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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Deposition of John Bonbury concerning sectional dispute over the location of the North Carolina General Assembly sessions
Bonbury, John
April 05, 1749
Volume 04, Pages 1197-1198

John Bonbury of Chowan County in the Province of North Carolina Gentleman aged Forty two years and upwards being sworn and examined deposeth as followeth (viz:)

To the first Interrogatory This Deponant saith that he was a Member of the General Assembly held at New-Bern in the County of Craven the Twelfe day of June One thousand seven hundred and forty six and that he did attend at the said Assembly.

To the second Interrogatory. This Deponant saith that the said Assembly was prorogued at New-Bern aforesaid to meet at Wilmington in the County of New Hanover at Cape Fear.

To the third Interrogatory This Deponant saith that he hath heard some of the Members But who he doth not know of that Assembly chosen for the Northern Counties say that they would not or could not

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go to Cape Fear to attend that Assembly because it was a very expensive Place and fatigueing Journey.

To the fourth Interrogatory. This Deponant saith that John Hodgson a Member of the said Assembly did advise this Deponant not to go to Cape Fear to attend the said Assembly.

To the fifth Interrogatory. This Deponant saith that he hath heard that there was an agreement among some of the Members of the Northern Counties not to go to the said Assembly that stood prorogued to Wilmington but by whom he doth not remember.

To the sixth Interrogatory This Deponant saith that he beleives that he acquainted Sam: Swann Esqre Speaker of that Assembly at Edenton at the time of General Court that was held there in the month of October before the meeting of Assembly at Wilmington that he heard that some of the Northern Members had agreed not to go to the Assembly that was to be held at the then next month of November at Wilmington.

To the seventh Interrogatory This Deponant saith that he never knew or heard that any of the Members of the Counties of Currituck Pasquotank Perquimons Chowan Bertie or Tyrell did go to the Assembly held at Wilmington aforesaid.

To the eighth Interrogatory. This Deponant saith that he beleives that there was an agreement among some few of the Members of the said Counties not to go to the said Assembly to be held at Wilmington aforesaid.

J. BONBURY.

New-Bern the 5th of April 1749.