October 22, 1779

To the Honorerable the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina

The Humble petition of the adjoining inhabitants of the Counties of New Hanover, Duplin and Bladen showing that your Humble petitioners labour under many ______ancies by Reason of their Remoate Situations from the Respective Court Houses where they are frequently called on publick services and we your humble petitioners ever ready and willing to support and maintain good order and Government so far as it is in our power but the Distance with the fetigue and expence of traveling render it such a Hardship to attend general musters Courts and Elections with other necessary duties that many of your Humble petitioners would rather choose to pay their fines …Enjoined them for….of your humble petitioners Make bold once more to address your Honourable lord, praying a County to be laid of out of part of the above said Counties in manner and form following that is to say beginning at the mouth of Lewises Creek on the No. Et. River of Cape Fear Running a Direct line to the mouth of the Widow Moor's Creek on Black R. thence up said River to the Mouth of Collies Creek thence up Collies Creek to the head there of thence with a direct line to Cumberland Corner on said River thence with a direct line to the mouth of Stewarts Creek thence with a Direct line to the mouth of Rockfish on the above said N.E. River of Cape Fear thence down the River to the beginning and that the County so admited and laid of may enjoy the same Rights and liberties as other Counties do enjoy and your Humble petitioners as in Duty bound shall Ever Pray.

Signed by:

William James		James Futch		John Goff		David Bowen
John Wilson		Jacob Wells		John Rivenbark		William New
John Green		John Duff		John New		John Wright
William Duff		William Woodcock	Simon Rivenbark.	William Pigford
Benjamin Fussell	M----Jonson  		William Harvel		 Anthony Burns
John Gott		John Carrel		James Padgett		Malatiah Hamilton
George McGowan		Rees Evans		John Fillyaw		Harrall Blackmore
Peter Yong		John Young		William Gray		David Jones
Philamon Townley	John Burus		Bartholomew Burus	Barnabus Fuller
Henry Morpus		Samuel Morpus		Simon Morpus		John Morpus
Richard Lewis		Jeremiah Morpus		Jacob Lewis		Luke White
Onisimus Futch		George Newton 		William Bland		Peleg Rogers
John Stringfield	Jacob Newton		John James		Thos. Rogers
Reuben Green		John Alderman		Evan Jones, Sr.		John Flanery
Daniel  Alderman	Jeremiah Morpus		Bryand Buckstan		David Alderman
James Larkins		David Evins		James Kattift		Hezekiah Howard
John Marshall		Stephen Andres		James Bourdeaux		Joseph Andres
James -----		John Andres		John Fuch		John Sikes
James Fuch		Tho. Devane		Jeremiah Doan		John Wilson
Benj. Highsmith		Isaac Highsmith		Thos. Rogers		John Row	
Isum Stevens		Jesse Rooks		Ruben Rogers		-phriam Doane	
Fred. Simpson		William Hennesy1	James Devane		Saml. Highsmith
James Rogers		James Lee		Peter Raymond Massie	Benj. Robinson
Jesse Rogers		Thomas Duff		Jacob Powell		Peleg Rogers	
Thomas Powel		Thomas Gidens		John Hawes		Benjamin Giddens	
Robert Henry		Steven Hancock 		George Devane		Joseph Lamb		
Wm. Robinson		Daniel Highsmith, Jr.	Saml. Newton		Josiah Lee, Senr.	
Josiah Lee		Thomas Lee		John Highsmith 		Benjamin Treadwell	
William -ann		Matthew Stevens		Thomas Register		B--d -----		
Matthew Johnson		Matthew Pridgen		Isom Sellers		John Register		
Thos. Fortt		 Jacob Warren		Frederick Williams	Perego Johnson
David Peacock		George Bell		??			William Pridgin	
Abner Stephens		John  Pridgin		Francis Stevens		Hezkiah Bell	
Job Rogers		Jonathan Parker		Charles Hay		Robert Rolins	
Daniel Fowler		Clifton  Bowen		Enoch Herring		James Watkins	
Edward H. Hanan		Jesse Watkins		Henry Vann		John Bell	
Daniel Highsmith	Peter Poitevint		John Treadwell		John Parker	
John Blanton		Thos. Highsmith		Rd. Herring		Isaac Newton	
Wm. Wright		James Highsmith		Hardy Powel		James Wright, Senr.
Daniel Alderman, Sen.   --trick Wright		Thomas Parker		James Wright	
David Davis		John Wright		Timothy Bloodworth	Charles Bland	
Charles Simpson		William Devane		Richard Stevens		Saml. Portevint	
John Bloodworth		Thomas King		J. Rogers		Timothy Wilson
Jesse Rogers		James Blanton		James Morpus		Lot Green		
Petticrew Moore		Jonathan Davis		Abraham Newton		Thomas Green		
James Kinneaer		William King		James Smith		John Henry		
Peter Costen		Martain Futch		Archibald McCalop	Jesse Jackson		
George Bannaman		Lawrance Burns		John Corbett		James Henecy		
Thos. Devane		John White		George White		Richard Henesy	
Archibald Murphey	William Sloan		Thos. Corbett		Edward Shearman
William Howard		John Herring		Edward Hawes		William Sikes	
Denvon Ashborn		Archibald Cook		Thos. Corbett Senr	Harde Parker	
John Howard		Obedah Evens		Othmial Marohan		Robert Cook	
Mathew Prigen		Adoniram Treadwell	Joshua Stephens		John Mathet
Nathaniel Edwards	Joseph Redban		William Magee		William Belan
Lewis Williamson	James Portevent		William Stephens	Jesse Peacock		
William Morris		Nathan Herinton		Richard Adonis		Willam Adams
Thomas Adams		Absalom Hines		John Jenkins		Elisha Collins	
Anderson Smith		John Moren		John McCray		Eleck McCray		
Christopher McCray	Bennel McCrimmon	---- Slader		Jeremiah Henery	
Hanry Wilson		William Cofter		Patrick Sanders		Thomas Cockern	
David Collins		George Pettit		Edward Amon		William ?		
William May		John Bostick		Sherm. Thompson		Nathaniel Dabb		
---- We---?		Jesse Gilberd?		Joshua long		George Rouse?		
Vallentine May		John Jones		William Webb		Wm. McDowd	
Vinson Davis		Isaac Brigman		William Smith		George We--	
Bartho.Tur--?		Mathew  ?		Andrew ?		William Thornten?
David Rich		Chas. Vicion?		Solomon Jones		Jo? Hutchins	
John Howers		William -hoss?		Joseph Thompson			
George Well/Webb?       George Carter		Joel Phillips		James Phillips
Wm. Benet		George Collings		Benjamin Maner		John Wadley
James Phillips		John Thomas		John Long		Edward Smith
Jacob Corkers?		Jesse ?			Matthew Cox?		John Hall
William ?		Benj. Cor?		Henry Covington		Richard Lake?
Henery Mear?		Wm. L?			Walter Blue		? Thomas
Daniel ?		Wm. Thomas		Edw. Williams		John McColin
Wm. Scott		James Witsher		John Witsher		Daniel Smith
Wm. Covington		Tho. Dockery?		John ?			Thomas D?	
Arch. McMillan		George Hamons		John Hogon		James Downes	
Thomas Gilbert		Thos. Lacy		James Downing, Jun.	Jno. Hancock?	
Joseph Ryce		Allan Martin		Robert Webb		Geo. Davison	
Angus Martin		Jas. Carruth		Charles ? Hurbert	Martin Martin	
John Maclendon		Isham Ingram		Henry Baley		William Best	
John Leverett		Tho. Crawford		Josiah Downing		John Williamson
Samuel Bludworth	Robt. Jarman		Samuel Williams		William Threadgill
Burrel Stricling	John? Walters		Farquer McCra		Duncan McCra	
Geo. Walters		James Burn		Robert Patton		Jonathan Turner
Stephen Pittcock	John Harre		Jonathan Harre		Joshua Bradford
JunWilliam Newberry	Jonathan Newberry	William Bolton		Owen Slaughter
John MacRa, Jr.		John McRae, Sr.		William Turpin		John Dicks	
James Chiles		Thos. Meaginson		James Bostick		Thos. Hadly	
Da. Love		Joseph Crews?		Wm. Love		David Rainey	
Josiah Lyon		Stephen Miller		Thos. Lacy		Joseph Thompson
Wm. Thompson		Wm. Bleakner	?	John Freeman		James Blunt
Stephen Weaver		Wm. Johnston		Jothren Weaver		Wright Perce
Daniel Weaver		Wm. Perce		Nathan Brasell		Shepard Deason
Jase. ---ill		Joseph Burchem		Abraham Miller		?
Moses Mearies		-ale Wooton?		Nathaniel ?		William McCoy?	
Thomas Shelby?		William Trull		Thomas McKenny		William Pellam			
James Blunt		Joshua Martin?		Joel Renfroo?		Jarom Molten?		
George Brown		Richard Mass?		William ?		Thomas Chavis		
William Nash		Thomas Trull		Moses Tomlonson		John Whit		
James Redfearn		William Nelson		Goff			John Redfarn		
William Pou		Wm. Bushell?		John Dunn		J. McSwain		
John Stanfill		Jonathan Jackson	Samuel Jackson		Isaac Jackson		
Jo-h—Morgan		Evan V---		John May		Aaron Iso?