North Carolina General Assembly of 1783


The North Carolina General Assembly of 1783 was the state legislature that convened in Hillsboro, North Carolina from April 18, 1783, to May 17, 1783. Members of the North Carolina Senate and the North Carolina House of Commons were elected by eligible North Carolina voters. This was the last assembly to meet during the American Revolution. Much of their time was devoted to taking care of the North Carolina soldiers that fought in the war.
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 9, 1783:
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: Edward Starkey, Speaker; John Hunt, Clerk; and John Haywood, Assistant Clerk. The Senate leadership and staff included: Richard Caswell, speaker; John Haywood, clerk; and Sherwood Haywood, assistant cleark. Members of the House of Commons and Senate are listed below for each county and district.
County/DistrictSenate MemberHouse MemberHouse Member
Anson CountyThomas WadeJohn JacksonJohn Jackson
Beaufort CountyWilliam BrownThomas AldersonJohn Gray Blount
Bertie CountyJames CampbellWilliam HornDavid Turner
Bladen CountyThomas BrownSamuel CainFrancis Lucas
Brunswick CountyBenjamin SmithWilliam WatersDennis Hawkins
Burke CountyCharles McDowellWaightstill AveryJoseph McDowell
Camden CountyIsaac GregoryDempsey SawyerBenjamin Jones
Carteret CountyJohn EastonEnoch WardEli West
Caswell CountyWilliam MooreDavid SheltonUnknown
Chatham CountyAmbrose RamseyMatthew JonesRichard Kennon
New Bern DistrictRichard Dobbs Spaight, Sr.
Chowan CountyCharles JohnsonStephen ChambersRichard Benbury
Craven CountyJames CoorWilliam BryanWilliam Blount
Cumberland CountyIca AtkinsEdward WinslowPatrick Travis
Currituck CountyWilliam FerebeeThomas JarvisJoseph Ferebee
Dobbs CountyRichard Caswell, Sr. Richard Caswell, Jr.John Herritage
Duplin CountyJames KenanRichard ClintonJames Gillespie
Edgecombe CountyElisha BattleRobert DiggsJames Wilson
Franklin CountyAlexius M. FosterSimon JeffreysHarrison Macon
Gates CountyJacob HunterJoseph RiddickDavid Rice
Granville CountyRobert HarrisThomas PersonPhilemon Hawkins, Jr.
Guilford CountyCharles BruceJames GallowayJohn Leak
Halifax CountyBenjamin McCullochJohn WhitakerJohn Geddy
Halifax DistrictHenry Montfort
Hertford CountyJohn BrickellLewis BrownThomas Brickell
Hyde CountyWilliam RussellBenjamin ParmeleJohn Eborne
Johnston CountyHardy BryanArthur BryanNathan Williams
Jones CountyNathan BryanFrederick HargettWilliam Randall
Lincoln CountyRobet AlexanderDaniel McKissickJohn Sloan
Martin CountyWhitmell HillSamuel SmithwickSamuel Williams
Mecklenburg CountyRobert IrwinCaleb PhiferDavid Wilson
Montgomery CountyEdward MooreJames McDonaldMark Allen
Nash CountyHardy GriffinMicajah ThomasJohn Bonds
Wilmington DistrictArchibald MacLaine
New Hannover CountyJohn A. CampbellTimothy BloodworthThomas Bloodworth
Northampton CountyAllen JonesJames VaughanDrury Gee
Hillsboro/Hillsborough DistrictThomas Farmer
Onslow CountyJohn SpicerEdward Starkey James Howard
Orange CountyWilliam McCauleyAlexander MebaneThomas Burke
Pasquotank CountyEdward EveraginWilliam LaneThomas Reading
Perquimans CountyJesse EatonJonathan SkinnerJohn Reed
Pitt CountyJohn WilliamsJohn JordanRichard Moye
Randolph CountyThomas DouganJeduthan HarperRobet McLean
Richmond CountyHenry William HarringtonRobert WebbJohn Childs
Salisbury DistrictDr. Anthony Newman
Rowan CountyGriffith RutherfordMatthew LockeGeorge Henry Barrier
Rutherford CountyJames HollandWilliam GilbertRichard Singleton
Sullivan County Joseph MartinAbraham BledsoeWilliam Cage
Surry CountyMartin ArmstrongWilliam T. LewisJames Martin
Tyrrell CountyJeremiah FrazierNehemiah NormanNathan Hooker
Wake CountyJoel LaneTheophilus HunterHardy Sanders
Warren CountyHerbert HaynesJoseph HawkinsJohn Macon
Washington County UnknownJoseph HardinThomas Haughton
Wayne CountyBurwell MooringNeedham WhitfieldRichard McKinnie
Wilkes CountyElijah IsaacsJoseph HerndonWilliam Lenoir
Edenton DistrictWilliam Cumming

Legislation

The American Revolution was ending, so much of the session was devoted to enacting legislation to compensate soldiers. There were also act to name an agent for dealing with the Cherokees, dealing with slaves, monetary policy, and an act dealing with pardoning some loyalists. The town of Fayetteville was authorized by the assembly. Martin Academy in Washington County was chartered by the assembly.
The territory of North Carolina extended to the Mississippi River in 1783. The General Assembly established Greene and Davidson Counties in the western region of North Carolina that eventually would become Tennessee in 1796.