Duplin County, NC - Court - Deposition of Sam'l Poitevent, 1776

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Duplin County
               This day Samuel Poitevente Came before me Thom's Blake Esq'r, 
Justice of Peace for s'd County, who made Oath on the Holy Evangelists of 
Almighty God, that on the 20th Inst. George Bell with Eleven other men, Came 
to the House of this Depon't, at which time he happend to be at the House of 
Timothy Bloodworth Close to his in the Neighbourhood, when S'd George Bell 
and Robert Rawlins Came to him this Depon't & told him he wanted him to go 
with him, that they might take a View of the salt Lodged with him; he this 
Depon't told them they had no Right, for that it was not their Property, at 
which Timothy Bloodworth Expostulated on the Irregularity of such Proceedings, 
& Explained to them the Danger of Forcing Away any mans Property without his 
Consent, which for that time Induced them to Desist; in about a Quarter of 
an Hour after that, this Depon't went to his own House, & a few more minutes 
after his arrival, James Love of Duplin Count House, came with Ten other Men, 
who were all armed & in a Tumultous Riotous manner (being all half Drunk as 
appear'd to this Depon't) Demanded the Key of the House where Dohertys Store 
of Salt was, this Depon't refused giving the Key, on which Dan'l Nants swore 
he w'd use the Key in his gun to open the Lock, on which S'd James Love stopp'd 
him, & got an Auger that Lay at hand & Eneavour'd to force the Door open, but 
seeing it difficult the s'd Nants took up a Maul & Broke the door, at same time 
Ask'd Capt. Love, didn't he intend keeping Possesion of the house that night, 
to which he answer'd in the afirmative, & Desired his gun to be handed him, but 
soon after he came to a Resolution to Divide the salt among the re__ of the 
Bandittee in conjunction with himself, and when they h__ Satisfied themselves, 
S'd James Love spoke to this Depon't & affix'd him payment for Eleven Bushels 
of salt at the rate of two Dollars pr Bushell, which he say'd was his price, 
but this Depon't Refused taking it; after that George Bell and his Party took 
the Remainder among them, which he say'd was half a Bushels Each, & offer'd this 
Depon't payment on the same Terms but was also Refused, telling these People in 
General, the salt was not Left in his Care for sale, but Entirely for the 
private use of Geo. Doherty whose Property it was

This Depon't Further sayeth, that he Believes the First party Mention'd, had 
been by Timothy Blooworth Convinced of their Error, & would not use any Violence,
or take any of the Salt, had not the door been Broke by Jam's Love and his Party;  
this Depon't says they Hazza'd & call'd out Liberty forever, & that this was 
Liberty they were now Enjoying, & Freedom they say'd, for that they were making 
very Free; This Depon't sayeth they did not Leave an ounce of Salt; tho he 
argued all he could, to have a part for the owners use, but in vain, & this 
Depon't Farther sayeth not

Sworn to before me                                 Samuel Pointevint
this 23'd day of November
1776
     Thom's Blake  J. P.

Deposition of Sam'l Poitevent

Source:  Secretary of State, Provincial Convention & Congress Papers, 1774-1776, 
October-November, 1776;  nd (no date).  SSXX Records of State.  Revolutionary. 
Box 9. 

Copied as closely as possible from original.

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