To His Excellency Josiah Martin, Esquire, His Majesties Captain General, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the Province of North Carolina & Vice Admiral of the same, To the Honourable Council The Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Burgeses,
The Petition of the Inhabitants of Bertie County in the Province afsd Humbly Shew,
That whereas by an Act of the General Assembly of this Province dated in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty eight, at a session held for the said Province at Newbern, a Town was Erected on Cushy River in Bertie County afsd by the
name of Windsor; very conveniently situated and nearly in the center of the County. Since which time several houses have been Built in the said Town, especially Houses of Intertainment, and sundry Stores Established therein, and a good Ferry to and from the said Town. All which greatly conduces to render it a very fitt and convenient plase for holding the Inferior Courts of the said County and doing other Public Business att. And as the present Court house is not only very Inconveniently situated for the greatest number of the Inhabitants who are often obliged to attend at it, but is rendered more so for want of convenient Houses for Intertaining the great number of people who are obliged to attend their Business, besides the said Court house is now so rotten & Decayed by Age that it is past any Possibility of ever repairing it and Consequently there is an Absolute necessity of having a new one Built there or some where else. And the Town of Windsor it is agreed on all hands being the most Convenient, your Petitioners therefore Humbly Pray you will take it under your Consideration, and Pass an Act to Impower certain Commissioners therein to be mentioned, to Agree with workmen for Erecting & Building such a Court house Gaol and Stocks in the said Town of Windsor as they shall think necessary and convenient for the use of the County afsd, and that a Poll Tax may be Laid on each and every Taxable Person in the said County sufficient to defray the expense and Charge of the said Buildings.And your Petitioners as in Duty Bound will ever pray &c.