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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Deposition of John Campbell concerning land grants and trade in North Carolina
Campbell, John, ca. 1700-1781
Volume 04, Pages 1119-1120

The Deposition of John Campbel of Bertie County Mercht being of full age and duly sworn to the

1st Intr: This Deponent saith that on the 28th of Septber 1745 near Bath Town at the House of Mr. Abrahm Duncan in Mr. Edwd Griffiths and this Deponents Lodging Room there were a considerable number of Warrants and Patents Blank signed by the Govr and since that time he saw John Howell Senr of Bertie County have a Blank Warrant and a Patent signed and sealed to be filled up without any date to either.

Said Depont to the 2nd Intry. Saith Capt Henry Danbuz of the Granville Frigate of London from Cork arrived at Occrocock Inlett the 6th day of July 1746 and said Capt came to Edenton on the eighth day of said Month consigned to this Dept that said Danbuz brought printed Newspapers from Cork with an account of the defeat of the Rebells army at Colloden on the 7th of April that he sent the said Danbuz immediately to the Govr with the said Newspapers the said Capt Danbuz returned on the afternoon of said Day but did not bring back the said Newspapers nor did this Dept hear of or see any rejoicings made in the Province nor of any order of the Govr to make any Bonfires on the News of joy on this agreeable News nor was said Newspapers returned to this Dept Capt Danbuz on his return from the Govr told this Dept that his Excellency seemed displeased and said he was sorry for the fate of several of the Gentlemen who fell in that Battle of Colloden

To the third Intry Says that the said ship Granville lay exposed at Occrocock Inlett and in danger of Privateers that he required leave to unlade a Brigantines Cargo called the Molley and Pegy on Board said ship in order to dispatch her from that place of danger but his Excellecy denyed his request by which the said ship was long delayed and afterwards with a valuable cargo was taken by the French on the 10th day of March at sea to the great loss of the Owner and Freighters of said ship and was the occasion of Mr. Jer: Joyas' desisting to Trade any longer from London to this Province who had carryed on a Trade and Correspondence for many years with several ships and occasioned this Dept to go for England. That in the month of Augst 1747 a ship arrived at Edenton from Liverpool consigned to this Dept and that she legally entered at the Custom House and Naval Office and unladed her

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Merchandize and in October was laden with sundry commodities bound to Liverpool That this Deponent intended to depart the Province in said ship having publickly given notice of his Intentions accordg to Law and when ready to depart the Govr wrote to the Collectr Mr. John Hull a Letter of which this is a Copy viz:

SirEden House Octr 21st 1747. The Master of a vessel from Liverpool consigned to Capt Campbel now ready to sail from this Port has neglected to comply with one of the Acts of Trade made in the 15 Car 2d upon which account I command you to seize the said vessel and to bring the master to a Tryal in the Court of Vice admiralty without loss of time

I am—Sir yr hble servant
G. JOHNSTON.
To the Collectr of the Customs at Edenton.

That the said Ship was delayed several days by the Coll: who refused to clear out the said ship until he said Collectr went to the Govr on the 3rd day of November by which delays several days fair winds were lost and seasonable weather to get thrō the Shoals before the winter season was violent which occasioned a most dangerous passage to the said ship with loss of one mast sails and fourth part of her lading cast overboard till the 12th of March that the ship got to her port at Liverpool the Owners and this Dept being greatly injured by the illegal detention of said ship and discouraged from undertaking business to transact in this Province from his friends at London or Elsewhere.

Jno CAMPBELL.

To the fourth Interrogatory says that he knew Henry McCulloh the Memorialist was summoned by Mr. Allen the Receiver General to appear before the Govr in Council but what happened on said summons this Deponent referrs to the Council Minutes thereupon, the reason this Deponent says he bought upwards of twenty thousand pounds of Tobacco in the Counties of Bertie & Chowan which this Deponent was told had been received for Quit Rents and paid at the rate of nine shillings sterling per Ct for said Tobaccos and that it was in the year 1740 and would have purchased a greater quantity at that rate that he has heard that what Tobaccos were sold that year were sold about the same price And that the Receiver General afterwards had not allowed in his Accounts above five shillings and nine pence sterling per Ct for said Tobaccos.

Jno CAMPBELL.