petition from the Inhabitants of CRAVEN precinct, N.C* 1733 transcribed by Kathleen B. Wyche Introduction: Two copies of a petition from approximately 270 inhabitants of Craven Precinct, Province of North Carolina, to Colonial Governor George BURRINGTON, appear in the North Carolina Council Journals as held by the British Public Record )office. The following transcription is from PRO reference C.O. 5/308, part 2, folios 79-81; a copy in C. 0. 5/342, folios 60-61, was consulted when names in the former proved impossible to decipher.2 Spellings frequently differed between the two copies, and each contained several names not included in the other. Parentheses enclose those names from the supplementary copy, which were not in the copy trans "To George BURRINCTON Esqr, His Majestys Capt. General, Governour, Commander n Chief of the Province of North Carolina. 1Courtesy of the South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina, and the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. Microfilm copies are filed in the British Records Collection at the N. C. State archives. This transcript of CROWN COPYRIGHT material appears with the permission of the Controller of H. M. Sationery Office. 107 We the Gentlemen & Freeholders of Craven precinct on Neuse River think ourselves Extreemly happy under your wise and prudent Administration, the Good Orders and Peace We see now Established throughout this Province is the most convincing Proof of Your Excellys. Care and wisdom, and deserves the thanks and Gratefull Acknowledgement of all men in North Carolina. That Your Excelly. will always patiently hear an redress any thing amis we know by Experience, or have been well assured from others, Therefore with great Submission desire to acquaint Your Excelly. that there is a Discourse among us that You designe to remove the Seat of Governmt. to the lower part of Cape Fear River which if done will prove a great Inconvenience and Charge to four parts of the Inhabitants out of five in this Colony. We are sensible Edenton is for many reasons a very Inconvenient Place for the Seat of Government and almost as much may be said against the settling it on Cape Fear River. Therefore we humbly desire and hope Your Excelly. will take proper measures for fixing the Seat of Governmt. near the Centre of the Province which we suppose is on the South side of Neuse River which will give a general Satisfaction to almost the whole Province and greatly promote the Speedy peopling the unsettled part of this Country, Increase the Kings Quitt Rents, and Encourage Trade and Industry, and be an Everlasting Demonstration of Governour BURRINGTON's Kindness to the Inhabitants of North Carolina. That you Sir may in health and happyness long govern this Province is the Prayers of Your Excellys. most humble and most obliged Servts. William BRITE Geo. WHITAKER Richard LAND Richard WHITKER Wm. MORGIN Joseph NOTT Arthur BOWERS John MOORE Robert PITTES John WEST Mitchell DOWNES John KELLING William PITES John MILL James COPES Jason SONISBERG John ODEEL James COHOON Richard RUSSILL William BATSKOTT Christopher MASHEL John WANE Seth HOMES Thomas LEWIS John BROWN Robt. STANTEEN Jacob HOWEVER John Jacob HOWEVER Cadwaladay JONES Anthony MOORE John BIGGS Benjamin GIDENS km. WEBB James JAGGERS Jno. WILLIAMS John SASSER John OWENS Francis DAWSON William FORD William SASSER Denice WEST John BRYAN Isaac GOULD Peter DUCK Oxford BESIEY George HARKIL Elis JAQUIS Peter FINICUM Richard SHEROD Thomas EVANS Richard SMITH Robert BLACK John HOWARD Daniel HICKINS Thomas RESNET William BRACH km. HALLFORD Daniel SHINE Thomas BROWN Sam. LOVITT Mark HALLFORD Joseph EDMONDSON Thomas JOHNSON Harmon GASKINS Thomas FULKER Martin FRANK James RACE Francis HILL Benja. FULKER Garrett HIGHMAN Joseph PITMAN Edward MILLON Wn. FULKER Nicholas HANPER Edward KELLEN Jacob MASKEY Samll. WHITHOUSE Charles HOPTON William KELLIN Adam MOORE Robt. BOND Hew BANKS (Thos. MARTIN) James BARBOUR Rice PRICE Valentine POWERS Thomas HARES (John BARBOUR) John GOTLING John ACKIS James SMIADEN Joshua PLATT James GUMLEY Benadictus WENDRICK James HEWIS John BEASLEY John BERRY John WENDRICK Mark FARGUSON Solomon BEASLEY Robt. BOND Gilbert DEAVER John COMING Natt. BEXLEY Geo. BOULD Job KEMP Wm. BRIGHT Charles MARET David DUPIS Samuel GRANDBURY Wm. GRAY William ASKINS John WALDRELL Thomas SASSER Wm. SMITH Jacob JOVEN John PERREY John CARTER Phillip MORS Solomon SMITH Wm. LOYALL William DOINS Farfould GREAT John SLOCOMB Jacob BLILELAR James EMINIS Cornelius SULLAVANT Evan JONES James STARlAND Jno. ANDREWS Mathew SAINE Ambros ARISS Cornelius LOFTEN William HUDSON Richd. MANIFIELD Wm. BEXLEY Peter RAEL Thos. SMITH Robt. MITCHELL Thomas FISTON Jacob MACKY John TUCKER Battan SMITH William NORWARD Charles KING Simon BRIGHT Geo. SLIDER Howell JONES Martin DENNORD John HILL Jos. MORWOOD Jno. MONK Patrick VENDIL Michael PICKLE George CARNEPY William. WHITEHORSE John WARD John WAREFILL John WEOM John MURPHEY Daniel DUMAR Farns. HUNN John COLLINS Wendel William William HANDCOCK Wm. BEXLEY Danl. PENSILT James SMITH Thomas GREAVES John MINPLY Wm. HANDCOCK Junr. Jab. TOOK James GREEN Laurence RELY Paul PHILLIPS John SIMONS Jno. PRESCOTT Thomas MUPPHEY Joseph SLOCOMB William NUN Thomas HOGG James GUSH Mathew (Chas) John CARUTHERS James FENLEY William WILLSON RESTANTOVER (James GRANARD) George KEITH Walter LANE Thomas NORWARD Isaac PLEASUNE John LOVITT William GRIFFIN - Vale LEIKE John WITHERTON Will; BURMION Aaron WOOD William BEANE Owen SWILEVEN Randolph LOVITT Martin FRANK Jno. Lettcher MILLER Rolen MACKE Thomas RUSULL John FOMVILLE William OWINS Robert WALSTON Henry EASTERLING John FOMVILLE Jr. William JOHNSON Thomas JONES William PREJENT Jacob SITE Robert JONES William DEAN Bryan CULLING John ROGERS James COALES Isaac BAMTON Edward CULLING Christian FLOISERS Geo. LANE John MORGAIN John CULLING Brian CANADY Michael GRIFFIN Robert RAMSEY Joseph SMITH Chris. SABBARK William POUND Thomas HOPKINS Thomas LEWIS Jno. SABBARK Christian ISLER Thomas MASTIOR Daniel SMITH William THOMAS John FOUTH Thomas FOKS Henry SMITH William WEST John RICHARDS James COKLE Thos. PINSON Florance SULEVANT Jer. MORSIN John DEPT John WILLIAMS Andrew WALLS Richard CLARKE Andrew WALLIS James TAYLOR Jon. PLED Frederick MORVY Peter MOLLARD Earnest PULLS J. BREGHT Robt. KIRKLAND Frddk. ESLER Moses TILMAN Frans. (John) STREET Neal MACKOY Henry TUCKER Thomas NELSON Lenard LOFTIN David GEORGE George FISSER James DOESIER ------------------------------