North Carolina General Assembly of 1781
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| 5th North Carolina General Assembly (1781) | |||||
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| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | North Carolina General Assembly | ||||
| Jurisdiction | North Carolina, United States | ||||
| Meeting place | Bloomsbury, Raleigh, North Carolina | ||||
| Term | 1781 | ||||
| Senate | |||||
| Members | 50 Senators (50 counties, including Washington District/County) | ||||
| Speaker | Alexander Martin | ||||
| Clerk | John Haywood | ||||
| House of Commons | |||||
| Members | 106 Representatives authorized (50 counties with 2 each, 6 districts with 1 each) | ||||
| Speaker | Thomas Benbury | ||||
| Clerk | John Hunt | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
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The North Carolina General Assembly of 1781 met in Wake Court House (also known as Bloomsbury) from June 23 to July 14, 1781. Each of the 50 North Carolina counties were allowed one Senator and two members of the House of Commons; 6 districts/boroughs towns also elected one House member each.[1][2][3][4]
Councilors of State
- Speaker of the House: Thomas Benbury (Chowan County)
- Clerk of the House: John Hunt (unknown county)
- Speaker of the North Carolina Senate: Alexander Martin Guilford County
- Cleark of the Senate: John Haywood (Edgecombe County)
The governor of North Carolina during the time of this session of the legislature was Thomas Burke, who was elected by the General Assembly in June of 1781. James Glasgow served as Secretary of State and James Iredell served as Attorney General.[5]
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."[6]
The known North Carolina Council of State members elected by the General Assembly in 1781 included:[2][1]
- June 26, 1781 John Penn, Granville County
- June 26, 1781 Spruce Macay, Rowan County
- June 26, 1781 Willie Jones, Halifax County
- June 26, 1781 Benjamin Seawell, Franklin County
- June 26, 1781 Philemon Hawkins, Jr., Granville County (declined to serve)[2]
- June 26, 1781 John Butler, Orange County
- June 26, 1781 Edward Jones, Warren County
- July 11, 1781 Whitmel Hill, Martin County
