North Carolina

Division of Surry, Stokes, Wilkes and Ashe

At a large and respectable meeting of the citizens of the western end of Stokes County, assembled at the House of T. B. Hamlett, Esq., to take into consideration the property of cutting off the western end of Stokes County so as to form a new county out of a portion of Surry and Stokes County, Capt. T. B. Hamblett was called to the Chair, and R. E. Reeves appointed Secretary.

The object of the meeting being explained by the Chairman.

On motion, the following committee was appointed to draft resolutions, and report for the further consideration of the meeting, to wit: Alex. King, Alex. Boyles, James Gordon, William Bennett, Joseph Helsabeck, W. G. Haynes, J. J. Spainhower, J. W. Spainhower, Wm. Jackson, Sam'l Wolff. And, on motion, the Chairman and Secretary were added to the list.

The committee, after a short discussion, returned and reported the following resolutions, which were read and unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That the eastern extremity of the new county be bounded as follows: commencing on the Forsyth line where said line crosses Muddy Creek, near Joseph Helsabeck's; thence a North line, passing near Esq. Alex. King's yard to Dan River. (But to include Bitting's and Francis' Store, if it should require a degree line East to do so in the county proposed;) thence up said river to the Virginia line.

The foregoing resolution being unanimously adopted, this meeting does further

Resolved, That this meeting most heartily concurs in all action taken by the people of Surry in relation to the proposed division. And does further

Resolved, That in addition to the members appointed by the committee in a meeting held on Tuesday of November Court, at Rockford, to appoint members to meet in general convention on Tuesday of February Court next, in the County of Surry, to take into consideration the proposed division, we do further appoint as delegates to said convention, to be held in February Court, in addition to those appointed by the committee at the November Court last, Edward H. Edwards, Sam'l Hauser, John W. Spainhower, J. J. Spainhower, George Nichols, Hezekiah Flynn, Fewel Fullen, Jacob Newsom, Joseph Helsabeck, Thomas Savage, William King, and Wm. B. Boyles, as additional members of this district. It is further,

Resolved, and most earnestly requested, that all the districts in the counties of Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Ashe, lying within the boundary proposed for the formation of the two counties off of parts of Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Ashe, to hold similar meetings.

And in addition to those members, appointed by the committee at Rockford, they do appoint other members to the convention at Rockford, on Tuesday of February Court next. It is further

Resolved, by this meeting, that we will support no man as a candidate for the next Legislature for either House of said body, unless he be an avowed division and subdivision man for the counties proposed. It is further,

Resolved, That this meeting most heartily and unanimously agrees to lay aside all Party Politics, and will support no man unless he be an avowed friend of the division, be he Whig or Democrat. It is further

Resolved, That we concur in the proposed location, War hill, as a most suitable location for the county seat of the proposed county.

All the foregoing resolutions being unanimously adopted by this meeting, it is further ordered that the Secretary of this meeting do order publication of the resolutions and proceeding of this meeting in the Salem People's Press and Greensborough Patriot. And on motion of Esq. William Stone, this meeting does now adjourn. -- T. B. Hamblett, Chairman, R. E. Reeves, Secretary.

Extracted from People's Press, (Salem) N.C., Vol. I., No. 47. January 3, 1852


Division of Surry

According to previous notice, a large and respectable meeting was held, on Saturday, the 17th of January, 1852, at Siloam, Surry County, NC., for the purpose of taking into consideration the subdivision of said county. When, on motion of R. E. Reeves, William Gillam, Esqr., was called to the Chair, and David M. Cooper appointed Secretary.

The object of te meeting being explained by the Chairman, on motion, the Chair appointed the following Committee to draft resolutions for the further consideration of the meeting, to wit: R. E. Reeves, W. W. Wolff, William R. Lovel, Joseph Fulk, Jacob L. Fulk, P. C. Jurney, and John Ashburn. The committee retired, and after a short absence returned and reported the following preamble and resolution, all of which were unanimously adopted:

WHEREAS an act was passed by the Legislature of North Carolina, in 1850, to divide Surry County centrally, so as to form two counties out of the same, therefore be it

Resolved, By this meeting that we approve of the proposed subdivision of the county of Surry, and creating two counties out of portions of Stokes, Surry, and Wilkes, and Ashe.

2. Resolved, That we approve of all action heretofore taken for the purpose of devising ways and means to bring about the said division.

3. Resolved, That we believe ourselves seriously aggrieved by the central division, and present arrangements of our county.

4. Resolved, That we recommend union, and concert, energy and action, in all friends of division, in exerting our combined influence to bring about the same.

5. Resolved, That we will support no person for any County office or for either branch of the next Legislature of N.C., unless he be an avowed division and subdivision man.

6. Resolved, The we approve of the proposed convention to be held at Rockford, on Tuesday of next February court, and that the Chair appoint the following delegates to said convention, to wit: Pleasant Evans, James Glass, R. E. Reeves, W. R. Lovel, E. F. Lovel, Silas Whitaker, Isaac Whitaker, Jos. E. Reeves, Esqr., Russel Jones, F. R. Stone, Esqr., J. C. Jurney, A. Key, Henry Smith, A. L. Whitaker, Brutus F. Cooper, Esqr. Wm. Webby, Sagm. Hiley, Paul Worth, Lewis Moore.

7. Resolved, That we approve of all, War Hill, as a suitable location for the county seat of the proposed new county.

8. Resolved, That we recommend the propriety of holding an election previous to the August election, in the territory of the proposed new counties; that we may more accurately learn the voice of the people concerning said division; the time to be determined by the general convention at Rockford.

9. Resolved, That we order the proceeding of this meeting to be published in the N. C. Standard, Greenboro Patriot, and Salem People's Press.

When on motion of Jeremiah E. Reeves, Esqr. the meeting adjourned, sine die. -- William Gilliam, Ch'm, D. M. Cooper, Sec'y.

Extracted from People's Press, (Salem) N.C., Vol. I., No. 47. January 3, 1852


We, the people of the District of Westfield, together with a large and respectable assemblage of the People from the adjoining districts, public notice having been given thereof, convened at War Hill, on the 10th January, 1852, for the purpose of taking into consideration the subdivision of Surry County, and forming two counties out of parts of Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Ashe.

The meeting having been called to order by the Rev. Henry Steele, on motion of William Hill, Henry Steele, Esq., was called to the Chair, and Wiley Patterson was appointed Secretary of the meeting.

Whereupon Wm. Hill was called upon to explain the object of the meeting, which was done in a short and appropriate manner.

On motion of Wm. Hill, Esq., a committee of ten, viz: Anderson Cook, Jonas Summers, Charles Hill, William Hollensworth, John Blair, Robert Hill, Benjamin Taylor, Evan Davis, Joel Hill, and William Hill, was appointed to report for the further consideration of the meeting; whereupon said committee retired, and in a short time returned with the following Preamble and Resolutions, which were read and unanimously adopted by the meeting as follows:

WHEREAS, a division of Surry county was made by Act of Assembly in 1850: That, notwithstanding we, the people of Westfield, voted for said division, at the same time we voted for it singly with an eye to a subdivision of the North side of said county, forming two counties out of parts of Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Ashe. And unless a subdivision can be had, we are aggrieved by the central division of same, unless a new location can be had other than the proposed location, Dobson. Therefore be it

1st. Resolved, That we do approve of the proposed convention to be held in Rockford, on Tuesday of February County next, for the purpose of devising ways and means in, by, and through which we can obtain a subdivision of said county.

2nd. Resolved, That this meeting appoint twenty-five delegates to said convention, viz: Evans Davis, Henry Steele, Wiley Patterson, S. A. Needham, Thos. Martin. Anderson Cook, Jonas Simmions, Charles Hill, W. W. Bitting, Wm. Hill, Esq., Robert Hill, Eli Jessup, Wm. E. Owens, Benjamin Taylor, Joel Harrison, Wm. Hollensworth, John Adams, John Cain, Hiram Jessup Beverly Chilton, Jeremiah Gray, James R. Owens, John Blair, Wm. Pell, Martin Cox, Joseph Hill, Joel Hill, James M. Hollenswroth, David Wemyss, and T. B. King; who are hereby instructed to unite in said convention to device ways and means by and through which we can effect more certain a subdivision of the county aforesaid.

3rd. Resolved, That this meeting disapproves of the present location, Dobson, as the permanent seat of Justice, for Surry county; that it is in direct violation of the true intent and meaning of the Act of Assembly, thereby depriving the People of the east side of the centre of Surry county, as found and reported by the Commissioners under Act of Assembly, of the rights and immunities reserved to them by the said Act.

4th. Resolved, That this meeting never submit to so direct a violation of their rights.

5th. Resolved, That we approve and most heartily concur in all action taken on the arrest and further progress of the direction of the Court House at Dobson, until our rights can be fully adjusted, either at the ballot box, or judicial authority.

6th. Resolved, That this meeting appoint Col. Thomas Martin and W. R. Bitting, as delegates to attend a meeting to be held in Stokes county, to designate, agree upon, or mark off a boundary line, which shall cut off the western side of Stokes County, in connection with the East side of Surry, to be contended for, so that the same be agreed upon in the convention at the February County in Rockford.

7th. Resolved, That this meeting concurs in the proposed location, War Hill, being the most suitable place for a permanent Seat of Justice for the proposed county.

8th. Resolved, That this meeting do most unanimously agree to lay aside all Party Politics in the ensuing election for members to the next Legislature of North Carolina.

9th. Resolved, That we will support no man as a candidate for either House of the Legislature of N.C., unless he be an avowed subdivision man, and pledged to carry out the division of said county, he be Whig or Democrat.

10th. Resolved, That this meeting do instruct the delegation from Westfield, when assembled in convention, on Tuesday of February Court, at Rockford, to adhere to and most strictly carry out the 9th Resolution of this meeting.

Resolved, That these Resolutions, being read and unanimously adopted, be ordered to be published in the North Carolina Standard, Greensboro' Patriot, and Salem People's Press.

Resolved, That this meeting do now adjourn, sine die. -- Henry Steele, Chairman and Wiley Patterson, Secretary.

Extracted from People's Press, (Salem) N.C., Vol. I., No. 47. January 3, 1852


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