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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Proposal by Henry McCulloh concerning his efforts to settle people in North Carolina
McCulloh, Henry, ca. 1700-1779
February 1736
Volume 04, Page 156

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[B. P. R. O. North Carolina. B. T. Vol. 9. A. 75.]

Heads of what is proposed by Henry McCulloh in the Settlement of the Two Tracts of Land Petitioned for. Feb. 173⅚.

1st. I intend to settle a person I am now concerned with in South Carolina who is a man of considerable fortune upon the Head of the North East Branch of Cape Fear River. I am at the same time to send over a considerable number of Workmen to build small Houses for such people as I intend to send there from Europe to carry on the Pott Ash Trade and for the raising Hemp and other Naval Stores Equal to the undertaking in my Petition the number I propose to settle on this Tract is one hundred and eighty substantial people.

2ndly Upon the Tract on the Head of the North West River I intend to fix the said Gentleman's brother and also to send over to that place proper Workmen for the founding of a Township and after the Houses are prepared for them to settle one hundred and Twenty like substantial people and there intend to apply a considerable sum of money for carrying on the furr Trade as well as raising Hemp and other Naval Stores.

It is to be remarked here that thō the number of people are not so many as might at first be expected yett that there must necessarily be a great addition of servants and slaves for the carrying on of this undertaking and that though I engage for no more than three hundred yett as the Settlement grows it will be my Interest greatly to encrease that number.

North Carolina hitherto has been very inconsiderable as to Trade and thō there is near 40000 Whites in that Colony which is one third more than in the South yett there Produce is not equal to one Tenth part and we have not had so much as one ship from that Colony this last year which plainly shews what necessity there is to incourage those that are willing and capable to introduce Trade and Commerce amongst them.

It is to be presumed from this State of the Colony it will appear that a settlement carried on in the manner above hinted at, by trading people will answer all the ends proposed in giving such Grants to the undertaker For trade naturally occasions an Increase of people and in such case the settlement becomes lasting. And at the same time puts those that are already settled there on new methods of Industry which will inrich the Colony and make it usefull to its mother Country.