The Robertson Genealogy Exchange
1775 Petition of the Inhabitants of Washington District
To the Honorable the President, and Gentlemen of the Congress of North Carolina:
The petition of the inhabitants of Washington District humbly sheweth that on the nineteenth day of March one thousand seven hundred and seventy five in open treaty, we procured a grant of a small tract of country contained within the following bounds. To wit ___ beginning on the south or southwest of Holston River, six English miles above the Long Island in said river, thence a direct line near so. west course to the ridge, which divides the waters of Watauga from the waters of the Nolachucky, thence along the various courses of said ridge, nearly a south east course to the blue ridge, or line dividing No. Carolina from the Cherokee lands, thence along the various courses of said ridge to the Virginia line then west along the Virginia line to Holston River, thence down the meanders of Holston River to the first station, including all the waters of Wattauga, part of the waters of Holston, and the head branches of New River or Great Canaway, agreeable to the bounds aforesaid of the Cherokee Nation of Indians. That in consequence of said purchase we have settled theron, and before the present Indian War, were increased to near the number of fifteen hundred taxable persons of our own, and an adjacent claim made by Jacob Brown on Nolachucky River. That being without the jurisdiction of courts then before established the petitioners were from necessity oblidged to incorporate and form a society among ourselves, regulated by certain laws or agreements from time to time, maid for that purpose, that we are true friends to America and that we are willing to stand or fall with our brethren of the United Colonies. That we apprehend we are within the chartered bounds of North Carolina and are desirious to be taken into and considered as a part of that province subject to the ordinances and directions of the honorable convention thereof and amenable to the courts of justice to be established by authority of the same. That for these purposes and to obtain a satisfactory confirmation of the before mentioned grant and by advice of the honorable Council of Safety of said province, have ventured to choose Messurs John Sevier, Jacob Womack, Charles Robertson, John Carter and John Hail, delegates to represent us in provincial Congress, that as we are situated on the western side of the mountains and chiefly compose the frontier of the whole province of North Carolina, and we a weak and defenseless people exposed to the depravations of several nations of Indians and many other hardships and inconveniences. We your honorable petitioners humbly implore that these our delegates may be received and admitted to vote in the honorable the convention, and that part of the county now called Washington District may be erected into a separate county of North Carolina, and such other matters and things, with respect to your petitions, as you the honorable convention may in your great wisdom deem just and necessary ___ and we your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.
Signers
Source: Mildred Kozsuch, transcriber. "1775 Petition of Inhabitants of the Washington District to Be Made a County of North Carolina" in Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin 12, 106-108.
N.B.: Although Mrs. Kozsuch did not indicate in her original transcription that 1221 James Robertson signed the document, it appears to me that his signature is on the first page as "J. Robertson" just above that of 1224 Elijah Robertson.
Last updated: Thursday, September 25, 2003
All original material Copyright ©2003 Tom Robertson. All rights reserved including those of electronic transmission and reproduction of the material in any format.
Member Site
