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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the Pitt County Committee of Safety
Pitt County (N.C.). Committee of Safety
July 01, 1775
Volume 10, Pages 61-64

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[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Proceedings of the Safety Committee in Pitt County.


Martinborough 1st July 1775.

The Committee of the County met according to order as before mentioned and has entered into the following association:

We the freeholders and inhabitants of the county of Pitt and town of Martin, being deeply affected with the present alarming state of this Province and of all America—Do Resolve that we will pay all due allegiance to his majesty King George the third and endeavor to continue the succession of his crown in the Illustrious house of Hanover as by law established, against the present or any future wicked ministry, or arbitrary set of men whatsoever, at the same time we are determined to assert our rights as men and sensible that by the late acts of Parliament the most valuable Liberties and priviledges of America are invaded and endeavor to be violated and destroyed and that under God the preservation of them Depends on a firm union of the Inhabitants and a sturdy spirited observation of the Resolutions of the General Congress, being shocked at the cruel scenes now acting in the Massachusetts Bay and determined never to become slaves to any power upon earth, we do hereby agree and associate under all tyes of Religion, Honour, and regard for Posterity that we will adopt and endeavour to execute the measures which the General Congress now sitting at Philadelphia conclude on for preserving our constitution and opposing the execution of the several arbitrary Illegale acts of the British Parliament and that we will readily observe The Directions of our General Committee for the purpose aforesaid, the Preservation of Peace and Good Order and Security of Individuals and private property.

(Signed) JOHN SIMPSON, Ch'n.
Amos Atkinson
Robert Grimmer
Wm. Travis
Richd Rives
Dennis Cannon
Simon Pope
Archibald Adams
John Evans
Bay Brown
Thos. Wolfenden
James May, Junr
George Moye
Wm Bryan
Benja May
Willm Robson
Arthur Forbes
John Robson
James Lanier
Jesse Jolly
James Lockhart
Godfrey ——
Thomas Goff
Robert Salter
Patk Lacey
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Mathias Studivant
John Williams
Edmund Williams
Allen Sugg
James Gorham
Joel Sugg
David Perkins
Geo. Evans
John Fry
William Graves
Mathias Moore
—— Moore
William Osburn
Jno. Enloe
Marcus Stokes
Jno. Fleming
Sam'l Barrow
Richard Grice
Richd Moye
Nathan Godley
Lazarus Pearce
Edward Salter
Thos. Hardee
James Armstrong
Henry Jones
John Hardee, Junr
Robert Dixson
Fredk Gibble
William Jones
Thomas Albriton
John Hardee
William Whitfield
Walter Dixson
Lemuel Cherry
Henry Williamson
Dempsie Grimes
Thomas Gualtney
John Lesslie
John Smith
Richard Williams
Abraham Adams
Joseph Gainer
John Moye
Sol. Shepherd
James Hancock
John Cason
John Moring
Samuel Warren
William Granbray
Peter Rives
Howell Hodges
James Brooks
William Burney
John Tilghman
Absalom Rodgers
Robert Hodges
Benjamin Blount
George Moye, Jr
John Moye, Jr
John Barber
Henry Ellis
John Bowers
Geo. F——

Resolved, that the following Rules may be Observed by this Committee, viz:

Any member having a motion to make to Address the Chariman.

No member to Interrupt another member when speaking.

No member to speak more than twice on any one Debate without Leave.

Any member to speak as short and Concize as the Nature of the Debate will admit.

That any nine persons of this Committee may sitt & Do Business in answer & forwarding Dispatches & twenty one may do any business.

That the Chairman may sign the proceedings on Behalf of the Committee.

That the Chairman have power to Convean the Committee on occasion of any Emergencie.

That the Chairman call any member to order when out of Rule.

In case the Chairman be Absent at any meeting of the Committee, the Committee may chuse a president, to Act on his Behalf.

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Resolved, That the following persons be appointed Patrolers to Search all suspected places &c and finding any Negro Slave or Slaves from their Masters Lands without a pass from his Master Mistress or Coroner to take the said Slave or Slaves and give them Thirty nine Lashes or Less if they think proper, and if any Negro Slave be found with any fire arms or ammunition in his or her possession that the said Patrolers may seize and take away nay such arms and sell them at Public Sale, first being advertised ten Days—the money arising from such sales to be paid into the hands of the Churchwardens of St Michaels Parish for the use and benefit of said Parish.

Drawn out—Amos Atkinson, Robert Grimes, Richard Rives, Simon Pope, James May, Jun., Jno. Robison, Markers Stocks, Robert Sanders, Absalom Rogers, Edmd Adams, Samuel Warren, Jonas May, to act in Capt. Atkinson's Comp'y.

Drawn out—Charles Waldrum, William Osbourn, Godfrey Stansell, Sion Andrews, John Jolley, John Barnes & Fredrick Bryant, John Worsley, Edward Moore, Jas. C. Moore, Henry Moore, to act in Capt Daniels' Company.

Josiah Knox, David Perkins, Wm. Clemmons, Peter Jolley, Abraham Congleton, James Griffin, Aaron Dudley, in Perkins District.

Joseph Garner, Willm Crawford, James Williams, Seth Lanier, Wm Lanier, Jun., James Latham, in one Company.

John Knowis, Jun., Griffin Floyd, Jacob Brown, Josiah Littel Jun., Thos. Williams, Jun., & John Dowdy in one Company.

Matthew Hodges, Robt. Hodges, James Crimean, Jno. Brinkley, Charles & Jno. Whitehead, George Littel, John Smith, Kelley Cason, Jos. James, James Gorham, in one Company.

Robert Daniel, Jun., Robert Salter sent John Little, William Baldwyn, Edmon Williams, John Flemming, John Cason, William Robson, Samuel Barrow, Hillery Cason, George Pierce, John Hill, Israel Harden, Richd Grist, Lazarus Peine, John Godley, Benjamin Grist, Nathan Godley, John Salter, Jas. Salter, Edward Salter, James Jones, John Watkins, James Armstrong, as far as Chicod.

William Jones, Rolin Dixson, Jas. Burt, Walter Dixson, George Flemin, Frederick Gibble, John Simpson, George Albritton, Thos. Albritton, Richard Albritton, Abraham Adams, in one Comp'y.

John House, Jun., Archd Adams, Daniel Cherry, Joseph Hardee, William Barney, Isaac Stocks, Jas. Hencock, Dennis Cannon, Nathl Cannon, W. J. Cannon, Wm. Williams, Jas Brooks, in one Comp'y.

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John Enloe, Isaac Hardee, Junr, Thos. Goff, William Grovy, John Lesslie, William Tison, Jonathn Tison, Luke Beats, Geo. Falkner, John Fry, George Evans, Thos. Wolfenden, Arthur Forbes, Richard Moye, William Furnay, John Moye Junr, George Moye Senr, Samuel Stafford, George Blan, Cornelius Tison, in one Company.

Elias Godley Joel Sugg, Samuel Tress, Edward Sturdevant, Stert Dupree, Benja. Dupree, Allen Sugg, George Sugg, Nathl Lanier, Geo. Wolfenden, Benjamin May, Richard Williams, Samuel Tison, John Joyner, Hy. Williamson, Nath. Moore, Shadk Eason, Solomon Ward, John Williams, Junr James Lockheart, in one Company.

Resolved, That John Lesslie, Clerk, furnish each Company of Patrolers with a List and a copy of the above Resolve for a Rule of their conduct.

Resolved, That the Captains of the Different Companies call their men together in Order they should choose their Officers. By request of the Chairman.

Resolved, That the Reverend Mr Blount Preach in the Court House of Martinborough on ——

Resolved, That the 20th day of this Instant, be Observed as a Day of Publick Fasting and Humiliation agreeable to the appointment of the Continental Congress, & that the Reverend Mr Blount By Desire of the Chairman to Preach a Sermon at Court house in Martinborough Suitable to the Occasion.

This Committee Adjourned until the 29th of this Instant.

JOHN SIMPSON, Chairman.