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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the North Carolina Council of Safety
North Carolina. Council of Safety
September 06, 1776 - September 13, 1776
Volume 10, Pages 826-830

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary State.]
JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY, BEGUN AND HELD AT SALISBURY.


Salisbury, September 6th, 1776.

Met according to adjournment.

James Hunter and Joseph Dobson, both of Guilford County, voluntarily came before the Council and moved that they might be admitted to the privileges of free Citizens, and declared that they were willing to take an Oath of Allegiance to this State, which being granted and they having taken and subscribed to an oath for that purpose,

Resolved, That they henceforward be considered as free Citizens and Members of this State.

Jacob Williams of Anson County, being brought before this Council for having spoken some words inimical to the Cause of Liberty and regardless of a Solemn declaration by him signed at the Congress at Hillsborough,

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Resolved, That the said Williams enter into Bond with Security in the Sum of three hundred pounds, conditioned that he appear at the next Congress to be held at Halifax and not depart without leave, otherwise to be committed to the Common Gaol of Salisbury, there to remain until further Orders of this Council or Congress.

Adjourned till Tomorrow Morning 8 oClock.


Saturday, September 7th, 1776.

Met according to Adjournment.

Resolved, That the Troops stationed on the Frontiers of Tryon County, by order of General Rutherford, for the Protection of this State, be continued till further Orders of this Board, General Rutherford or the Congress.

Ambrose Mills and John Auston of Tryon County having been brought before this Board for acting inimical to the Cause of American Freedom, and after examination it was thought proper to discharge them, the first having entered into Bond and taken the Oath of Allegiance to this State, the other having also taken the said Oath of Allegiance.

Adjourned till Monday Morning 8 oClock.


Monday, September 9th, 1776.

Met according to Adjournment.

On the Petition of Mary Hughs, wife of Joseph Hughs, for leave for her husband to appear before this Board to be admitted as a free Citizen of this State,

Resolved, That the said Joseph Hughs be permitted to appear before this Council on or before the 11th of this Instant September for the purpose aforesaid.

Read in Council the Petition of James Hepburn, on parole to Mecklenburg County, and a certificate from Waightstill Avery Esquire, one of the Committee of the said County, shewing that the said James Hepburn cannot procure a House within the Limits of his said parole,

Resolved, That the said James Hepburn have leave to remove himself to the Town of Salisbury there to be on parole within the Limits and Bounds of the said Town and within two miles thereof.

Read the Petition of Michael Holt late of Orange County at present under confinement in the City of Philadelphia, praying releasement &ca; also a Petition from the Committee of said County

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setting forth, that in their Opinion the releasement of the said Michael Holt would not in any wise injure the Caus of Liberty in this State.

This Board taking the said Petitions into consideration and having collected all the Evidence for and against the said Holt with respect to his March in order to join McDonald's Army, find many Circumstances in his favour, inasmuch when he was fully acquainted with the Intention of the Tories he did actually return home, and was the means of inducing a Number of Others to follow his example without a junction with the Scotch Army,

Resolved, That he be recommended to the Continental Congress as an object of Compassion, and that the Delegates for this State use their utmost endeavour to get him discharged from his present imprisonment in order that he may return home to his Family, he first taking an Oath to this State a Copy of which is ordered to be enclosed to said Delegates.

Adjourned till tomorrow morning 8 o'clock.


Tuesday, September 10th, 1776.

Met according to adjournment.

Whereas in February last James McCoy with a number of men was employed in disarming the Tories for sometime and was allowed at Congress the sum of One hundred and two pounds for the payment of the men in that department, and whereas a certain controversy has arisen among the men concerning the distribution of the money, and application having been made to this Board concerning the same: It is the Opinion of this Council that the said James McCoy in Order that equal Justice be done pay each man according to the time of his being in actual service.

Resolved, That Colonel Ebenezer Folesome or in his Absence the Commissioners at Cross Creek deliver thirty Bushels of the public Salt to Capt. John Hamlin to be by him distributed in the following proportions, to wit: Eighteen Bushels among the Officers and Soldiers of the Company in the late Expedition and Twelve Bushels among the Familes of the Officers and Soldiers in the present Expedition against the Indians.

Benjamin Booth Boote lately a prisoner in South Carolina from this State, permitted to return on parole came before this Board and took an Oath of Fidelity to the State,

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Resolved therefore, that he be discharged from such parole and that he be henceforward considered as a friend and free Citizen of this State.

Adjourned till tomorrow morning 8 o'clock.


Wednesday, September 11th, 1776.

Met according to adjournment.

Resolved, That John Dunn be parolled to the Town of Salisbury, there to remain until further Orders of this Council or Congress and to appear once a day at the house of Mr Maxwell Chambers and further that he enter into Bond with Security in the sum of one thousand pounds for his future good behaviour, and in case of breach of his parole to be committed by the Committee of the Town to close prison.

Adjourned till tomorrow morning 8 o'clock.


Thursday, September 12th, 1776.

Met according to Adjournment.

George Wolfenden, Thomas Ferguson, James Morgan and James Gibson offered to the Council sundry pieces of Linnen claiming the several Bounties pursuant to a Resolve of the Congress held at Hillsborough on the tenth day of September, 1775, the Board examining into the premises and finding that the said several pieces of Linnen were manufactured in this State pursuant to the said Resolve of Congress and that they are so near in quality, that a determination cannot be had with precision, but that they are intitled to the several Bounties in the said Resolve. It is Resolved That the Treasurers or either of them pay unto the said George Wolfenden, Thomas Ferguson, James Morgan and James Gibson twenty three pounds fifteen Shillings each, it being their equal part of the several Bounties allowed by the said Resolve and that the same shall be allowed the Treasurers in their accounts with the public (the parties being present and consenting to an equal divident of the aforesaid Bounties.)

Adjourned till Tomorrow Morning 8 oClock.


Friday, September 13th, 1776.

Met according to adjournment.

Joseph Hughs came before this Board according to the Prayer of a Petition exhibited by his Wife, Mary, the Council taking the same in Consideration,

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Resolved, That the said Joseph Hughs be parolled to the Limits of the Town of Salisbury, there to remain until further Orders of this Council or Congress and to appear once a day at the House of Maxwell Chambers, and in case of a Breach of parole to be committed by the Committee of the Town to close prison, and further that he enter into Bond with Security in the Sum of five hundred pounds for his future good behavior.

Resolved, That the several Militia Officers and Captains of the Forts and Garrisons on the Frontiers of Rowan and Tryon furnish Mr Avery with a sufficient Escort of Men for a Guard on his way to General Rutherford and also to give the said Avery all the necessary Aid and Assistance in their power.

Resolved, That Abel Armstrong or any other Officer of the Militia of the district of Salisbury furnish Joseph Thompson and James Gallaspee, Waggoners in the service of this State on their way to and from Chiswell's Mines with a guard of four men to Escort them to and from the same.

Resolved, That Jesse Nighton pay unto James Hacket for himself, James Kerr and Robert Grier the sum of one pound ten Shillings for bringing the said Nighton before this Board pursuant to its order.

The Council adjourned to the Town of Halifax, in the County of Halifax.