May 1778 term

25 May 1778

• Court in sessionThe court convened with justices Thomas Hart, Alex Mebane, John Nichols and Bryan Crosbie present.
• JuryThe sheriff returned twenty named jurors.
• Attorney admittedThomas Burke appeared and qualified as attorney.
• State caseGeorge Rigs paid fines and was ordered to pay ten pounds annually for seven years, with Chas. Grimes and John Haley as securities.
• MillJames Elliot’s gristmill petition was deferred; George Moore was ordered to answer, and four commissioners were appointed to value their opposing acres.
• MillJames Hutchison’s petition for a gristmill on Back Creek was deferred.
• Tavern licenseJames Hutchison received permission to operate an ordinary.
• Road orderSolomon Hopkins became overseer from Ross ferry to John Holts with the former workers, ordered to open and repair the old road.
• Road orderJohn Raeborne, Isham Milton, George Haywood, Mathew Stroud and Charles King were added to the Hillsborough–James Williams mill road crew.
• Road orderA petition sought a road connecting the old Newbern road at John Barbies to the same road near Enoch Harris.
• SuitWm. Courtney and John Nichols were commissioned to take Archibald Lytle’s deposition concerning land disputed by Alex Mebane and Worham Glenn.
• Road orderFourteen jurors were appointed to lay out the previously petitioned road and report at the next court.
• State caseIsaac Kirk entered a hundred-pound appearance bond with William Pound as security.
• JuryThe grand jury was empanelled and sworn with David Craig as foreman and Andrew Faddis as constable.
• Deed provedDeed, Daniel Watson & Mary Watson to Jerimiah Spencer, proved by proved.
• Deed provedDeed, Margaret Clap & Barney Clap & George Clap & Lodowick Clap & Jacob Clap to John Clap, proved by and Reg..
• Deed provedDeed, Isaac Forrest to Stephen Forrest, proved by and Reg..
• Estate accountAn inventory of Lodowick Clapp’s estate was returned and recorded.
• Deed provedSarah Allen relinquishes her Dower Rights, Samuel Allen & Sarah Allen to William Clark, proved by and Reg..
• Road orderAnthony Stanford replaced John M’Rory as overseer from Trollingers ford on Haw River to Wm. Hamiltons Branch.

26 May 1778

• Court in sessionThe court met on May twenty-sixth with three named justices present.
• Road orderJohn McVey replaced William Jackson as overseer from Hillsborough to Eight Mile Post near William Clinneys.
• State caseDoctor Sam’l. Thomas Lowe appeared and was discharged from his peacekeeping appearance bond.
• State caseJoshua Thompson paid fines and entered a hundred-pound bond with James Roach and Henry ODaniel to indemnify the county.
• Road orderRobert Baker replaced Charles Johnston as overseer from Great Meadows to Hillsborough.
• Deed provedBill of Sale, Hannah Buffington to Joseph Ray.
• Deed provedDeed, John Duke to Thomas Sutton.
• Estate accountAn inventory of account for John Redpath’s estate was returned and recorded.
• Estate accountAn inventory of Andw. Lytle’s estate was returned and recorded.
• Road orderJesse Miller replaced John Hall as overseer from Little River to Hillsborough.
• State caseRobert Baker, Thos. Holden and Andrew Pattin were fined for failing to attend as jurors; Pattin’s fine was remitted.
• Order about enslaved peopleA court was summoned to try James, enslaved by Henry M’Coy, for allegedly poisoning another unnamed enslaved person; M’Coy posted a £500 appearance bond.
• Official appointedAlex. Mebane Junior was summoned to serve as sheriff for the ensuing year.
• Courthouse and jailFormer jailer John Sheels was ordered to deliver the county jail’s property to the high sheriff.
• Official appointedWm. McCauley was appointed public register.
• TaxAlex Mebane was appointed to receive taxable-property lists for Orange District.
• TaxJohn Hogan was appointed to receive taxable-property lists for St. Stephens District.
• TaxWm. Courtney was appointed to receive taxable-property lists for Hillsborough District.
• TaxJohn Butler was appointed to receive taxable-property lists for Tryon District.
• TaxJohn Hawkins was appointed to receive taxable-property lists for St. Asaphs District.
• TaxWilliam Rainey was appointed to receive taxable-property lists for Chatham District.
• TaxWilliam Caine was appointed to receive taxable-property lists for St. Marys District.
• TaxJohn Tapley Patterson was appointed to receive taxable-property lists for St. Marks District.
• TaxRobert McIntyle was appointed tax gatherer for Hillsborough District.
• TaxJames Trice was appointed tax gatherer for Saint Marks District.
• TaxJohn King was appointed tax gatherer for Saint Thomas District.
• TaxEli McDaniel was appointed tax gatherer for Tryon District.
• TaxJames Freeland was appointed tax gatherer for Orange District.
• TaxJohn Noie was appointed tax gatherer for St. Asaphs District.
• TaxWilliam Cain was appointed tax gatherer for St. Marys District.
• TaxThree named assessors were appointed for St. Marys District (Richard Bennehan, William Alston, Timothy Cain).
• TaxThree named assessors were appointed for St. Marks District (Wm. Rhodes, Thomas Trice, Robert Campbell).
• TaxThree named assessors were appointed for St. Thomas District (Jesse Nevil, John Wimms, Henry Morris).
• TaxThree named assessors were appointed for Hillsborough District (Thomas Burke, Samuel Allen, Gilbert Strahorn).
• TaxThree named assessors were appointed for Tryon District (James Tinning, John Steel, Moses Crawford).
• TaxThree named assessors were appointed for Orange District (Cairns Tinning, James McAdams, George Allen).
• TaxThree named assessors were appointed for St. Asaphs District (Joseph Holt, Nicholas Grison, Nicholas Gibbs).

27 May 1778

• Court in sessionThe court convened with justices William Courtney, Bryan Crosbie and John Steel present.
• Estate accountJohn Wood’s estate inventory was returned and recorded.
• Estate accountWm. Johnston, Richard Bennehan and Hugh Wood were appointed to appraise and divide John Wood’s estate among his widow and children.
• County businessClerk Nathaniel Rochester was allowed thirty-six pounds for his services during the last year.
• Deed provedDeed.
• Road orderHenry Waggoner was appointed overseer from Joseph Allison’s to Caswell County line, with nineteen named road workers.
• SuitThe sheriff’s sale of Wm. Bird’s goods was rescinded.
• SuitThe sheriff sold Thomas Watson’s goods at Wm. Parton’s instance.
• Estate accountAn additional sale account for Mark Morgan’s estate was returned by the administrator and recorded.
• Oath of allegianceEight justices were appointed to administer allegiance and abjuration oaths or affirmations to free males above sixteen in their respective districts.

28 May 1778

• Estate accountFive justices were appointed to settle Robert Lytle’s account with Orange County with his administrators in Hillsborough and report at next court.
• Oath of allegianceThe sheriff was ordered to summon James Hogg, James Monro, Wm. Johnston and Sam’l. Strudwick to take oaths at next court.
• MilitaryRobert Beard, committed to jail, was ordered enrolled in the Continental Army by Colo. Archibald Lytle.
• Child or servant boundJames was released from John Moore and ordered bound to John Deshey.
• Child or servant boundJane MCaless was released from John Moore and ordered bound to John Deshey.
• SuitJoseph Rud(?) acted as next friend to infant Robert Rud in the attachment involving James Trice against William Reed.
• Deed provedDeed, William Watson & Ellenor Watson & Daniel Watson & Mary Watson to Robert Campbell, proved by and registered.
• Deed provedDeed, Chas. Abercrombie to Thomas Burford, proved by and reg..
• Estate accountJohn Boren’s estate sales account was returned and registered.
• JuryThe sheriff was ordered to summon a jury to try land claims.
• Road orderBenjamin Hearndon and Thomas Trice were appointed overseers of adjoining portions of the new road through James Trices.
• Courthouse and jailThe sheriff was ordered to pay John Sheels £120 for building a kitchen at the public jail.
• Estate accountThe administrator returned the sheriff’s sale of Thomas Donaldson’s estate.
• JuryThirty named jurors were appointed to attend next court.
• Official appointedJohn Riley, John Mitchell and Jacob Mason were appointed searchers for Hillsborough District.
• Official appointedThomas Tulloch was appointed county coroner.
• Court in sessionJohn Butler, John Tapley Patterson and Bryan Crosbie signed the minutes.
• Administration of an estateAdministration of the estate of James Saunders granted to James Sanders.
• County businessBonds for county officers were recorded.