Baldridge_Orange_Co

A Petition on Behalf of a Regulator of Orange County, North Carolina,
with Names of Petitioners, Including Members of my Baldridge Family
Taken from:
"Our Baldridge Forbears" by Dr. Chester Kennedy &
"Colonial Records of North Carolina, 1771 - 1775"

Allen House, built about 1782, Alamance Battleground State
Historic Site, Alamance County, North Carolina

    Four of the Baldridge brothers of Orange County: Malcolm, John (my 5-g-grandfather), Robert and Daniel, signed a petition for a pardon for John Fruit, who was one of the captured Regulators and a brother-in-law of Robert. The Regulator movement was an expression of discontent by the citizens of the frontier counties of Granville, Anson and Orange Counties, North Carolina (and I'm told it, also, included a few areas of Virginia). They accused clerks, lawyers and sheriffs of theft. The laws of NC did not specify definite fees for various taxes and other collections by the counties, so many abuses were known to have taken place on the citizenry. Many of the settlers in these frontier areas couldn't read or write, so it was an easy matter for those in public office to defraud them. Some taxes were said to have been collected and the money kept by the officials, so that, in time, the same tax was collected again by still more officials.
   Some of these citizens had endured similar unfair practices by the English in their native Ireland and they determined that they would not put up with it in the Colonies. An organization known as the Regulators was formed in Orange County in about 1766. The Regulators spread to other counties and were soon outlawed by the governor. After many skirmishes between the Regulators and the King's Army, the difficulties culminated in March, 1771, at the Battle of Alamance Creek. The farmers were soundly defeated and John Fruit, along with numbers of others, was captured and sentenced to be hanged.
    It is believed by some that the Regulators and the Battle of Alamance were precursors to the Revolution.   The following was written by Baldridge family historian, Dr. Chester Kennedy:
   "There were many zealous Scotch-Irish in the ranks of the Patriots during the Revolution and they acquitted themselves admirably on the battlefield. The literature is filled with their conspicuous role in the Revolution, and many fighting units, particularly those of Pennsylvania, were composed almost entirely of Scotch-Irish. Their rough, hardy, outdoor life on the frontiers of America fitted them very well to be great combatants."

    I've included some links to excellent sites below, if you'd like more information on the Regulators and that period of North Carolina's history.

The Petition (Just as it's recorded, including punctuation & spelling of names.)

To His Excellent Josiah Martin His Majesty's Captain General, Governor, Commander in Chief in and over the Province of North Carolina:

The petition of Sundry of the Inhabitants of Orange County Humbly Sheweth

That whereas John Fruit one of the out Lawed Regulators, hath ever since he came to years of Maturity behaved himself as a useful member of Society and in all things becoming a subject of great Britain, until he unfortunately fell in with that most Extraordinary set of Enthusinstick people Called Regulators; we also further humbly shew that the said John Fruit hath a wife and sundry small Children who are in the utmost Distress, for want of that Comfort and Support which he as a Father and Husband ought to supply them with and as he sheweth such great signs of Penitence for the past follies of his life promising ever obedience to the Laws of this province as becomes a Subject of great Britain, we are in Charity bound to hope that he, if Pardoned would again become a good subject and useful member of Society, and therefore Humbly pray that your Excellency would Extend to him his Majesty's most gracious pardon and we your Humble petitioners as in duty bound will over pray.

[Signed]

Charles Johnston
Andrew Patterson
Robert Cate
Malcomb Baldrige
John Baldrige
Robert Baldrige
Daniel Baldridge
Alex' Mebane
William Blackwood
Samuel Allen
Jeremiah Norton
Phillip Jackson Jun'
Ja' Temple
Abraham Allen
William Trousdale
William Mathis
Thomas Lockhart
William Reney
Joseph Holloch
W Phillips
Alex' Mebane Jun'
Robert Ren
John Hopkins
Jn' Trousdale
Matthew Woods
James Wilkins
John Hodge
Robert Strain
Thomas Strain
Edward Thomas
David Mitchell
Wilm Bradshaw
W Cate
John Woods
Thomas M'Curdy
James M'Cauley
John Allen
Stephen Wilson
Richard Bird
Tho' Taylor
John Dawes
Daniel M'Daniel
Matthew Holdy
William M'Cardy
Eliander Dussell
William Brasher
James Mebane
Walter Barnsick
Robert Hunter
James Maxwell
Andrew Mebane
Neil M'Alister
David Dennin
Thomas Thomas
Arch M'Allister
Enoch Bradley
Richard Woods
John Dayley
James Brown
Thomas Clark
John Wood
Warham Glen
John Howell
Michael Robinson
John Dickie
John Rany
Edw Long
Rob' Farrier
John Moor
James Smith
Wm Ansley
Wm Robison
John Hart
Jacob Mason
William Boinns
James Crenige
David Sitt
James m'Canna
Wm Rankin
John Butler
John Red
Ja' Freeland
David Creag
George Jones
Joseph Allison
Archebell Borland
William Jackson
Stephen White
Allen Daily
George Allen
John Pugh (Hawfields)
Abraham Rees
Daniel Rees
James Ross
Joseph Sloss
John Sloss
Daniel Hanley
James Yellon
Tho Mains
Robert Cochran
James Thomas
Joseph Whitley
Aaron Hopkins
Henry Pennington Daniel Rees Jun
Alexander Young
Alex' Graydon
John Burhard
Josy Rusle
Alexander Furgerson
John Cook
Thomas Abot
John Abot

By the way, the story has a happy ending for John Fruit; he was pardoned and lived until 1824.

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LINKS TO SITES WITH INFORMATION ON THE REGULATORS OF
NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA :

http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/nc/orange/military/revwar

http://home.webkorner.com/whigkid/ncrevweb/

http://.docsouth.unc.edu/nc/bassett95/bassett95.html

www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm

www.ls.net/~newriver/nrv.htm

www.encyclopedia.com/html/r/regulato.asp

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