Duplin County, NC - Court Records

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Grace Williamson Turner

Transcribed and posted by
Sue Guptill <sguptill@mindspring.com>


To the honorable the Gneral Assembly of the State of North Carolina

The humble petition of John Hay junior

Sheweth

    That Henry MCCULLOK esquire having granted to Patrick SMITH late of
Belfast in the Kingdom of Ireland merchant twelve thousand five hundred
acres of land within the bounds of this State, the said Patrick SMITH
conveyed one moiety therof to Arthur DOBBS esquire late Governor of North
Carolina and the said Arthur DOBBS by a writing under his hand dated the
ninth day of June one thousand seven hundred and fifty-three declared that
he held one third part of the said moiety containing two thousand and eighty
acres in trust for Arthur Rainey MAXWELL his heirs and assigns and convey
Richard DOBBS esquire eldest son and heir at law of the said Arthur DOBBS by
deed bearing date the twelfth day of July one thousand seven hundred and
seventy-nine released and surrendered his trust in the said leands and
assigned the same to Rainey MAXWELL esquire son and heir at law of the said
Arthur Rainey MAXWELL now deceased and the said Rainey MAXWELL by indenture
bearing date the twenty first day of the same July conveyed the same to your
petitioner his heirs and assigns as by the said declaration of Arthur DOBBS
the release and assignment and indenture hereto annexed, and to which your
petitioner begs leave to refer may more fully appear.

    That your petitioner embarked at the port of Belfast in the month of
September last with about forty passengers many of them persons of property
and arrived in the commonwealth of Virginia in the month of December
following. all the said passengers originating intending to become citizens
of some of the United States of America, and to enable them to effect this
in the most convenient manner, brought with them a considerable part of
their property.

    Your petitioner having at the risque of his property as well as that of
his personal liberty removed himself from his native country to become a
citizen of this state and thereby to enjoy a participation of the blessings
of liberty, flatters himself that his claim will appear to your honorable
body in a favorable point of view; and that you will from a regard

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to equity and natural justice (not in the present case inconsistent, as your
petitioner conceives, with sound policy) so far do away the force of the
acts for confiscating and disposing of the estates of absentees, as will
enable our Petitioner to take possession of the purchase which he has made.

    Your petitioner begs leave to represent to your honorable body that the
title deeds for the lands claimed by your petitioner must have been in the
possession of the late Governor DOBBS, and your petitioner has reason to
believe fell into the hands of the attorney of Mr. Edward Brice DOBBS; and
as your petitioner hath very lately come into this state, he hath not had an
opportunity to apply for copies of them, nor doth he with any degree of
certainty know where they are to be found.

    Your petitioner also begs leave to represent that the late governor
DOBBS, (as your petitioner hath been informed and believes) sold several
plantations and considerable quantities of lands in Mecklenburgh county, and
as it doth not appear from the annexed papers in what part of the State the
lands claimed by your petitioner are situated, and, if in Mecklenburgh
county, it is highly probable that the most valuable and greatest part of
what Governor DOBS held were disposed of in his lifetime, or have been since
appropriated under the late act of assembly and as he possessed a tract of
land on Kerlin(?) Runs in Duplin county which is no otherwise affected than
by the confiscation act; your petitioner humbly hopes that your honorable
body will order that two thousand and eighty acres of land may be laid off
for him from the Dobbs's tract in Duplin county, as a full compensation for
his claim by virtue of the annexed papers.

    Your petitioner begs leave to subjoin a testimonial from the Governor of
Virginia and a certificate of your petitioner's having taken the oath of
allegiance and fidelity to this State, and is ready to make further proof
(if necessary) to the authenticity of the annexed papers.

    Your petitioner humbly prays that your Honors may take the premises into
consideration and grant him such relief as you in your wisdom shall think
meet and your Petitioner as in duty bound & Led pray &c.

Newbern April 29th 1780                John Hay

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No Carolina
    In Senate 30 Apr. 1780
Mr. Speaker & Gen.
    The Report of the committee to whom was refered the Petition of John HAY
junr. has herewith return your concurred with.
                Alex. MARTIN, SS.
By order
Jno. SITGREAVES Ck

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    State of North Carolina
    In the House of Commons 30 April 1780
    Mr. Speaker & Gentlemen of the Senate
    We herewith send for your concurrence the Report of the comittee to whom
was refered the Petition of John HAY jun concurred with by this House.
                    Thos. BENBURY SCC
By order of
J HUNT CHC

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The Committee to whom was referred the petition of William COURTNEY Agt. and
others met on Friday Evening beg leave to report on the Petition of John HAY
Junior as followeth (to wit)
    That it appears to your Committee from the Deeds and other proof before
them that the said John HAY is well attached to the present government and
that the Prayer of his Petition Ought to be granted and further recommend
that a Law be Passed to empower the said HAY to lay off and Obtain a title
to the Lands Claimed by him in the County of Duplin.
            L(?) WILLIAMS

            In the House of Commons 30 April 1780
Concurred with                                         Thos. BENBURY SCC
By order J HUNT SHC

        In Senate 30 Apr. 1780
        Concurred with
By order Jno. SITGREAVES Ck                        Alex MARTIN SS

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