The North Carolina General Assembly of 1780-1781 was the fourth elected legislative body of the State of North Carolina. The assembly consisted of a Senate and House of Commons that met in three sessions in at least two locations in the years 1780 and 1781. Each of the existing 50 North Carolina counties were authorized to elect one Senator and two members of the House of Commons. In addition, six districts (also called boroughs) also elected one House member each.Not all counties sent two representatives. Some sent none or one. The first two sessions were probably held in New Bern, North Carolina in April and September 1780. The third session met in Halifax from January 27, 1781 – February 13, 1781.The journal for the first two sessions have been lost, so the locations or dates cannot be confirmed.
Governor and Councilors of State
In 1780, the General Assembly elected Abner Nash as Governor of North Carolina, as was called for in the Constitution of North Carolina. His term of office was extended by an act of the assembly until June 25, 1781.
The North Carolina Constitution of 1776 required "that the Senate and House of Commons, jointly, at their first meeting after each annual election, shall by ballot elect seven persons to be a Council of State for one year, who shall advise the Governor in the execution of his office."
The known North Carolina Council of State members elected by the General Assembly in 1780 included:Connor, page 422 Joseph Leech from Craven County James Davis Isaac Guion from Craven County James Granger
Leadership
The House of Commons leadership included the following persons: Speaker: Thomas Benbury (Chowan County) Clerk: John Hunt
The Senate leadership included the following: Speaker: Alexander Martin (Guilford County) Clerk: John Haywood (Edgecombe County) Assistant Clerk: Sherwood Haywood (Edgecombe County)
House and Senate members
New counties created in 1779 included Franklin County, Gates County, Lincoln County, Montgomery County, Randolph County, Richmond County, Rutherford County, Warren County, and Wayne County. Bute County and Tryon County were abolished in 1779. There were no new counties created in 1780 or 1781. There was at least a Senator or one Representative from each county and district.See List of counties in North Carolina for sourcing.
Members of the General Assembly were allowed 55 dollars per day for attendance at sessions.
CountyHouse of Commons MemberSenate MemberAnson CountyMiller, StephenChilds, JohnAnson CountyFarr, Richard-Beaufort CountyBrown, WilliamRespess, Thomas, Jr. Beaufort CountyWillis, Samuel- Bertie CountyTurner, DavidHorne, WilliamBertie CountyJaycocks, Jonathan- Bladen CountyCain, SamuelVacantBladen CountyLucas, Frances-Brunswick CountynoneMacLaine, ArchibaldBrunswick Countynone-Burke CountyBrevard, HughMcLean, EphraimBurke CountyMcDowell, Joseph- Camden CountyBurgess, WilliamGrays, JohnCamden CountyGregory, Isaac- Carteret CountyShepard, SolomonUnknownCarteret CountyUnknown or vacant- Caswell CountyFarrow, PeterUnknown Caswell CountyWilliams, John-Caswell CountyMoore, Stephen- Chatham CountyScurlock, MialRamsey, AmbroseChatham CountyWilliams, James-Chowan CountyBenbury, ThomasJohnson, CharlesChowan CountyBoyd, William-Craven CountyBryan, WilliamCoor, JamesCraven CountyBlount, William-Cumberland CountyCochran, RobetFolsome, EbenezerCumberland CountyWinslow, Edward-Currituck CountyPhillips, JamesJarvis, SamuelCurrituck CountyHumphreys, John-Dobbs CountyCaswell, WilliamCaswell, Richard, Sr.He served in the Continental Congress.Dobbs CountySheppard, Abraham-Duplin CountyDickson, JosephClinton, RichardDuplin CountyGillespie, James- Edgecombe CountyGray, EtheldredBattle, ElishaEdgecombe CountyHorn, Henry, Jr.-Franklin CountyBryant, JosephHill, HenryFranklin CountyBrickell, William-Gates CountySumner, JethroGregory, JamesGates CountyGarrett, James-Granville CountyPerson, ThomasHunt, MemucanGranville CountyHawkins, Philemon, Jr.-Guilford CountyHunter, JamesMartin, AlexanderGuilford CountyGowdy, William-Halifax CountyJones, WillieDavis, OroondatesHalifax CountyWeldon, William/Whitaker, John-Hertford CountyBaker, JohnUnknownHertford CountyJordan, Pleasant/Mauney, James-Hyde CountyLatham, RotheasRussell, WilliamHyde CountyBarrow, George-Johnston CountyLockhart, JamesWilliams, BenjaminJohnston CountyWhitley, John-Jones CountyHargett, FrederickNash, Abner/VacantAbner Nash was elected governor on April 20, 1780.Jones CountyIsler, John-Lincoln CountyMauney, ValentineJohnston, JamesLincoln CountySloan, John-Martin CountySmithwick, EdwardMcKenzie, KennethMartin CountyAveritt, John-Mecklenburg CountyPhifer, CalebIrwin, RobertMecklenburg CountyWilson, David-Montgomery CountyRoper, JamesLedbetter, Drury Montgomery CountyMoore, Edward-New Hanover CountyCampbell, John A.DeVane, JohnNew Hanover CountyBloodworth, Timothy/Bloodworth, James-Northampton CountyVaughan, James/Dawson, JohnUnknownNorthampton CountyPeoples, Robert-Onslow CountyStarkey, EdwardRhodes, HenryOnslow CountyMitchell, George-Orange CountyMcCauley, WilliamCourtney, WilliamOrange CountyPatterson, Mark-Pasquotank CountyBlackstock, JohnEveragin, EdwardPasquotank CountyHarvey, Thomas-Perquimans CountyBlount, CharlesEaton, JessePerquimans CountyHarvey, JohnJohn Harvey's Wikipedia biography states that he died in 1775, which is verified on NCPedia. Not sure who the John Harvey was in 1780.-Pitt CountyGeorgeSimpson, JohnPitt CountyWilliams, John-Randolph CountyBalfour, AndrewCollier, JohnRandolph CountyHarper, Jeduthan-Richmond CountyHarrington, Henry WilliamMedlock, CharlesRichmond CountyWebb, Robert-Rowan CountyLocke, Matthew Rutherford, GriffithRowan CountyBarrier, George Henry (aka George H. Berger)-Rutherford CountyWhitesides, David/Porter, WilliamDavid Whitesides died while in office. William Porter was elected to replace him.UnknownRutherford CountyGilbert, William-Sullivan CountyLooney, DavidShelby, EvanSullivan CountyUnknown/Vacant-Surry CountyCummings, SamuelShepherd, WilliamSurry CountyFreeman, Samuel-Tyrrell CountyWarrington, JohnFrazier, JeremiahTyrrell CountyBlunt, Edmund-Wake CountyJones, NathanialHinton, John, Jr.Wake CountyHumphries, John-Warren CountyMacon, JohnHaynes, HerbertWarren CountyHawkins, Joseph-Washington County (became Tennessee in 1789)Allison, CharlesCarter, JohnWashington County (became Tennessee in 1789)Robertson, Charles/Clarke, Henry- Wayne CountyCobb, StephenUnknownWayne CountyMooring, Burwell-Wilkes CountyIsaacs, ElijahCleveland, BenjaminWilkes CountyHerndon, Joseph-Edenton DistrictSmith, Robert-Halifax DistrictMontfort, Henry-Hillsborough DistrictTullock, Thomas/Shields, John-New Bern DistrictGreen, James, Jr./Blount, WilliamJohn Green, Jr. was elected to the Council of State and had to give up his seat. William Blount was elected to replace him.-Salisbury DistrictNewman, Anthony- Wilmington DistrictHooper, William-
See also List of North Carolina state legislatures
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