The North Carolina General Assembly of 1777 met in two sessions in New Bern, North Carolina, from April 7 to May 9, 1777, and from November 15 to December 24, 1777. This was the first North Carolina legislature elected after the last provincial congress wrote the first North Carolina Constitution. This assembly elected Richard Caswell as the state's first constitutional governor (he had been serving as acting governor by action of the provincial congress).

Each of the 38 counties of North Carolina were authorized to elect one senator and two representatives to the House of Commons. In addition, six boroughs (also called districts) elected one House member each. An additional district, Washington District, had one senator and no representative in the House of Commons. Washington District comprised the lands that later became part of Tennessee in 1789. It was referred to as a District in 1776 and 1777 and Washington County after 1777.

Members of the legislature were elected by popular vote annually. As such, they were the only state officials elected by popular vote. The constitution allowed that "all freemen of the age of twenty-one years, who have been inhabitants of any one county within this State twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election, and shall have paid public taxes shall be entitled to vote for members of the House of Commons for the county in which he resides". It also allowed "that all freemen, of the age of twenty-one years, who have been inhabitants of any one county within the State twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election and possessed of a freehold within the same county of fifty acres of land for six months next before, and at the day of election, shall be entitled to vote for a member of the Senate." Restrictions were placed on voting for town or district members, i.e. "That all persons possessed of a freehold in any town in this State, having a right of representation and also all freemen who have been inhabitants of any such town twelve mouths next before and at the day of election, and shall have paid public taxes, shall be entitled to vote for a member to represent such town in the House of Commons: -- Provided always, That this section shall not entitle any inhabitant of such town to vote for members of the House of Commons, for the county in which he may reside, nor any freeholder in such county, who resides without or beyond the limits of such town, to vote for a member for said town.

The General Assembly of 1777 was also responsible for electing Councilors of State. They elected the following councilors on April 18, 1777:

  • William Taylor from Duplin County

The General Assembly of 1777 elected James Glasgow from Dobbs County as North Carolina Secretary of State.

From 1777 to 1779, the State was divided into two districts, Northern and Southern, each with a treasurer. John Ashe from New Hannover County was elected treasurer of the Southern District. Samuel Johnston from Chowan County was elected treasurer of the Northern District but declined to serve, so William Skinner was elected.

  • 1. An Act to establish a militia
  • 2. An Act for levying a tax by general assement, and other purposes
  • 3. An Act establishing what crimes and practices against the state shall be considered treason.
  • 4. An Act concerning oaths.
  • 5. An Act for punishment of such persons who shall procure or commit wilful perjury
  • 6. An Act to prevent domestic insurrections and other such purposes
  • 7. An Act for encouragement of the militia and volunteers employed in prosecuting the present Indian War
  • 8. An Act for the appointment of registers in the several counties in this State
  • 9. An Act to empower the Justice of Bladen County to take into the possession the Records of said County, now in possession of Maturin Colvill
  • 10. An Act for the relief of such person who have or may suffer by their deeds mean conveyances not being proved and registered with the time heretofore appointed by law
  • 11. An Act for establishing fairs in the town of Halifax, Halifax County
  • 12. An Act for enlarging the time of saving lots in the town of Windsor, in Bertie County
  • 13. An Act for appointing commissioners for building a court-house, prison, and stocks for the county of Tryon
  • 14. An Act for appointing commissioners to finish the building of court-house, prison and stocks in the County of Guilford
  • 15. An Act for establishing a town on the lands of John Smith in Johnston County, and other purposes
  • 16. An Act for the regulation of the town of Hillsborough
  • 17. An Act for establishing a new county between Hillsborough and the Virginia Line, by erecting the Northern Part of Orange County into a distinct county, by the name of Caswell
  • 18. An Act for dividing the county of Pasquotank, and establishing that part thereof on the North East side of Pasquotank River a county, by the name of Camden
  • 19. An Act for dividing Rowan County, and other purposes therein mentioned
  • 20. An Act for incorporating the President and Trustees of Liberty Hall (Academy), in the County of Mecklenburg
  • 21. An Act to prevent hunting with a gun, by fire light in the night
  • 22. An Act to prevent forging or counterfeiting, and punish such persons as shall forge or counterfeit, or pass or vend, knowing the same to be forge or counterfeit, any of the lottery tickets of the United States, and other purposes
  • 23. An Act for confirming an Act, entitled an Act to amend an Act, instituted an Act what fences are sufficient, and to amend and continue an Act relating to taking up stray horses
  • 24. An Act for ascertaining the salary of the Governor, and other purposes therein mentioned
  • 25. An Act for enforcing the Statute Laws and such parts of the Common Law and Acts of Assembly heretofore in use here, and also for enforcing the resolves of Conventions and Congresses of this State, which have not had their effect, and for other purposes therein mentioned.
  • 25. An Act to establish courts for the trial of criminals in each District within the State, and for vesting in the several County Courts and Sessions of the Peace, the Power of appointing Jurymen for the said District Cours and Constituting Judges to preside therein.
  • 26. An Act to establish courts for the trial of Criminals in each District within this State, and for vesting in the several County Courts and Sessions of the Peace, the Power of appointing jurymen for the said district courts and constituting judges to preside therein.
  • 27. An Act for erecting county courts and sessions of the peace and also or appointing and commissioning justices of the peace and sheriffs in and for the several counties and District of Washington within this State and for other purposes therein mentioned.

During the second session, the following acts were approved:

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-datatable"

|-

!County!!House of Commons Member

|-

|Anson County||data-sort-value="Davidson, George"|George Davidson

|-

|Anson County||data-sort-value="Pickett, William R."|William R. Pickett

|-

|Beaufort County||data-sort-value="Ellison, Alderson"|Alderson Ellison

|-

|Beaufort County||data-sort-value="Keas, Nathan|Nathan Keas

|-

|Beaufort County||data-sort-value="Brown, William"|William Brown

|-

|Bertie County||data-sort-value="Stone, Zedekiah"|Zedekiah Stone

|-

|Bertie County||data-sort-value="Turner, Simon"|Simon Turner

|-

|Bladen County||data-sort-value="Owen, Thomas"|Thomas Owen

|-

|Bladen County||data-sort-value="Turner, John"|John Turner

|-

|Brunswick County||data-sort-value="Lord, William"|William Lord

|-

|Brunswick County||data-sort-value="Quince, Richard, Jr."|Richard Quince, Jr.

|-

|Burke County||data-sort-value="McLean, Ephraim"|Ephraim McLean

|-

|Burke County||data-sort-value="Wilson, James"|James Wilson

|-

|Bute County||data-sort-value="Hill, Green"|Green Hill

|-

|Bute County||data-sort-value="Ward, Benjamin"|Benjamin Ward

|-

|Camden County||data-sort-value="Granby, Caleb"|Caleb Granby

|-

|Camden County||data-sort-value="Humphries, Thomas"|Thomas Humphries

|-

|Carteret County||data-sort-value="Williams, Brice"|Brice Williams

|-

|Carteret County||data-sort-value="Chadwick, Thomas"|Thomas Chadwick

|-

|Caswell County||data-sort-value="Atkinson, John"|John Atkinson

|-

|Caswell County||data-sort-value="Moore, Richard"|Richard Moore

|-

|Chatham County||data-sort-value="Bridsong, John"|John Birdsong

|-

|Chatham County||data-sort-value="Scurlock, Mial"|Mial Scurlock

|-

|Chowan County||data-sort-value="Benbury, Thomas"|Thomas Benbury

|-

|Chowan County||data-sort-value="Hunter, Jacob"|Jacob Hunter

|-

|Craven County||data-sort-value="Bryan, Nathan"|Nathan Bryan

|-

|Craven County||data-sort-value="Tillman, John"|John Tillman

|-

|Cumberland County||data-sort-value="Rand, William"|William Rand

|-

|Cumberland County||data-sort-value="Alston, Philip"|Philip Alston

|-

|Currituck County||data-sort-value="Ryan, James"|James Ryan

|-

|Currituck County||data-sort-value="White, James"|James White

|-

|Dobbs County||data-sort-value="Bass, Andrew"|Andrew Bass

|-

|Dobbs County||data-sort-value="Cobb, Jesse"|Jesse Cobb

|-

|Duplin County||data-sort-value="Clinton, Richard"|Richard Clinton

|-

|Duplin County||data-sort-value="Dixon, Robert"|Robert Dixon

|-

|Edgecombe County||data-sort-value="Boddie, Nathan"|Nathan Boddie

|-

|Edgecombe County||data-sort-value="Johnston, Jonas"|Jonas Johnston

|-

|Granville County||data-sort-value="Penn, John"|John Penn

|-

|Granville County||data-sort-value="Person, Thomas"|Thomas Person

|-

|Guilford County||data-sort-value="Collier, John"|John Collier

|-

|Guilford County||data-sort-value="Lindsay, Robert"|Robert Lindsay

|-

|Halifax County||data-sort-value="Egbert, Haywood"|Egbert Haywood

|-

|Halifax County||data-sort-value="Williams, Joseph"|Joseph John Williams

|-

|Hertford County||data-sort-value="Dickenson, Joseph"|Joseph Dickenson

|-

|Hertford County||data-sort-value="Garrett, James"|James Garrett

|-

|Hyde County||data-sort-value="Jordan, John"|John Jordan

|-

|Hyde County||data-sort-value="Hancock, Joseph"|Joseph Hancock

|-

|Hyde County||data-sort-value="Parmely, Benjamin"|Benjamin Parmely

|-

|Johnston County||data-sort-value="Averet, Alexander"|Alexander Averet

|-

|Johnston County||data-sort-value="Rains, Henry"|Henry Rains

|-

|Martin County||data-sort-value="Hill, Whitmell"|Whitmell Hill

|-

|Martin County||data-sort-value="Slade, WIlliam"|William Slade

|-

|Mecklenburg County||data-sort-value="Avery, Waightstill"|Waightstill Avery

|-

|Mecklenburg County||data-sort-value="Phifer, Martin"|Martin Phifer

|-

|New Hanover County||data-sort-value="Lillington, Alexander"|Alexander Lillington

|-

|New Hanover County||data-sort-value="Swann, Samuel"|Samuel Swann

|-

|Northampton County||data-sort-value="Atherton, Jeptha"|Jeptha Atherton

|-

|Northampton County||data-sort-value="Peebles, Robert"|Robert Peebles

|-

|Northampton County||data-sort-value="Edmunds, Howell"|Howell Edmunds

|-

|Onslow County||data-sort-value="King, John"|John King

|-

|Onslow County||data-sort-value="Rhodes, Henry"|Henry Rhodes

|-

|Orange County||data-sort-value="Butler, John"|John Butler

|-

|Orange County||data-sort-value="Rochester, Nathaniel"|Nathaniel Rochester

|-

|Orange County||data-sort-value="Burke, Thomas"|Thomas Burke

|-

|Pasquotank County||data-sort-value="Ferebee, James"|James Ferebee

|-

|Pasquotank County||data-sort-value="Harvey, Thomas"|Thomas Harvey

|-

|Pasquotank County||data-sort-value="Relfe, Thomas"|Thomas Relfe

|-

|Perquimans County||data-sort-value="Easton, Jesse"|Jesse Eason

|-

|Perquimans County||data-sort-value="Harvey, Benjamin"|Benjamin Harvey

|-

|Pitt County||data-sort-value="Robeson, William"|William Robeson

|-

|Pitt County||data-sort-value="Williams, John"|John Williams

|-

|Rowan County||data-sort-value="Locke, Matthew"|Matthew Locke

|-

|Rowan County||data-sort-value="Smith, James"|James Smith

|-

|Surry County||data-sort-value="Gordon, Charles"|Charles Gordon

|-

|Surry County||data-sort-value="Winston, Joseph"|Joseph Winston

|-

|Tryon County||data-sort-value="Neel, Andrew"|Andrew Neel

|-

|Tryon County||data-sort-value="Barber, John"|John Barber

|-

|Tyrrell County||data-sort-value="Hooker, John"|John Hooker

|-

|Tyrrell County||data-sort-value="Spruill, Benjamin"|Benjamin Spruill

|-

|Wake County||data-sort-value="Rice, John"|John Rice

|-

|Wake County||data-sort-value="Rand, John|John Rand

|-

|Wake County||data-sort-value="Wooten, Thomas"|Thomas Wooten

|-

|Wake County||data-sort-value="Jones, Tignal"|Tignal Jones

|-

|Edenton District||data-sort-value="Green, John"|John Green

|-

|Halifax District||data-sort-value="Jones, Willie"|Willie Jones

|-

|Hillsborough District||data-sort-value="Courtney, William"|William Courtney

|-

|New Bern District||data-sort-value="Nash, Abner"|Abner Nash

|-

|Salisbury District||data-sort-value="Nisbitt, David"|David Nisbitt

|-

|Wilmington District||data-sort-value="Hooper, William"|William Hooper

|}

Senate

Senate leadership

thumb|upright|Sen. James Kenan

thumb|upright|Sen. Allen Jones

  • President pro Tempore: Samuel Ashe (New Hanover County)
  • Clerk: James Green, Jr. (Craven County)

Senators

The following Senators served in this assembly:

|-

|Halifax County||data-sort-value="Bradford, John"|John Bradford

|-

|Hertford County||data-sort-value="Sumner, Robert"|Robert Sumner

|-

|Hyde County||data-sort-value="Russell, William"|William Russell

|-

|Johnston County||data-sort-value="Bryan, Needham"|Needham Bryan

|-

|Martin County||data-sort-value="Williams, William"|William Williams

|-

|Mecklenburg County||data-sort-value="Alexander, John McKnitt"|John McKnitt Alexander

|-

|New Hanover County||data-sort-value="Ashe, Samuel"|Samuel Ashe

|-

|Northampton County||data-sort-value="Jones, Allen"|Allen Jones

|-

|Onslow County||data-sort-value="Cray, William"|William Cray

|-

|Onslow County||data-sort-value="Spicer, John"|John Spicer

|-

|Orange County||data-sort-value="Hart, Thomas"|Thomas Hart

|-

|Pasquotank County||data-sort-value="Jones, Joseph"|Joseph Jones

|-

|Perquimans County||data-sort-value="Skinner, William"|William Skinner

|-

|Pitt County||data-sort-value="Salter, Robert"|Robert Salter

|-

|Rowan County||data-sort-value="Rutherford, Griffith"|Griffith Rutherford

|-

|Surry County||data-sort-value="Lanier, Robert"|Robert Lanier

|-

|Tryon County||data-sort-value="McLean, Charles"|Charles McLean

|-

|Tyrrell County||data-sort-value="Currie, Archibald"|Archibald Currie

|-

|Wake County||data-sort-value="Jones, James"|James Jones

|-

|Wake County||data-sort-value="Rogers, Michael"|Michael Rogers

|-

|Washington District||data-sort-value="Carter, John"|John Carter

|}

See also

  • List of North Carolina state legislatures

Notes

General notes:

House notes:

Senate notes:

References