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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Writs of election for the North Carolina General Assembly, including County Sheriff election returns
George II, King of Great Britain, 1683-1760; Burrington, George, 1680-1759; Johnston, Gabriel, ca. 1698-1752
March 30, 1733 - September 24, 1747
Volume 04, Pages 1179-1183

North Carolina—ss.

George the Second by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith etc

To the Provost Marshall of the said Province or his Deputy, Greeting

Wee command you to summon all the Freeholders Inhabitants of Chowan Precinct Qualified for Election of Members of Assembly to convene at the Court House of the said Precinct on Tuesday the first day of May next. Then and there according to the Direction of an Act of Assembly Intituled an Act relating to the Bienniall and other Assemblys in regulating Elections and Members, To choose and elect five Members of Assembly to Advise, Consult and Consent to and with us about the Arduous and great Affairs and matters of our Province of North Carolina which Members so Elected you are to summons to meet at Edenton on Tuesday the third day of July next to sit in General Assembly for this Province, and this Precept and your Execution thereof, you are to return unto us at the time and place aforesaid of which you are not to fail. Witness our Trusty and well beloved George Burrington Esqre Our Governor in Chief of our said Province under his hand and seal of our Colony at the Council Chamber in Edenton the 30th day of March Anno Dom. 1733 in the sixth Year of our Reign.

GEO: BURRINGTON.

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May 1st 1733 Was elected & Chosen in the Precinct of Chowan Members of the House of Burgesses to sitt in the Genl Assembly for this Government. Colln Edd Moseley, Col. Henry Boner, Capt Willm Downing, Mr. Cullen Pollock, Mr. Edmund Porter.

Test per me

WILLIAM MACKEY.

[1. Then follow similar writs of same date and returns for electing five representatives each for Perquimans, Pasquotank and Currituck precincts; 2. Also, writs dated 19th June, 1736, with returns for the election of five representatives each for the precincts of Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Currituck and Bertie, and one for Tyrrell county “to choose so many persons duly qualified to represent the sd Precinct in Assembly as by Law they are entitled to send.” From the return it appears four representatives were chosen.

3. Writ for Edgecombe county, dated 21st November, 1739, to choose representatives duly qualified to sit in General Assembly. The return shows that four representatives were chosen.

4. Writ for Tyrrell, dated 4th July, 1744, to choose representatives duly qualified to sit in General Assembly. Four members were returned.

5. Writs dated 13th March, 1745, for Bertie, Chowan, Currituck, Edgecombe, Perquimans, Pasquotank and Tyrrell counties “to choose representatives duly qualified to sit.” Five members were returned for each of the counties of Chowan, Currituck, Perquimans, Pasquotank and Tyrrell. Bertie sent three and Edgecombe two members.

6. Writ dated 4th November, 1746, for the town of Wilmington “to choose a representative.” One member returned.—Editor.]

North Carolina—ss.

George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith etc.

To the Sheriff of our County of Chowan, Greeting

Wee Command you that you summon or cause to be summoned the Freeholders of our County of Chowan aforesaid to meet at the Court House within our said County on the third day of February next then and there to choose two Representatives duly Qualified to sit in General Assembly which Representatives so chosen you are required to summon to meet in General Assembly to be holden at New Bern for our said Province on the Twenty fifth day of the said Month of February then and there to consult on the weighty and arduous Affairs of Government Herein you are not to fail, and have you then & there this Writ with your Doings therein Witness our Trusty and well beloved Gabriel

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Johnston Esqre our Governor in Chief in and over our said Province at Wilmington under his hand and seal of our said Province the 5th day of December, Anno Dom: 1746, & in the xxth year of our Reign

GAB. JOHNSTON.
By his Excellency's Command.
Rd Forster Dep. Secy

In obedience to the within Writt I summoned the Freeholders of the said County to meet at the time and Place within mentioned to choose two Representatives duly Qualified to sit in General Assembly, who at the time and Place aforesaid met and proceeded in the Election until the Pole was closed and examining the Tickets found that every Voter in that Election instead of Electing two Representatives had unanimously on equal Votes Elected five to wit John Hodgson, James Craven, John Benbury, Thomas Walton and Richard Bond.

Jno ALSTON, Sher.

[Similar writs were issued to Bertie, Currituck, Edgecombe, Pasquotank, Perquimans and Tyrrell counties. There is no return for Currituck, and the writ for Tyrrell reached there too late to be executed. The other returns were endorsed as follows:—Editor.]

Pursuant to the within Writt have summoned the Freeholders [Bertie] who accordingly met, and insisted notwithstanding the words of the Writt they had a Right to send three Representatives, they voted for three accordingly which are Benjamin Hill by one hundred and twenty Votes, James McDowell by one Hundred and six Votes, and Thomas Barker the third man by ninety four Votes, which the Pole hereunto annexed will make appear.

Given under my hand this 3rd day of February 1746.

THOMAS WHITMELL Sher.

Pursuant to the within Writt the Freeholders [Currituck] met at the Court House and chose five Members But I told them I should [return] but two according to the Writt, and forthwith I proclaimed Colo Caleb Wilson and Colo Henry White, and the Freeholders Proclaimed the other Three, which is Capt. John Lurry Mr. Josiah Nicholson and Mr. Samuel Simmons. So says

WILLIAM SHERGOLD Sher.

In obedience to the within Writt I summoned the Freeholders of the said County [Pasquotank] to meet at the time and Place within mentioned to choose two Representatives duly Qualified to sit in General Assembly who at the time and Place aforesd met and Proceeded in the Election until the Pole was closed and examining the Tickets found that every Voter in that Election instead of Electing two Representatives

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had unanimously on equal Votes elected five (to wit) John Solley, William Williams, James Morgan, George Whitby, Griffith Jones.

SAMl HEIGHE Sher.

In Obdience to the within Writt I summoned the Freeholders of the said County [Perquimans] to meet at the time and Place within mentioned to choose two Representatives duly Qualified to sit in General Assembly who at the time and Place aforesaid met and Proceeded in the Election untill the Pole was closed and examining the Tickets found that every Voter in that Election instead of Electing two Representatives had unanimously on equal votes elected five (to wit) McRora Scarbrough, Thomas Weeks, John Harvy Joseph Lutton and Jacob Docton.

NATHANIEL CRUTHERS Sher.

By virtue of the within writt the Freeholders of Tyrrell County met and gave their Votes, according to List of their Votes herewith returned, and as [by] the Votes for Capt. Stevens Lee, & Capt. William Makee & Capt. Samuel Spruell, Mr. William Kenedy Esqres and Mr. Thomas Lee are Elected, I do hereby return Capt. Stevens Lee and Capt. William Makey elected, pursuant to the said Writt, and as for the other Three I leave to the Consideration of the Gentlemen of the General Assembly.

Given in return by me

EDMUND SMITHWICK Sher.

North Carolina—ss:

George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France & Ireland King Defender of the Faith etc.

To the Sheriff of our County of Bertie—Greeting

We Command you that you summon or cause to be summoned the Freeholders of our said County of Bertie aforesaid to meet at the Court House, within our said County on the eighth day of September next then and there to choose two Representatives duly Qualified to sit in General Assembly & no more, which Representatives so chosen you are required to sum̄on to meet in General Assembly to be holden at New Bern for our said Province on the Twenty ninth day of September next, then & there to consult on the weighty & arduous Affairs of Government. Herein you are not to fail and have you then & there this Writt with your Doings therein.

Witness our Trusty & well beloved Gabriel Johnston Esqre our Governor in Chief in & over our said Province at New Bern under his hand & seal of our said Province the 7th day of March Anno Dom. 1746, & in the xxth year of our Reign.

GAB. JOHNSTON.
By his Excellency's Command.
Rd Forster Dep. Sec.

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Bertie County—ss.

In Obedience to the within Writ I have summoned the Freeholders of Bertie County who met accordingly and all Refused to Vote for Representatives even to a man & this with submission I return under my hand the 24th day of September Anno Domini. 1747.

JOHN BROWN Sher.

[Similar writs issued to Chowan, Pasquotank and Perquimans. On each writ there was an endorsement that “the Freeholders met accordingly but unanimously refused to proceed to an election by reason that there had been no dissolution of the Assembly since they had last elected members to represent them.”—Editor.]