Bladen County NcArchives Court.....Colville, Maturin 1777 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Connie Ardrey n/a February 23, 2009, 7:39 am Source: Colonial Records Written: 1777 Acts of the North Carolina General Assembly, 1777 April 07, 1777 - May 09, 1777 Volume 24, Pages 1 - 42 CHAPTER IX. An Act to empower the Justices of Bladen County to take into their Possession the Records of said County, now in Possession of Maturin Colville. I. Whereas, it is represented by the Justices of Bladen County that Maturin Colville, heretofore Clerk of the same County, upon the appointment of Alfred Moore to that office in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy four refused to deliver up to the Court the Records and other papers belonging to the County. That among the said records are many Wills, Indentures, and settlements of Estates which contain the only evidence of the property of great numbers of persons, particularly of orphans, and that on the Dockets are many suits yet undetermined, and many Judgments which remain unsatisfied, besides divers sums of money paid into the office, belonging to sundry persons, yet unaccounted for to the great injury of the Inhabitants of the said County and others. II. In order therefore that the records may be restored to the proper office that the injured may be Redressed and that the obstinate and wilful brought to a sense of their Duty and a proper respect for the Law. III. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, That the Justices of the said County be appointed, and they or any three or more of them are hereby authorized and empowered to demand and receive of and from the said Maturin Colville, and of and from every other person or persons who are or may be in possession of the same, the Records and other papers of the said County and upon refusal or neglect to deliver the same, then the said Justices, or any three or more of them shall and may issue their warrant directed to the Sheriff and other, the officers of the same County, commanding him the said Sheriff to take with him such force as he may think necessary and to apprehend the said Maturin Colville and such other Person or Persons as may have the said Records, or any of them, in possession, and him or them commit to the common jail of the said County until the records shall be produced and delivered up, and also empowering the Sheriff and other officers of the said county to make diligent search in all suspected places within the same County for the said Records and papers and for that purpose to break open doors and locks where they are suspected to be concealed. IV. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all fees and sums of money which may hereafter be paid into the Court of Bladen County, upon any suit depending or Judgment not satisfied on the Dockets, detained by the said Maturin Colville, as well such Fees and Monies which are due to him the said Maturin Colville as to others, shall be paid by the Clerk of the Court for the time being to the person or persons to whom the same shall appear to be due. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/bladen/court/colville886wl.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ncfiles/ File size: 3.5 Kb