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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Petition from Tyree Harris, John Lea, and John Butler concerning tax collection in Orange County
Harris, Tyree, 1728-1787; Lea, John; Butler, John, d. 1786
1773
Volume 09, Pages 802-803

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]

To His Excellency Josiah Martin Esqre His Majestys Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over the Province of North Carolina, To the President and Gentlemen of His Majestys Honourable Council, The Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly.

The Petition of Tyree Harris John Lea and John Butler former Sheriffs of Orange County Humbly Sheweth

That at the Last Session of Assembly an Act was passed, for prolonging the time allowed them by Law for them to settle their accounts with the Justices of the Inferior Court of the said County of Orange, which time is now Expired, without your petitioners having Reaped the benefit intended thereby by the indulgence of the Legislature by reason of their not appearing at any day of the Court at which their accounts was to be adjusted the number of Justices Required by Law to settle a Sheriffs accounts as may appear by a Certificate of the Clerk of that Court, and altho there had been a full Court the Confused and unsettled state of that County till very lately has put it out of the power of your humble petitioners to make an Exact and Regular Settlement without Injuring the Publick or ourselves and your Petitioners having already Collected and paid a very large proportion of the Taxes

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Particularly John Butler one of your petitioners who has actually paid upwards of nine Hundred pounds out of about one thousand pounds nearly the amount of the Taxes for the year for which he was Sheriff, do most humbly pray that an Act may be passed authorizing the Justices to settle with them at some future Court and your petitioners as in Duty bound will ever pray &c

TYREE HARRIS
JOHN LEA
JOHN BUTLER