To the Honorable the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina:
The Memorial of Ambrose Ramsey, Nath. Rochester and William Johnston
SHEWETH.
That your Memorialist with Dr. Thomas Burke, were appointed Commissioners by the Congress that sat at Halifax in April one thousand seven hundred and seventy-sixty, to establish a Gun manufactory in the District of Hillsboro; and for this purpose received one thousand pounds. But from the difficulty of procuring workmen & other causes, they found it impracticable to follow the intentions of Congress in their full extent.
They were ordered to make two hundred muskets, and were limited to one thousand pounds, a sum they found insufficient even for the purpose of buying them, and much more so for erecting works and making them. Therefore, after some time had elapsed in fruitless attempts to find workmen, they resolved to lay out the money as far as it would go, in employing Smiths to make them at their own shops. Accordingly as the most expeditious method,, they employed one to make barrels, and another to make bayonets, ramrods & mounting; and at length they found a Smith who undertook to bore the barrels, stock them & complete the muskets for which purpose your memorialist erected a house for a shop, & a boring machine at a creek on Dr. Burke's land about a year ago, but the stream soon thereafter failing & remaining ever since almost dry, they have never from that time been able to proceed further.
They here annex a note of the articles already procured and the money disbursed, and as the balance now in their hands is quite insufficient to finish what they have begun, especially as it will be necessary to erect new works on another stream, & carry the boring machine there, they desire to be advised by the Honble. Assembly what to do; and as they are told this State is now well
provided with muskets, they submit it to the consideration of the Assembly, whether or not it would be better to sell off the whole materials which they believe would indemnify the State for all disbursements.
The State of North Carolina in Acct. with the Commissioners of Hillsborough District Gun manufactory |
|||||
Dr. |
Cr. |
||||
1776 |
|||||
By Cash rec'd of Saml. Johnston Esqr. Treasurer |
£1,000 |
||||
1776 |
|||||
To paid towards forging 200 musket barrels |
£80 |
||||
1777 |
|||||
To Do Do |
106.13.4 |
186.13.4 |
|||
To paid towards making 400 Bayonets, 200 Ramrods & 200 sets of mounting |
175 |
||||
To paid for building a Smith's shop, & erecting a boring machine, at Dr. Burke's Creek |
58.17 |
||||
To 33 Gunlocks |
25.10 |
||||
To 11 Smith's Files |
3.13.6 |
||||
To Iron & Smith work at the boring machine |
4.12 |
||||
To Carriage 200 Gunlocks from Philadelphia |
6.00 |
||||
To paid the Smith who undertook to bore the barrels on acct. |
6.00 |
||||
To Carrying of his Tools fm. Cumberland |
5.10 |
||||
To repairing Dr. Burke's Mill Dam where the machine is erected, nails &c for the building |
19.9.2 |
||||
To Grindstone |
2.8 |
||||
Cash in the hands of Dr. Burke |
184.15.10 |
||||
Do in the hands of Colo. Rochester |
323.10.6 |
1000 |
|||
£1000 |
£1000 |
||||
To Balance due the Smith for making Bayonets & ramrods &c |
112.10 |
||||
To Do for additional work done at the machine |
15. |
||||
100 setts mounting engaged |
|||||
72 Barrels Do. |
|||||
Articles on hand Viz: |
|||||
200 Ramrods |
|||||
200 Bayonets forged |
|||||
100 Sets mounting |
|||||
128 Musket Barrels forged |
|||||
11 Smith's Files |
|||||
1 Grindstone |
|||||
33 Gunlocks |
|||||
200 do purchased by Dr. Burke at Philadelphia and charged to the State. |
|||||
State of North Carolina to United States. |
|||||
Dr. |
|||||
1775. |
|||||
Nov. |
8. |
To Cash paid Jos. Hewes Esqr., a Delegate of the State, |
3,750 |
||
1776. |
|||||
Jany. |
27. |
To do paid the Delegates of the States, |
10,000 |
||
“ |
19. |
To do paid do, |
300 |
||
Oct. |
23. |
To do paid do, |
2,000 |
||
Nov. |
11. |
To do paid Sam Johnson's draft favor J. Underhill, |
500 |
||
“ |
11. |
To do paid do do favor do, |
1,680 |
||
“ |
25. |
To do paid do do favor S. Dickenson, |
500 |
||
Dec. |
4. |
To do paid the Delegates of the State, |
400 |
||
1778. |
|||||
Feby. |
7. |
To do paid S. Johnson's draft favor J. Underhill, |
500 |
||
“ |
10. |
To do paid do do favor T. Burke, |
416.60 |
||
“ |
20. |
To do paid Delegates of the State pr. warr't 20th January, |
750 |
||
Mar. |
15. |
To do paid Mr. Ashe's draft fav. T. Craike, |
1,437 |
||
“ |
15. |
To do paid do do favor J. Littlebridge, |
2,000 |
||
“ |
15. |
To do paid S. Johnson do favor R. Blackledge, |
2,500 |
||
Apr. |
3. |
To do paid J. Ashe's do favor W. Dent, |
4,125 |
||
“ |
5. |
To do paid do do favor D. Mallett, |
375 |
||
“ |
7. |
To do paid do do favor P. Mallett, |
375 |
||
“ |
8. |
To do paid S. Johnson do favor R. Blackledge, |
750 |
||
“ |
9. |
To do paid J. Ashe's do favor R. Gillies, |
1,802 |
||
“ |
9. |
To do paid do do favor do, |
1,820 |
||
“ |
9. |
To do paid do do favor do, |
1,804 |
||
“ |
19. |
To do paid do do favor T. Rutherford, |
125 |
||
“ |
26. |
To do paid do do favor F. Brice, |
250 |
||
“ |
26. |
To do paid do do favor D. Mallett, |
250 |
||
May |
3. |
To do paid do Johnson do favor J. Green Jr., |
500 |
||
“ |
5. |
To do paid do 3 do favor do 500 each, |
1,500 |
||
do favor do, |
1,250 |
||||
3 do favor do 625 each, |
1,875 |
||||
do favor do, |
500 |
||||
do favor do, |
2,500 |
||||
J. Ashe's do favor T. Craike, |
2,000 |
||||
2 do favor do 1000 each, |
2,000 |
||||
do favor Capt. E. Tinker, |
500 |
||||
do favor F. Brice, |
350 |
||||
do favor do, |
1,250 |
||||
“ |
6. |
To do paid S. Johnson do favor S. Butler, |
1,750 |
||
54,384.60 |
|||||
Amounts brought Over |
54,384.60 |
||||
1777. |
|||||
May |
14. |
To Cash pd. Sam. Johnson's draft favor of J. Green, |
1,250 |
||
do do favor of do, |
250 |
||||
“ |
23. |
To do pd. J. Ashe's do favor W. Dent, |
250 |
||
do do favor D. Mallett, |
300 |
||||
do do favor F. Craike, |
750 |
||||
do do favor do, |
728 |
||||
do do favor P. Mallett, |
1,000 |
||||
do do favor do, |
500 |
||||
do do favor D. Mallett, |
500 |
||||
“ |
26. |
To do pd. do favor A. Blanchard, |
1,450 |
||
“ |
28. |
To do pd. Delegates of the State, |
3,000 |
||
June |
4. |
do pd. J. Ashe's draft in favor Jas. Salter, |
666 |
||
do do favor of P. Mallett, |
800 |
||||
S. Johnson's do favor J. Green, Jr., |
250 |
||||
“ |
6. |
To do pd. Jno. Ashe's do favor of E. Corbin, |
870 |
||
“ |
10. |
To do pd. do favor of Capt. M. Phifer, |
1,000 |
||
“ |
12. |
To do pd. do do favor of N. Phillips, |
550 |
||
“ |
14. |
To do pd. R. Caswell do favor of |
2,350 |
||
To do pd. Peter Knight for 1 pr 3 pounds &c. per the musquito, |
121.61 |
||||
“ |
17. |
To do pd. J. Ashe's draft in favor of E. Corbin, |
250 |
||
“ |
18. |
To do pd. do do in favor of T. Craike, |
1,000 |
||
do in favor of W. Dent, |
375 |
||||
“ |
19. |
To do pd. do do in favor of Thos. Craike, |
4,000 |
||
do in favor of Jacob Blount, |
7,500 |
||||
S. Johnson do in do of James Green |
2,500 |
||||
“ |
24. |
To do pd. Jno. Ashe's do in do of D. Smith, |
250 |
||
July |
5. |
To do pd. do do in do of J. Salter, |
1,000 |
||
“ |
8. |
To do pd. do do in do of L. Sawyer, |
250 |
||
do in do of J. Jones, |
250 |
||||
“ |
9. |
To do pd. do do in do of T. Craike, |
6,000 |
||
do in do of J. Walker, |
492 |
||||
To do pd. the Delegates of the State |
300,000 |
||||
“ |
12. |
To do paid Jno. Ashe's draft in favor of D. Mallett, |
500 |
||
do do in favor of F. Brice, |
500 |
||||
do do in favor of do, |
475 |
||||
do do in favor of F. Child, |
100 |
||||
do do in favor of J. Payneville, |
100 |
||||
396,512.31 |
|||||
1777. |
|||||
Amount brought forward, |
396,512.31 |
||||
July |
15. |
To cash pd. J. Ashe's draft in favor of Maurice Moore, |
500 |
||
do do do S. B. Cunningham, |
750 |
||||
do do do W. Dry, |
120 |
||||
“ |
22. |
To do pd. S. Johnson's do do R. Collins, |
3,435 |
||
Jno. Ashe's do do L. Sawyer, |
250 |
||||
do do do J. Sexton, |
250 |
||||
do do do do W. Blount, |
3,079 |
||||
do do do T. Craike, |
5,000 |
||||
do do do do, |
1,036 |
||||
do do do J. Easton, |
1,500 |
||||
“ |
29. |
To do pd. do do do Capt. B. Williams, |
375 |
||
Augt. |
2. |
To do pd. do do do do F. Brice, |
450 |
||
do do do F. Jones, |
458 |
||||
“ |
7. |
To do pd. do do do J. M. Alexander, |
400 |
||
“ |
20. |
To do pd. do do do do P. Mallett, |
400 |
||
do do do do, |
500 |
||||
“ |
26. |
To do pd. do do do D. Mallett, |
800 |
||
do do do do, |
250 |
||||
Sept. |
To do pd. do do do do D. Nesbit, |
250 |
|||
do do do do, |
500 |
||||
do do do do, |
125 |
||||
Oct. |
3. |
To do pd. do do do J. Hay, |
250 |
||
“ |
9. |
To do pd. do do do D. Mallett, |
1,000 |
||
do do do W. Dry, |
500 |
||||
do do do do R. Patterson, |
250 |
||||
“ |
14. |
To do pd. do do do R. Turner, |
462.30 |
||
Nov. |
4. |
To do pd. do do do do F. White, |
100 |
||
do do do do, |
100 |
||||
do do do do, |
300 |
||||
“ |
5. |
To do pd. the Delegates of the State, |
1,000 |
||
Dec. |
4. |
To do advance C. Allen & to purchase of a Horse & Chair to convey money to the State, |
380 |
||
To do pd. Lt. Allen the bal. of his acct. of Expenses, |
90.60 |
||||
“ |
10. |
To do pd. Jno. Ashe's draft in favor of J. Frageau, |
410 |
||
do do do do, |
421 |
||||
do do do do, |
500 |
||||
do do do do, |
510 |
||||
“ |
19. |
To do pd. do do do Wm. Dry, |
600 |
||
423,855.31 |
|||||
1778 |
|||||
Amount Carried over, |
423,815.31 |
||||
Jany. |
3. |
To Cash pd. Jno. Ashe's draft in favor F. Brice, |
275 |
||
do do favor of do, |
400 |
||||
“ |
10. |
To do pd. Honble J. Penn Delegate from the State, |
276.45 |
||
Feby. |
28. |
To do pd. The Delegates of the State, |
3,500 |
||
Mar. |
5. |
To do pd. Jno. Ashe's draft, 12th Sept. last, favor Wm. Dry. |
500 |
||
do do do favor J. Payneville, |
150 |
||||
do do 1st Augt. favor J. Penn, |
736 |
||||
“ |
9. |
To do pd. do do favor S. Smith, |
125 |
||
do do favor B. Stedman, |
250 |
||||
do do do J. Williams, |
250 |
||||
“ |
16. |
To do pd. do do do do F. Brice, |
1,000 |
||
do do do do, |
1,500 |
||||
“ |
18. |
To a warrant on James Green Commisr. of the United States Loan Office in the said State, |
30,000 |
||
“ |
24. |
To Cash pd. Gov. Caswell's draft in favor of Wm. Skinner, |
10,000 |
||
“ |
To do pd. J. Ashe's do in do H. Murfree, |
500 |
|||
“ |
30. |
To do do do in do J. Green, |
1,427.45 |
||
Apr. |
3. |
To do pd. the Hon. Thos. Burke a Delegate of the State, |
1,500 |
||
“ |
16. |
To do pd. J. Ashe's 4 drafts in favor of J. Payneville 125 each, |
500 |
||
To do pd. Honble Corn. Harnett a Delegate of the State, |
1,166.60 |
||||
May |
12. |
To do pd. Jno. Ashe's draft in favor F. Child, |
200 |
||
“ |
29. |
To do pd. Capt. Reading Blount to be conveyed by him for the use of the State, |
100,000 |
||
“ |
30. |
To Jacob Blount for a sum advanced him for which he accounted with the State agreeable to Certificate of the Chairman of the Committee of |
|||
Public Accts of the State, |
41,000 |
||||
To Cash pd. Gov. Caswell's draft in favor R. & J. Ellis, |
7,180.56 |
||||
June |
2. |
To do pd. do do in favor Nich. Long, |
30,325.62 |
||
“ |
9. |
To do pd. Jno. Ashe's do do in favor E. Gamble, |
250 |
||
“ |
22. |
To do pd. do do in do P. Mallett, |
750 |
||
do do in do P. & D. Mallett, |
1,250 |
||||
July |
14. |
To do do do in do T. Craike, |
799 |
||
do do do B. Williams, |
125 |
||||
“ |
21. |
To do pd. do do do Cosmo. Medici, |
321 |
||
do do do T. Craike, |
250 |
||||
do do do T. Donoho, |
500 |
||||
Dollars, |
660,833.29 |
||||
Augt. |
13. |
To do pd. the Honble Jno. Penn a Delegate of the State, |
2,000 |
||
662,833.29 |