North Carolina General Assembly of 1782


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:
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 Member
Anson CountyThomas WadeStephen MillerJohn Jackson
Beaufort CountyWilliam BrownRichard Nassau StephensJohn Gray Blount
Bertie CountyJonathan JaycocksWilliam HornDavid Turner
Bladen CountyThomas BrownBenjamin ClarkJohn Willis
Brunswick CountyArchibald McClain/Alfred MooreWilliam WatersDennis Hawkins
Burke CountyCharles McDowellWaightstill AveryJoseph McDowell
Camden CountyIsaac GregoryDempsey SawyerBenjamin Jones
Carteret CountyUnknownUnknownUnknown
Caswell CountyJohn WilliamsWilliam MooreJosiah Cole
Chatham CountyWilliam B. Smith/James WilliamsJames Williams/Elisha CainJohn Ledhill/Matthew Ramsey
New Bern DistrictRichard Dobbs Spaight, Sr.
Chowan CountyJoseph BlountMichael PayneThomas Benbury
Craven CountyJames CoorWilliam BryanJohn Tillman/Tilghman
Cumberland CountyJames AtkinsEdward WinslowThomas Armstrong
Currituck CountyWilliam FerebeeThomas JarvisJoseph Ferebee
Dobbs CountyRichard Caswell, Sr. William CaswellBenjamin Sheppard
Duplin CountyJames KenanRichard Clinton/David DoddJames Gillespie
Edgecombe CountyIsaac SessumsRobert Diggs/Etheldred PhillipsJames Wilson
Franklin CountyHenry HillSimon JeffreysHarrison Macon
Gates CountyWilliam BakerJethro SumnerJoseph Riddick
Granville CountyWilliam GillThomas PersonPhilemon Hawkins, Jr.
Guilford CountyAlexander Martin William GowdyJames Hunter
Halifax CountyWillie JonesJohn BranchBenjamin McCulloch
Halifax DistrictHenry Montfort
Hertford CountyJohn Brickell/BakerWilliam Wynns/Lewis BrownThomas Brickell
Hyde CountyWilliam Russell/Abraham JonesRobert JennettJohn Eborne
Johnston CountyThomas GrayArthur Bryan/Joseph BoonNathan Williams
Jones CountyNathan BryanAbner NashUnknown
Lincoln CountyJames JohnstonJohn MooreJohn Sloan
Martin CountyKenneth McKenzieWilliam SladeSamuel Williams
Mecklenburg CountyRobert IrwinCaleb PhiferDavid Wilson
Montgomery CountyThomas ChildsRobert MossPeter Randle
Nash CountyHardy GriffinJoseph ArringtonEdward Nicholson
Wilmington DistrictWilliam Hooper
New Hannover CountyCaleb GraingerTimothy BloodworthJames Bloodworth
Northampton CountySamuel LockhartJohn DawsonJames Spikes
Hillsboro/Hillsborough DistrictThomas Farmer
Onslow CountyDr. Isaac GuionThomas JohnstonGeorge Mitchell
Orange CountyWilliam MebaneWilliam McCauleyMark Patterson
Pasquotank CountyEdward EveraginJoseph JonesThomas Reading
Perquimans CountyJesse Eason/John WhedbeeJonathan SkinnerRichard Wedbee
Pitt CountyJohn Williams/Edward SalterJames GorhamJohn Simpson
Randolph CountyJohn CollierJeduthan HarperEdward Williams
Richmond CountyCharles MedlockRobert WebbThomas Crawford
Salisbury DistrictDr. Anthony Newman
Rowan CountyMatthew LockeWilliam SharpeSamuel Young
Rutherford CountyJames MillerWilliam GilbertDavid Dickey
Sullivan County Andrew BledsoeIsaac ShelbyJoseph Martin
Surry CountyWilliam SheppardSamuel CummingsTrangott Bagge
Tyrrell CountyJeremiah FrazierNehemiah NormanNathan Hooker
Wake CountyJoel LaneJames HintonBurwell Pope
Warren CountyNathaniel MaconJoseph HawkinsJohn Macon
Washington County William CockeJoseph HardinThomas Haughton
Wayne CountyAndrew BassBurwell MooringRichard McKinnie
Wilkes CountyElijah IsaacsJoseph HerndonWilliam Lenoir
Edenton DistrictDr. Hugh Williamson

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.