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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Petition from inhabitants of Edgecombe, Granville, and Northampton Counties concerning the tax on free negroes
Eaton, William; Et Al.
1763
Volume 06, Pages 982-983

-------------------- page 982 --------------------
[From MSS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]

To the Worshipful the Speaker and Gentlemen of the Assembly.

The petition of Sundry of the Inhabitants of the Counties of Northampton Edgecombe and Granville.

Humbly Sheweth

That by one Act of Assembly passed in the year 1723, Intituled “An Act for an Additional Tax on all free Negroes, Mulattoes, Mustees and such Persons Male & Female, as now are or hereafter shall be intermarried with any such Persons resident in this Government.” Amongst other Things it was enacted That all free Negroes &c. that were or shou'd thereafter be Inhabitants of this Province Male & Female being of the Age of twelve Years & upwards shou'd be deemed Tythables and as such should yearly pay the same Levies and Taxes as other Tythable Inhabitants.

That many Inhabitants of the sd Counties who are Free Negroes & Mulattoes and persons of Probity & good Demeanor and chearfully contribute towards the Discharge of every public Duty injoined them by Law. But by reason of being obliged by the sd Act of Assembly to pay Levies for their Wives and Daughters as therein mentioned are greatly Impoverished and many of them rendered unable to support themselves and Families with the common Necessaries of Life.

Wherefore your Petitioners would humbly pray in behalf of the sd Free Negroes &c. That so much of the said recited Act as compels such of them as Intermarry with those of their own complection to pay Taxes for their Wives & Daughters may be repealed or that they may be otherwise relieved as to your Worships in your great Wisdom seem meet.

And your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall pray &c.

Granville County
WILLm EATON
JOHN HAWKINS
PHIl HAWKINS
GEORGE JORDIN
THOs LOWE
JNo SALLIS
PATRICK LASHLEY
PHIL. PRYOR
FRAs KING
JNo BOWIE
AARON FASSOL
JOHN JONES
THOs DULANY
JOHN WADE
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ZACK BULLOCK
GEORGE CUTTLOR
JOHN WILLIAMS Junr
THOMAS WOODLIEF
JOHN GIBBS
WILLIAM FORKNER
ANDw HAMPTON
MARTON DICKSON
MOSES COPPACK
AMANWALL FORKNER
Wm JOHNSON
LEOPOLD FALLON
JONAS PARKER
JAMES SMITH
RICHd HARRIS
Wm SMITH
AMOS NEWSOM
JOs BRANTLY
SHURLEY WHATLEY
JAMES BRANTLY
JNo GLOVER
EDw YOUNG
JOHN MARTIN
Edgcomb County.
JOs JNo ALSTON
Wm IRBY
WILLm ANDERSON
JOSEPH STRICKLAND
THOs WOOD
BENJn SHERROD
JOHN JONES
JACOB STRICKLAND
AUGUSTIN CURTIS
NATHAN JOYNER
JOHN NOLAND
EBENEZER FOLSOM
BENJ. NEVILL
Wm ADAMS
JOHN CHENEY
WILLIAM RICHASON
JOHN FISH
RICHARD McKINNE
JAMES BROWN