Chronology

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1. Revolution and early republic · 1775–1799

2. August 1778
   Appointment, election or service · Hillsborough John Hogan is appointed trustee for Orange County

   The county court named John Hogan trustee, the office later called county treasurer, under a bond of 1,500 pounds. The book dates the treasurer's office in Orange from 1778 to its abolition in 1948.

3. 1779
   Orange County John Hogan sits as Orange County's state senator

   For the 1779 General Assembly, Colonel John Hogan was Orange County's senator, with Mark Patterson and William McCauley as its members in the House of Commons and Thomas Tulloch for the borough of Hillsborough.

4. 1780
   Orange County William Courtney serves as state senator for Orange County

   In 1780 William Courtney was Orange County's senator in the General Assembly, while William McCauley and Mark Patterson represented the county and Thomas Tulloch the town in the House of Commons.

5. August 1786
   Construction or physical change · William McCauley's mill The county court names a jury to lay off a road from McCauley's mill to Hillsborough

   At the week-long August 1786 term, held by justices John Butler, William McCauley and William Ansley, the court named a jury to mark the best and most direct road from McCauley's mill to Hillsborough. The same term licensed three taverns and named tax collectors for all seven taxing districts.

6. August 1, 1788
   Law, policy or court · Hillsborough Orange County's delegates vote against ratifying the Constitution before amendments

   In the 184 to 84 roll call that defeated Iredell's amendment to ratify, Alexander Mebane, William Mebane, William McCauley, Jonathan Lindley and William Shepperd of Orange all voted no, as did A. Tatom. The next day the same members voted to concur in the declaration of rights and amendments.

7. 1789 to 1790
   Orange County William McCauley serves as sheriff of Orange County

   Lefler and Wager's list of Orange County sheriffs gives William McCauley for 1789 to 1790, between John Nichols (1787) and John Sloss (1791 to 1793).

8. December 5, 1792
   Law, policy or court · Chapel Hill Trustees fix the university at Chapel Hill and list its Orange County land donors

   Meeting on December 5, 1792, the trustees voted unanimously to place the university at New Hope Chapel Hill and recorded nine donors of Orange County land, among them Matthew McCauley (150 acres) and William McCauley (100 acres). Each donor could have one student educated free of tuition.

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Compiled and maintained by the Friends of the Orange County Public Library from county records, the sources named on each card, and the index’s event pages. Last updated October 2, 2026.