North Carolina General Assembly of 1775

North Carolina General Assembly of 1775
Prior After
  • 3rd North Carolina Provincial Congress (August 20, 1775)
  • Overview
    Legislative bodyGeneral Assembly
    JurisdictionNorth Carolina
    Meeting placeNew Bern, North Carolina
    Term1775
    Executive Council
    Lieutenant GovernorGeorge Mercer
    Chief Baron of the ExchequerJames Hasell
    Receiver GeneralJohn Rutherford
    ClerkSamuel Strudwick
    Attorney GeneralThomas McGuire
    House of Burgesses
    Members93 Delegates authorized (21 vacancies, 34 counties, 9 Towns)
    SpeakerJohn Harvey
    ClerkJames Green, Jr.
    Assistant ClerkJames Glasgow
    Mace BearerBenjamin Fordham
    Sessions
    1stApril 4, 1775 – April 8, 1775

    The North Carolina General Assembly of 1775 was a bicameral legislative body of North Carolina that met from April 4, 1775 to April 8, 1775 in New Bern. The upper house of the legislature was the Executive Council, which was appointed by The Crown as was the governor, Josiah Martin. The lower house, the House of Burgesses, was elected by the eligible voters of the 34 counties and nine major towns as certified by the local sheriff.

    This was the fourth House of Burgesses and the final provincial general assembly meeting that took place in North Carolina under The Crown. They met at the same time and with virtually the same representation as the Second North Carolina Provincial Congress, which met in New Bern on April 3 to April 7, 1775. Because the House of Burgesses approved the Continental Congress that was to be held in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775, Governor Martin and the Executive Council issued a proclamation dissolving the House of Burgesses on April 8, 1775.