774, whereby it appears that he is indebted to the Public the Net Sum of £208.18.7, after deducting Commissions at Seven & a half per Cent, amounting to £16.18.9. At the same Time the said William Palmer exhibited to this Committee a subsequent Account from the fourteenth Day of September A. D. 1774 to the twenty second Day of August A. D. 1775, by which it appears that he is indebted a further Net Sum of £121.11.6½, after deducting the Sum

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of £9.17.1½ his Commissions for collecting at Seven & a half per Cent, which two Sums of Money amounting in the whole to £330.10.1½, due from the said William Palmer to the Public Treasury of this Province, which accounts are sworn to and filed in the Committee. Resolved therefore that the said William Palmer pay the same, in six Weeks, to the public Treasurer of the Southern District, or to this Committee, and also a further Sum of Forty pounds Eight Shillings which the said William Palmer is to collect, from Persons who have given their Notes of Hand for Monies due for Duties not yet received by him.

Thomas Jordon Esqr late Sheriff of Hyde County appeared agreeable to Notice given him, and rendered his Account of the Eight and four pence Public Tax by him collected in his County for the Year 1772. It appears that he is accountable for Eight hundred and seven Taxes at Eight & four pence amounting to the Sum of £336.5.0 and that he was allowed by the County Court of Hyde fifty one Insolvents amounting to £21.5.0 and that he hath paid to the Public Treasurer the Sum of £160.6.10 and is allowed £25.4, his Commissions for collecting, as well as the Sum of £10 for his sallery, agreeable to Law, and that he hath paid in Public Orders £18.0.2 and in Money to this Committee the Sum of £101.9.0, to be paid to Col. Caswell, Treasurer of the Southern District, for the Use of the Province, which closes his Account for the Year 1772.

Alderson Ellison Esqr, Sheriff of Beaufort County by his Deputy Thos. Ellison appeared before this Committee & rendered his account for the Public Tax in said County, by him collected for the Year 1774 wherein he credits the Public for Eight hundred & twelve Taxes at 4d per Taxable, amounting to the Sum of one hundred and Seventy five pounds Eighteen Shillings and Eight pence Proc. money, and charges fifty nine Insolvents allowed by the

Court as per Certificate
£12
15
8
His Sallery for Public Services
10
0
0
His Commissions on £163.3.0 at 8 per Ct
13
4
0
His Sallery for the Year 1773
10
0
0
An Order for William Fullerton, 2 Years Allowance at £20 per Year
40
0
0
An Order for the same Man one Year, 1775
20
Paid Sarah Bond for Ferriages
31
13
4
Paid William Brown for Ditto
23
13
4
£161
6
4
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Which several Charges in the above Account, some of them perhaps objectionable, we refer to Col. Caswell the Treasurer of the Southern District. Resolved that the said Alderson Ellison do in Six Weeks from this Time wait upon Col. Caswell The Treasurer aforesaid and settle said Account.

Agreeable to a Resolve of this Committee on the Seventeenth of January last respecting Six hundred Bushells of Salt from the Brigg Defiance commanded by Capt. Cooper, which was directed to be disposed of & sold by the Committee of the Town of New Bern, in Consequence of which the Committee of said Town employed Mr Thomas Sitgreaves to make sale of said Salt at public Vendue, and that the Money arising from the Sale thereof be paid into this Committee, Whereupon the said Thomas Sitgreaves hath this Day rendered his Account of the Sale to the amount of £119.2.11 and out of the Sale the Sum of £6.9.7 was allowed him for his Commissions, he having paid the Sum of £88.5s by Order of this Committee to Major John Tillman for his Expence in bringing the Brigg Defiance from Woodstock to New Bern, the Ballance being £24.17.11, the said Thomas Sitgreaves hath paid to this Committee to be paid into the Hands of the Treasurer,—until otherwise disposed of by the Congress, agreable to a former Resolution of this Committee.

Resolved that the Proceedings of the following Members of the Committee of Safety, to witt, Colonel Richard Cogdell, Doctor Alexander Gaston, Mr William Tisdale and Richard Ellis Esqr at their Meeting on the tenth of February as well as their Proceedings on the fifteenth of the same Month are approved of and confirmed, and that the same be entered upon the Minutes & Resolves of this Committee now sitting, and be in Force until the Provincial Congress or Council shall otherwise determine.

Resolved that the sum of one hundred and one pounds nine shillings Proc. money received by this Committee from Thomas Jordan Esqr Sheriff of Hyde County be deposited in the hands of Col. Richard Cogdell President of this Committee and by him to be paid to the Treasurer of the Southern District; and that the sum of Twenty four pounds Seventeen Shillings and Eleven pence received by this Committee, the net proceeds of the salt sold on Board the Brigg Defiance, agreeable to a former Resolve be also deposited in the Hands of the President of this Committee by him to be paid to the Treasurer of the Southern District.

The Committee adjourned till tomorrow 9 oClock.

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———


Friday, 23d Feby, 1776.

The Committee mett according to Adjournment.

Present: Col. Richard Cogdell, President; Mr John Easton, Mr William Tisdale, Richard Ellis, Esqr, William Brown, Esqr, Col. William Thompson, Doctor Alexr Gaston, Col. John Simpson.

Complaint having been made by Basil Smith, to this Committee that he was Security in a Bond for John Edge Tomlinson to Samuel Cornell Esquire in a large sum of Money, which he the said Basil Smith hath since paid, and discharged, as appears fully to this Committee, before whom he produced said Bond, and a Receipt for the Contents thereof, and the said John Edge Tomlinson refusing to reimburse and pay the said sum of money amounting in Principal and Interest to Eighty Six pounds three shillings and four pence Proc. money, and failing to give security for the same, on motion

Resolved that Process issue against the said John Edge Tomlinson to take his Body and confine it in the Gaol at New Bern, until he satisfy the said Basil Smith in the sum of Eighty six pounds three shillings & four pence aforesaid, or give him sufficient security therefor.

Col. John Simpson exhibited to this Committee an account of sundry Expenses for his own services & the hire of several Men & Boats in securing & transporting a Quantity of Powder imported by the Committee of Pitt County for the Use of the Province, amounting to Eighteen pounds five shillings & six pence Proc. money, which acct was sworn to, approved of and allowed,

Resolved therefore that either of the Treasurers of this Province pay said account, and be allowed by the Public for the same.

Whereas a certain Robert Aitchison, a midshipman on Board of the Syren Man of War commanded by Tobias Furneaux Esqr arrived in the Town of New Bern last night from the Sloop called the Peggy commanded by Capt Sacks, which said sloop was on the ninth Day of February seized by the said Tobias Furneaux, who took from Board her three men & the mate, at Sea, at a Place called the Frying Pann, and the said Robert Aitchison being put on Board her with a Pilot & three sailors from on Board the Syren with Directions to carry her to Capt Perry Commander of his Majestys Ship the Cruizer at Cape Fear, by contrary & hard Gales of wind said sloop suffered much in her Tackle, Sails & Furniture, and was forced, by accident, into Oacacock Bar where the said Robert Aitchison was under Necessity of giving up the Sloop & Cargo then

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on Board consisting of Rum, Sugar, Molasses, Salt and Ginn to Capt Sacks, who employed a Pilot Boat with two Hands in which the said Aitchison and three Sailors, to witt, John Leech, Jacob Collins and Richard Dunniver came up to New Bern & surrendered themselves to this Committee.

Resolved that the said John Leech, Jacob Collins and Richard Dunniver be at Liberty, and that their Cloaths be returned them.

Resolved also that the said Thomas Aitchison be admitted upon his Parole of Honor to the Prison Rules, and in Case he exceeds the Bounds thereof, he is to be confined in close Gaol and that all his Effects be returned him except his Papers and Conteaux de Chasse and that Mrs Hatfield be allowed fourteen shillings Proc. money per week for his Board and Diet, untill the Provincial Congress or Council shall otherwise determine, to whom the above Resolves are submitted.

Mr David Barron produced to this Committee an order dated the twelfth Day of February A. D. 1776, drawn upon him by Col. Richard Cogdell, Mr William Tisdale, Doctor Alexander Gaston, Richard Ellis and William Brown Esquires for the sum of Twenty pounds applied and by him advanced to pay for work done on Guns, Carriages and for Horse Hire, and other Services to further the Expedition against the Insurgents. Ordered that either of the Treasurers pay the said David Barron Twenty pounds, and be allowed for the same in his Account with the Public.

The Committee adjourned till to-morrow Morning 9 oClock.

———


Saturday, the 24th Feby, 1776.

The Committee mett according to adjournment.

Present: Col. Richard Cogdell, President; Mr John Easton, Col. William Thompson, Mr William Tisdale, Mr Richard Ellis, Doctor Alexr Gaston, William Brown Esqr.

Whereas heretofore Notices to the Defaulters for Public money in the Hands of Sheriffs and other Collectors of the public Taxes and Duties in the District of New Bern were issued requiring their attendance before this Committee the twenty-first Instant, in Order to settle and pay the Arrears due from them to the Public Treasury, and only three persons attended agreeable to the notice given them, It is therefore Resolved that alias Notices do issue for the same Purpose, returnable to the Committee of Safety for this District to be

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held at New Bern on the first Tuesday in April next, and on Failure of their Appearance Process do immediately issue against the Defaulters, agreeable to a Resolve of the Congress in such Cases made and provided.

Resolved that the Notices to be sent for the Purpose aforesaid, shall be in the words following, to witt,

By the Committee of Safety for the District of New Bern on Saturday, the 24th day of Feby, A. D. 1776.

To —— late Sheriff or Collector of Public Duties and Taxes in the County of ——

Sir:

It appears by accounts filed in this Committee by the Southern Treasurer that you are a public Defaulter for Taxes (or Duties) by you collected in your County for the year 177— in the sum of £—— and for the year 177— in the sum of £——, that you have failed to appear before this Committee the twenty-first of this Instant February, agreable to notice given you. You are therefore a second Time to take Notice that on the first Tuesday in April next the Committee will meet again at Newbern, when and where you are required to attend, and settle your public accounts, on Failure whereof a Motion will be made for Process to issue against you, agreeable to the Resolves of the Congress at Hillsborough.

Resolved that the Secretary furnish each of the public Defaulters with a Copy of the above Resolve.

Complaint having been made by Col. Richard Cogdell Agent and Attorney for Mr John Wright Standley that William Barlow, a transient Person, is indebted to said Standley in a considerable sum of money, as appears to this Committee, by accounts produced before them, which he refuses to settle or pay.

Resolved therefore, Process issue against said William Barlow to take and confine him in Gaol where he is to remain until he give sufficient security therefor.

Resolved that Col. Richard Cogdell be allowed the sum of ten pounds Proc, Money for the use of his Room and for fire wood and Candles supplied this Committee with at their different meetings to this Time, and that the Treasurer of the Southern District pay the same and be allowed in his account with the Public.

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Resolved that Mr. John Cooke be allowed Eight pounds Proc. Money for his services this Session as Secretary to this Committee, and that either of the public Treasurers pay the same and be allowed in his account with the Public.

Resolved that this Committee be adjourned until the first Tuesday of April next, then to meet at New Bern, and that notice thereof be given in the North Carolina Gazette.

Rd COGDELL, Prest.
A true Copy—By Order Jno. Cooke, Secy.