The North Carolina General Assembly of 1782 was the state legislature that first convened in Hillsborough, North Carolina, on April 15, 1782, and concluded on May 18, 1782. Members of the North Carolina Senate and the North Carolina House of Commons were elected by eligible North Carolina voters.
The General Assembly elected Alexander Martin of Guilford County as Governor on April 26, 1782. James Glasgow was Secretary of State. James Iredell was Attorney General. There was no Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina until 1868.
Councilors of State
The General Assembly elected the following Councilors of State on May 3, 1782: Richard Henderson of Granville County Allen Jones of Northampton County Spruce Macay of Rowan County Philemon Hawkins II of Granville County Griffith Rutherford of Rowan County Benjamin Seawell of Franklin County John Penn of Granville
Members
There was one Senator and two members of the House of Commons for each of the 50 counties. In addition, each of the six districts had one representative each.
The House of Commons leadership and staff included: Thomas Benbury, Speaker; John Hunt, Clerk; and Lovett Burgess Assistant Clerk.
County/DistrictSenate MemberHouse MemberHouse MemberAnson CountyThomas WadeStephen MillerJohn JacksonBeaufort CountyWilliam BrownRichard Nassau StephensJohn Gray BlountBertie CountyJonathan JaycocksWilliam HornDavid TurnerBladen CountyThomas BrownBenjamin ClarkJohn WillisBrunswick CountyArchibald McClain/Alfred MooreWilliam WatersDennis HawkinsBurke CountyCharles McDowellWaightstill AveryJoseph McDowellCamden CountyIsaac GregoryDempsey SawyerBenjamin JonesCarteret CountyUnknown UnknownUnknownCaswell CountyJohn Williams William MooreJosiah ColeChatham CountyWilliam B. Smith/James WilliamsJames Williams/Elisha CainJohn Ledhill/Matthew RamseyNew Bern District Richard Dobbs Spaight, Sr.Chowan CountyJoseph BlountMichael PayneThomas BenburyThomas Benbury was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.Craven CountyJames CoorWilliam BryanJohn Tillman/TilghmanCumberland CountyJames AtkinsEdward WinslowThomas ArmstrongCurrituck CountyWilliam Ferebee Thomas JarvisJoseph FerebeeDobbs CountyRichard Caswell, Sr. (2nd Speaker) William CaswellBenjamin SheppardDuplin CountyJames KenanRichard Clinton/David DoddJames GillespieEdgecombe CountyIsaac SessumsRobert Diggs/Etheldred PhillipsJames WilsonFranklin CountyHenry HillSimon JeffreysHarrison MaconGates CountyWilliam BakerJethro SumnerJoseph RiddickGranville CountyWilliam GillThomas PersonPhilemon Hawkins, Jr.Guilford CountyAlexander Martin (Speaker, Governor)William GowdyJames HunterHalifax CountyWillie JonesJohn BranchBenjamin McCullochHalifax District Henry MontfortHertford CountyJohn Brickell/BakerWilliam Wynns/Lewis BrownThomas BrickellHyde CountyWilliam Russell/Abraham JonesRobert JennettJohn EborneJohnston CountyThomas GrayArthur Bryan/Joseph BoonNathan WilliamsJones CountyNathan BryanAbner NashAbner Nash was elected delegate to the Continental Congress on May 3, 1782. The seat in the House remained vacant.UnknownLincoln CountyJames JohnstonJohn MooreJohn SloanMartin CountyKenneth McKenzieWilliam SladeSamuel WilliamsMecklenburg CountyRobert IrwinCaleb PhiferDavid WilsonMontgomery CountyThomas ChildsRobert MossPeter RandleNash CountyHardy GriffinJoseph ArringtonEdward NicholsonWilmington District William HooperNew Hannover CountyCaleb GraingerTimothy BloodworthJames BloodworthNorthampton CountySamuel LockhartJohn DawsonJames SpikesHillsboro/Hillsborough District Thomas FarmerOnslow CountyDr. Isaac GuionThomas JohnstonGeorge MitchellOrange CountyWilliam MebaneWilliam McCauleyMark PattersonPasquotank CountyEdward EveraginJoseph JonesThomas ReadingPerquimans CountyJesse Eason/John WhedbeeJonathan SkinnerRichard WedbeePitt CountyJohn Williams/Edward SalterJames GorhamJohn SimpsonRandolph CountyJohn CollierJeduthan HarperEdward WilliamsRichmond CountyCharles MedlockRobert WebbThomas CrawfordSalisbury District Dr. Anthony NewmanRowan CountyMatthew LockeWilliam SharpeSamuel YoungRutherford CountyJames MillerWilliam GilbertDavid DickeySullivan County (became part of Tennessee)Andrew BledsoeIsaac ShelbyJoseph MartinSurry CountyWilliam SheppardSamuel CummingsTrangott BaggeTyrrell CountyJeremiah FrazierNehemiah NormanNathan HookerWake CountyJoel LaneJames HintonBurwell PopeWarren CountyNathaniel MaconJoseph HawkinsJohn MaconWashington County (became part of Tennessee)William CockeJoseph HardinThomas HaughtonWayne CountyAndrew BassBurwell MooringRichard McKinnieWilkes CountyElijah IsaacsJoseph HerndonWilliam LenoirEdenton District Dr. Hugh WilliamsonHugh Williamson was elected delegate to the Continental Congress on May 3, 1782. The seat in the House remained vacant.
Legislation This General Assembly met during the midst of the American Revolution. Many of the session laws that they passed dealt with the war. Other laws dealt with taxes, setting up judiciaries, chartering towns, and regulating rivers and forests.
See also List of North Carolina state legislatures
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