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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Deposition of Bridget Arthur concerning sectional dispute over the location of the North Carolina General Assembly sessions
Arthur, Bridget
Volume 04, Pages 1193-1194

North Carolina.

Bridget Arthur of Craven County in the Province of North Carolina maketh oath that in the month of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty six, her husband John Arthur kept a Tavern and also a Ferry over Neuse River near New Bern Town over which many of the Members of the Assembly of the Northern Countys of this Province came and returned in their way to and from an assembly that was held in the said month and year at New Bern, that Mr. Benjamin Hill, Mr. John Hodgson, Mr. James McDowall, Mr. James Craven, Mr. Lee, Mr. Benjamin Peyton and several others members of Assembly as this Deponent was informed they were whose names were unknown to this Deponent came over the Ferry in their way to New Bern to meet at the said Assembly and seemed very much out of temper or angry that they should be called to meet an Assembly at Newbern,

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and Mr. John Hodgson Mr. Benjamin Hill and Mr. Craven said that they should soon return for that they shou'd not stay above a day or two to do any business and that they (meaning as this Deponent understood them, the Governour Council and Southern Members) might make laws by themselves for that we will not follow their       any more, and this deponent further maketh oath that sometime afterwards the said Gentlemen and many other Members of Assembly as she was informed they were came to her house to go over the said Ferry in their return home and in their discourse said the Assembly was prorogued to Cape Fear and did promise and engage themselves to each other that they would not go to attend the Governor and Assembly there, and said if they did not go nothing could be done and further this Deponent saith not

BRIDGET ARTHUR her X Mark.