Second North Carolina Provincial Congress


The Second North Carolina Provincial Congress was the second extra-legal unicameral body of the North Carolina Provincial Congress that met beginning in 1774. They were modeled after the colonial lower house. These congresses created a government structure, issued bills of credit to pay for the movement, and organized an army for defense, in preparation for the state of North Carolina. These congresses paved the way for the first meeting of the North Carolina General Assembly on April 7, 1777 in New Bern, North Carolina.. The second Congress met in New Bern from April 3 to April 7, 1775.

Legislation

The second congress met at New Bern, from April 3 to 7, 1775. John Harvey served as moderator. The congress met at the same place and almost the same time as the Province of North Carolina General Assembly of 1775 and had almost exactly the same membership. This infuriated the royal governor Josiah Martin, who dissolved the colonial legislature on April 8 and never called another. This congress approved the Continental Association, an economic boycott authorized by the Continental Congress. Just after this congress met, news reached North Carolina about the Battle of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. Following this news, Governor Josiah Martin fled and this ended the royal government in the Province. The first military action occurred on July 18 when patriots burned Fort Johnston, where Governor Martin had transferred his headquarters.

Delegates

County/Town RepresentingDelegates to the Second North Carolina Provincial Congress Also delegate to the Province of North Carolina General Assembly of 1775
AnsonSamuel Spencer
AnsonWilliam Thomas
BeaufortRoger OrmondYes
BeaufortThomas Respess, Jr.Yes
BeaufortWilliam Salter
BertieJohn CampbellYes
BertieJohn JohnstonYes
BertieDavid StanleyYes
BladenWilliam Salter?
BladenJames WhiteYes
Brunswick CountyRobert HoweYes
Brunswick CountyJohn RowanYes
ButeThomas Eaton
ButeGreen HillYes
ButeWilliam PersonYes
ButeJames Ransom
CarteretSolomon ShepardYes
CarteretWilliam ThompsonYes
ChathamNot represented
ChowanThomas BenburyYes
ChowanThomas HunterYes
ChowanSamuel JohnstonYes
ChowanThomas JonesYes
ChowanThomas OldhamYes
CravenWilliam Bryan
CravenRichard Cogdell
CravenJacob Blount
CravenJames CoorYes
CravenJoseph Leech
CravenLemuel HatchYes
CumberlandFarquard CampbellYes
CumberlandThomas RutherfordYes
CurrituckSamuel JarvisYes
CurrituckNathan JoynerYes
CurrituckThomas McKnightYes
CurrituckSolomon PerkinsYes
CurrituckFrancis WilliamsonYes
DobbsRichard CaswellYes
DobbsWilliam McKinnieYes
DobbsGeorge Miller
DobbsSimon Bright
DuplinWilliam Dickson
DuplinThomas Gray
DuplinThomas Hicks
DuplinJames Kenan
EdgecombeNot represented
GranvilleMemucan Hunt
GranvilleRobert Montfort
GranvilleRobert Williams
GranvilleJohn Paine
GranvilleThomas PersonYes
GuilfordAlexander Martin
Halifax CountyWillie Jones
Halifax CountyNicholas LongYes
Halifax CountyBenjamin McCullochYes
HertfordJoseph Worth
HertfordGeorge WynnsYes
HydeRotheas Latham
HydeSamuel Smith
JohnstonNeedham BryanYes
JohnstonBenjamin WilliamsYes
MartinEdmund Smithwick
MecklenburgBenjamin Patten
New HanoverJohn Baptista AsheYes
New HanoverWilliam HooperYes
NorthamptonColonel Jeptha AthertonYes
NorthamptonAllen JonesYes
OnslowWilliam CrayYes
OnslowHenry RhodesYes
OnslowEdward Starkey
OrangeThomas Burke
OrangeThomas HartYes
OrangeJohn Kinchen
PasquotankEdward EveraginYes
PasquotankJonathan HerringYes
PasquotankJoseph JonesYes
PasquotankIsaac GregoryYes
PasquotankJoseph ReadingYes
PerquimansJohn HarveyYes
PerquimansThomas HarveyYes
PerquimansAndrew KnoxYes
PerquimansJohn WhedbeeYes
PerquimansBenjamin Harvey
PittJames Gorham
PittJames Lanier
PittWilliam Robeson
PittEdward SalterYes
PittJohn SimpsonYes
RowanGriffith Rutherford
RowanWilliam Sharpe
SurryNot represented
TryonDavid Jenkins
TryonRobert Alexander
TyrrellJeremiah FrazierYes
TyrrellBenjamin SpruillYes
TyrrellJoseph SpruillYes
WakeJohn Hinton
WakeTignal Jones
WakeMichael Rogers
Bath TownWilliam BrownYes
Brunswick TownParker QuinceYes
Campbellton TownRobert RowanYes
Edenton TownJoseph HewesYes
Halifax TownJohn Webb
Halifax TownJoseph Montfort
Hillsborough TownFrancis NashYes
New Bern TownAbner Nash
New Bern TownJames Davis
Salisbury TownWilliam Kennon
Wilmington TownCornelius HarnettYes

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