WILKES COUNTY. 611 



The first court held in Wilkes, was on the 25th of August, 

 1779, at the house of Jacob McClindon, before the Hon. 

 Williams Downs, Benjamin Catchings, and Absalom Bedell, 

 Esquires, assistant judges for the county aforesaid. Henry 

 Manadue appointed clerk ; Joseph Scot Riden, sheriff; and 

 John Dooly appointed to act as attorney for the State. 



Names of first grand jurors. Stephen Heard, Esq., fore- 

 man, Barnard Heard, Georgg^Walton, Daniel Burnett, Thomas 



Carter, Bailey, John Glass, Charles Bidingfield, Mi- 



caiah Williamson, James McLean, Jacob Terington, William 

 R. Aycock, Robert Day, John Gorham, Dionysius Oliver, 

 Holman Freeman, sen., Daniel Colman, Thomas Stroud. 



At this court the grand jury presented as a grievance, 

 " the running at large of several persons whom they had cause 

 to believe, have acted in conjunction with, and have aided, 

 abetted, and assisted the British, and the avowed enemies of the 

 United States." At this court, nine persons were sentenced 

 to be hung, principally for treason. 



At the March term of the Superior Court of Wilkes county, 

 held in 1785, the grand jury presented as a grievance " the 

 inattention of the Honourable the Legislature, to the requisitions 

 of the Honourable the Congress of the United States, for laying 

 an impost on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported in this 

 State, or devising some support for the public credit, and pay- 

 ment of that part of the debt, which we may owe to those friend- 

 ly powers who, on the faith of the States, supported us in the 

 Revolution. The requisitions of Congress are founded on 

 equity and justice, nor can we expect reasonably to enjoy the 

 advantages of the Union, unless we contribute to its support. 



