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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the North Carolina Governor's Council
North Carolina. Council
October 01, 1748 - October 15, 1748
Volume 04, Pages 891-898


At a Council held at New Bern 1st October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robert Halton Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read sundry Petitions for Warrants for Land Vizt

Thomas Farmer 640 Johnston, Thomas Hughs 100 Johnston, Henry Philips 80 Bladen, Ditto 150 Ditto, John Abbet 100 Craven, Jno Roe 560 Johnston Granted

James Blount King of the Tuskarora Nation exhibited a Petition to this Board in behalf of himself and People which being read his Excellency was pleased to recommend the Consideration thereof to the Council who having considered the same, are of Opinion that the said Petition ought to be laid before the General Assembly

Ordered that the same be laid before the General Assembly Accordingly.

The Council Adjourned till 3 oClock Afternoon

The Council met according to Adjournment Present as before and Roger Moore Esqr

Upon the Information of Benjamin Wheatley Esqr to this Board that certain men named Samuel Tucker, George Young, and Richard Peter, Sailors belonging to a Vessel lying at Brunswick in the River of Cape Fear at the Time of the late Invasion of that place had illegaly taken away Sundry Goods, to wit one pair Silver Shoe buckles and a Gold Locket as part of the plunder before any dividend was made thereof among those who were concerned in that Action when the Enemys Vessel was blown up.

His Excellency was pleased by Advice of the Council to Order That the part of the Plunder aforementioned be lodged in the hands of untill all the Plunder shall be brought or gathered together in Order that a Dividend may be made thereof among those concerned in the Action. And it is further Ordered that the Saliors aforementioned if they will return to Brunswick and make it appear they were concerned in the

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Action, that they shall be Intitled to a share of the Booty; or if they chuse to proceed on their Journey to Virginia that then they be paid the sum of out of the plunder aforesaid taken from them towards bearing their Travelling Charges thither


At a Council held at New Bern 3rd October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robt Halton Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Math Rowan Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read the following Petitions for Warrants for Land Vizt

Moses Tilmans for 500 acres Johnston county, James McMamus 300 Bladen, Do Do 640 Do, George Bell 200 Carteret, John Fonvielle 100 New Hanover, Peter Debush 200 Do, Harris Clark 200 Craven, John Lee 400 Johnston, Anthony Arnol 200 Do, William Collins 350 Do, Henry Carnady 200 Do, Andrew Bass 400 Johnston, Samuel Thomas 200 Do, Philip Mew 100 Craven, William Henderson 640 Johnston, Walter Murrey 640 Do, John Eleby 100 Bladen, Thomas Holmes 150 Do, John Temple 200 Johnston, Edward Frisby 300 Bladen, Burling Hamrod 300 Do, John Windows 100 Johnston, Thomas McClendon 640 Do, Thomas Saucer 150 Do, Abraham Boyd 100 Do, William Atkins 150 Bladen, Thomas Temple 200 Johnston, John Pursley 200 Bladen, Simon Burney 100 Beaufort, James Baker 300 Do, Nesbie Mills 200 Do, Patrick Whit 1000 Hyde, Isaac Buett 200 Beaufort, John Peters 300 Craven. Granted

Read Sundry Petitions for Grants for patents as follows Vizt

Alexander Blackshire 100 Craven, Abraham Warren 100 Do, Abraham Colson 150 Bladen, William Devis 265 Hyde. Granted


At a Council held at Newbern 4th October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robert Halton Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Math Rowan Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read Sundry Petitions for Warrants for Lands as follows Vizt

John Irons 300 Johnston, Horatio Woodhouse 330 Onslow, William Cole 200 Johnston, Henry Walker 200 Bladen, John Williams 200 Do, Martin Trentham 200 Do, Do 100 Do, Thomas Armstrong 200 Do, Thomas Brooks 100 Johnston, Walthern Smith 250 Craven, John Clark 400 Bladen, James Clark 200 New Hanover, John Clark 200 Bladen, Jno Williams 300 Beaufort, Jacob Taylor 200 Craven, William Peters 200 Do, Edward Salter 1000 Beaufort, Do 400 Do, Thomas Jones 400 Johnston, Joseph Everitt 200 Do, William Teague 200 New Hanover, James Barber 150 Johnston, William Teague 200 Do. Granted.

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Read the following Petitions for Grants for Patents Vizt

James Willis 200 Craven, Joseph Carruthers 100 Johnston, Edward Franck 532 Craven, William Marchmant 200 Onslow, Richard Caswell Junior 85 Johnston, Do 200 Do, John Rous 50 Do. Granted.

Robert Courtney by his Attorney exhibited a Patent for One hundred and fifty Acres in Onslow County shewing certain Errors therein desiring the same may be amended Vizt Nuce river altered to New River and to make the beginning of the Survey at a pine which had been omitted, and to fill up the Courses by adding at the end thereof thence to the first Station. Which was granted And Ordered that the record be altered accordingly

Read the Petition of Edmund Cullen Setting forth that he is in possession of a Tract of six hundred and forty Acres granted by the late Lords Proprietors unto Richard Graves of whom Bryan Cullen the Petitioners Father Purchased situate in Craven County on the South shore called Coat's Entry And conceiving there is more Land contained within the Courses and Distances of the said Patent than the same specifies, humbly prays a Resurvey. Granted and Ordered that the Surveyor General do cause a Resurvey of the same to be made, and a return thereof to make to this Board.

Read the Petition of Thomas Graves shewing that he is in Possession of a Tract of six hundred and forty Acres granted by the late Lords Proprietors unto Richard Graves the petitioners Father situate on the south side of Neuse called the Ferry van and in Order to ascertain the Lines thereof he humbly prays a Resurvey Granted and Ordered that the Surveyor General do cause a resurvey to be made of the said Lands, and make return thereof to this Board.

Read the Petition of Mary Perkins Setting forth that an Order which she obtained at a former Council for resurveying the Courses and distances of a patent bearing date the 10th day of March 1740 for three hundred and seventy five Acres situate in Beaufort County, is duly complyed with returned in the proper Office which demonstrates certain Error in the said patent and plat committed by the surveyor who having on the third Course Iaid down in the plat taken his departure from the No end of the Needle instead of the So the survey [ran] into the Land of John Boyd, which he holds by an ancient Patent and persisting in such mistake in the two next Courses has entirely left out the Petitioners plantation and run into Land belonging to John Brock, And that the whole of his return which should comprehend three hundred and seventy-five Acres as aforesaid contains only eighty. The Petitioner humbly prays that the patent and record thereof may be amended agreeable to the return now made

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into the Secretary's Office and that the Rent Roll may be altered from 375 Acres to 256 which is or that is to be found without the adjoining tracts.

Ordered that a new Patent issue to the said Mary Perkins in consequence of the return now made and that the same bear equal date with the former Grant.

Upon the Contest in Council between Thomas Mason and John Tuly, 'tis Ordered that the said Masons Warrant be Surveyed.


At a Council held at New Bern 5th October 1748.
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robt Halton Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Math Rowan Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read the following petitions for Warrants for Land Vizt

William Browns for 200 acres in Bladen County, George Clements 100 Do, John Gillet 100 Craven, John Dunn 100 Bladen, John Grooms 200 Do, John Davis 640 Do, Thomas Suggs 500 New Hanover, Michael Nixon 100 New Hanover, Richard Caswell 200 Johnston, Thomas Turnhill 800 Bladen, Richard Stevens 500 Onslow, James Clayton 200 Hyde, George Bruton 200 Johnston, Mathew Rowan Esqr 400 Bladen. Granted

Read the following Petitions for Grants for Patents Vizt

Nicholas Smith 400 Bladen, Stephen Howard 300 Onslow. Granted


At a Council held at New Bern 6th October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robt Halton Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Math Rowan Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read the following Petitions for Warrants for Land Vizt

John Pain 200 Craven, Benjamin Moore 250 Bladen, John Green Senior 300 Do, Greshom Benbow 200 Do, George Brown 150 Do, William Bartram 150 Do, Silvanus Soul 300 Do, Joseph Herring 300 Johnston, John Atkinson 100 Do, George Cogdale 200 Carteret, Thomas Austin 500 Do. Granted

Read Sundry Petitions for Grants for Patents as follows Vizt

George Cubbages for 200 Bladen, Do 100 Do, George Brinn Harris 461 Craven, Thomas Holmes 200 Bladen, William Teague 100 Johnston, John Berry 200 Bladen, Edward Outlaw 200 New Hanover, Abraham Taylor 100 Johnston, John Hawkins 200 Craven, Jonathan Taylor 200 New Hanover, Arthur Blackman 150 Do, Solomon Beasley 150 Craven, Richard Foscue 100 Do, Joseph Taylor 300 Johnston. Granted

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At a Council held at Newbern 8th October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robt Halton Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Math Rowan Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read Sundry Petitions for Warrants for Land as follows Vizt

William Ric's 300 New Hanover, Frederick Isler 400 Craven, John Gatlin 100 Craven, Nathan Smith 250 Do, Jacob Hanshey 200 New Hanover, Thomas Dudley 400 Carteret. Granted.

Mr. Lovet exhibited in Council a Patent in the name of Robert Jermain and Thomas Smith for three hundred Acres of Land in Craven County dated the first day of July 1738 praying in regard the same being much torn and rendered unintelligible another patent may be made out to the Patentees agreeable to the Record thereof, which was Granted and Ordered that the Secretary make a Transcript of the said Patent from the Record accordingly.

His Excellency was pleased to ask the advice of the Council whether it would not be proper in all Commissions to be issued for the future for keeping the peace in the several Counties of this Government to insert in all such Commissions the names of the Qualified Members of his Majesty's Council who shall have power to act as Justices in the said Counties without further Qualification.

The Council were of Opinion that it is proper the same should be observed for the future.

His Excellency the Governour was pleased by and with the Advice and Consent of his Majestys Council to order a new Commission of the Peace and Dedimus to issue for Pasquotank County Constituting and appointing William Gregory, Charles Sawyer, Cornelius Reelfe, Samuel Highe, Thomas Relfe, Robert Murden, Isaac Stockley, Thomas Grandy, Solomon Pool, Henry Pendleton, John Jones Junior, William Davis Junior Esqrs Justices of the peace for and within the said County.

Ordered that a Dedimus issue directed to the Justices of Johnston County to Qualify John Wade Esqr a Justice of the peace for the said County.


At a Council held at New Bern 10th October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robert Halton Esqr Member of Council and
The Honble Edwd MoseleyEsqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read the following Petitions for Grants for Patents Vizt

Moses Tilmans 500 Johnston, John Page 300 Do, Thomas Coor 300 Do Granted

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At a Council held at New Bern 11th October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robt Halton Esqr Member of Council and
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read the following petitions for Warrants for Land Vizt

John Nelson 156 Carteret, John Bush 200 New Hanover, Abraham Boyd 300 Bladen Granted.

Read the following petitions for Grants for Patents Vizt

Jacob Paul 20 Bladen, Do 300 Do, William Isler 100 Craven, Bryan Ward 300 Bladen, Jasper Alday 80 Johnston, Joel Lashley 120 Craven, Robert Savage 300 Do, George McKeen 250 Carteret, Francis Stringer 300 Craven, William Mackintosh 200 Johnston, Thomas Armstrong 400 Bladen, Robert Nicholson 150 Johnston, Thomas Tarmer 200 Do, John Dees 100 Do, George Miller 100 Craven, Edward Ward Junior 200 Onslow, William Beasley 200 Craven Granted

Read the following Petitions for Grants for Patents Vizt

Joseph Bryan 200 Craven, Abraham Boyd 350 Onslow, James Johnston 200 Carteret, William Hinton 100 Craven, Thomas Lewis 50 Carteret, Joseph Pitman 100 Craven, William Shepard Foster 300 Do, William McDead 200 New Hanover, John Rue 200 Craven, William Whitehurst 350 Carteret, Hardy Hinton 300 Craven Granted

Read the following Petitions for Grants for Patents Vizt

Thomas Lewis for 100 Carteret, William Powell 200 Johnston, Henry Oberry 300 Bladen, Do 300 Do, John Lambert 300 Craven, Samuel Rawlins 200 Johnston, Do 200 Do, John Rogers 200 Craven, Henry Oberry 600 Bladen Granted

Read the Petition of John Blackman shewing certain errors in his Plot and patent, praying the same may be amended (that is to say) the second course No 45 West to be Altered to No 45 East and the last course So 45 East to be made So 45 West, Which was Granted and Ordered that the Plot, Patent and Record thereof be altered accordingly


At a Council held at New Bern 12th October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Edward Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read Sundry Petitions for Warrants for Land Vizt

John Penders 100 Onslow, Joseph Bows 100 Craven Granted

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At a Council held at New Bern 14th October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robt Halton Esqr Member of Council and
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read the following Petitions for Warrants for Land Vizt

John Atkinsons 100 Johnston, Gibson Martin 200 Do, Mark Driggers 100 Craven Granted

Read the petitions for Grants for Patents Vizt

Jacob Reasonover 150 Craven, Mathias Camp 300 Do, Greshom Benbow 200 Bladen, John Fonvielle 100 New Hanover, Jno Giles 160 Craven, Francis McClendon 600 Do Granted

Read the Petition of Peter Cliff setting forth that at the last Council an Order passed directing the Surveyor General to return a Plot into the Secretarys Office in Consequence of a Warrant which the petitioner obtained for three hundred Acres of Land situate in New Hanover County on Smiths Creek, Surveyed by the late William Gray Deputy Surveyor But such plot not being yet returned He humbly prays a Resurvey on the said Land; which is Granted and Ordered that the Surveyor General cause a resurvey to be made thereof and make a report of his Doings to this Board

A Proprietors patent for 588 Acres of Land in Bertie Precinct to John and James Swain was Exhibited in Council and Alteration in the same prayed that is to say that the Course West 420 in the same being erroneous might be altered to East which was Granted and done in Council and Ordered that the record be made agreeable to the patent so rectified

Read the Petition of John Howard of Onslow County setting forth that he obtained his Excellencys Warrant for six Hundred and forty Acres of Land including his plantation and Improvements which has been duly surveyed and returned into the proper Office. And in Consequence whereof he has obtained a Grant but that the Deputy Surveyor thro Ignorance in laying of the same has left out the Petitioners Plantation House and Improvements and run the Survey into Lands adjoining belonging to other persons to compleat the Complement aforementioned thro' which means the petitioner has but very little if any Land left him tho he has paid Quit rents for the aforesaid six hundred and forty Acres for several years last past

Wherefore he humbly prays that an Order may pass directed to the Surveyor General to Survey the Premises Granted and Ordered that the Surveyor General cause the same to be surveyed and laid off accordingly and return a plot thereof to this Board

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His Excellency the Governour was pleased to recommend it to the consideration of the Council whether instead of New-Bern the present Seate of Government, it would not be more Eligible to make and Establish the same upon Trent river the publick Buildings not being yet erected at New Bern pursuant to Act of Assembly in regard of the known unhealthiness of the former place from the badness of the water and other Causes, And the want of proper Accomodations in the said Town.

The Council having considered of his Excellency's Motion were of Opinion that there was sufficient Reason for removing the Seat of Government, and that Trent river would be a proper place whereon to fix the same; and that when a particular place has been pitched on a Bill should be brought in for that purpose.

And then his Excellency was pleased to name Roger Moore and William Forbes Esqrs as Commissioners for viewing the West side of the said River, in Order to find out a convenient spot for the Seate of Government and to make Report of their Doings therein at the next Council.


At a Council held at New Bern 15th October 1748
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Roger Moore Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Robert Halton Esqr Member of Council and
The Honble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honble Will Forbes Esqr Member of Council

Read the following Petitions for Warrants for Land Vizt

Francis Bentons 300 Johnston, William Belks 100 Do, William Arrendal 100 Do Granted

Read the Petition of Samuel Pacy for a Grant for three hundred Acres of Land in Craven County Granted

By Order

JNO RICE, C. C.