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Rowan County Committee of Safety facts for kids

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The Rowan County Committee of Safety was a very important group in Rowan County, North Carolina during the time leading up to the American Revolution. It was one of 18 similar groups in North Carolina. These committees were created to help people prepare for the fight for independence from Britain. The Rowan County Committee started in 1774. They kept detailed notes of their meetings from 1774 to 1776, which we can still read today! This committee played a big part in stopping trade with Britain and getting ready for the war. One of their most famous actions was creating the Rowan Resolves.

Why Committees of Safety Were Formed

Before America became independent, local groups called "Committees of Safety" started popping up. The First Continental Congress asked for these groups to be created in 1774. By 1775, these committees had become like new local governments. They slowly took over from the old British rulers.

These committees helped manage many things in their communities. They looked after the economy, local politics, and even how people behaved. They also helped organize the local fighters, known as the militia. After December 1776, a stronger group called the North Carolina Council of Safety took charge of all these local committees.

Who Was in the Committee and What They Did

Many people were part of the Rowan County Committee of Safety. Some of the original members included: James McCay, Andrew Neal, George Cathy, Alexander Dobbin, Francis McKon, Matthew Locke, Maxwell Chambers, Henry Harmon, Abraham Denton, William Lee Davidson, Samuel Young, John Brevard, William Kennon, George Henry Barger, Robert Bell, John Bickerstaff, John Couden, John Lewis Beard, John Nisbet, Charles McDowell, Robert Blackburn, Christopher Beckman, William Sharp, John Johnson, and Morgan Bryan. Colonel Hugh Montgomery also joined later.

Meeting Dates and Records

The committee met many times to discuss important matters. Their surviving records show they met on these dates:

  • September 23, 1774
  • November 2-3, 1774
  • June 1, 1775
  • July 8, 1775
  • July 15, 1775
  • August 1, 1775
  • September 20-25, 1775
  • October 17-18, 1775
  • November 7-9, 1775
  • November 10-11, 1775
  • February 6-8, 1776
  • May 7-8, 1776
  • August 7, 1776
  • August 22, 1776

Other important papers that still exist include:

  • Instructions for the Salisbury Jail keeper about holding John Auston (July 13, 1776).
  • A message from the Rowan County Committee of Safety to the county militias (June 1775).

One instruction from Griffith Rutherford to the jailer said that John Auston was "an Enemy To Ammerican Liberty" and refused to take an oath to support the American cause. So, he was to be kept in jail until further orders. Griffith Rutherford was a leader of the local militia groups.

Committee Leaders

The committee had several important leaders:

  • Chairman: William Kennon
  • Chairman: Samuel Young
  • Chairman: Moses Winslow
  • Secretary: William Sharpe
  • Clerk: Adlai Osborne
  • Clerk: James Macay
  • Clerk: James Brandon

These Committees of Safety were allowed to choose new officers for the local militia (citizen soldiers) and minutemen (soldiers ready to fight quickly) when needed.

First Census in Rowan County

In 1775, the Continental Congress asked for a count of all the people in North Carolina. This count is called a census. The Rowan County Committee of Safety shared a summary of their census results in October 1775. The "Companies" mentioned in this census were likely groups led by captains in the Rowan County Regiment of the North Carolina militia. This militia group had just been formed in August 1775.

The committee's notes said: Pursuant to Resolve of last Congress the Number of Souls in Rowan County appears as followeth— (This means: "As decided by the last Congress, here are the numbers of people in Rowan County—")

Companies—Names Males, 16 to 50 Above 50, Under 16 Women, White Females, Children Male Slaves Taxable Female Slaves Taxable Slaves Not Taxable
Capt. Knox 165 209 169 142 33 32 66
Capt. Dickson 76 105 77 91 15 16 29
Capt. Davidson (up River) 71 129 74 104 12 9 5
Capt. McConrys 5 123 77 99 10 10 9
Snow & Rocky Creeks 27 47 34 33 1 1 2
Total (2107) 344 613 431 469 71 68 111

Committees in Other North Carolina Counties

By 1774, North Carolina had 32 counties. Records show that 18 of these counties had their own Committees of Safety, just like Rowan County. These committees were found in:

  • Anson County
  • Bladen County
  • Brunswick County
  • Chowan County (Edenton District)
  • Craven County (New Bern District)
  • Duplin County
  • Granville County
  • Halifax County
  • Johnston County
  • Mecklenburg County
  • Northampton
  • Orange County
  • Pitt County (Martinboro)
  • Rowan County (Salisbury District)
  • Surry County
  • Tryon County
  • Wilimington District, Wilmington, Wilmington-New Hannover County
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