All about the declaration charlotte mecklenburg story. On mecklenburg declaration day, the people of charlotte remember their ancestors special place in american history. It was supposedly signed on may 20, 1775, at charlotte, north carolina, by a committee of citizens of mecklenburg county, who declared independence from great britain after. The tryon county patriots of 1775 and their association. Lives and times of the 27 signers of the mecklenburg. The historians who aver that the mecklenburg declaration of independence of may 20, 1775, is a myth, have failed to adduce any convincing evidence that there was even a meet ing on may 31, 1775, or that the resolves were not passed on may 20, 1775.
George washington graham full view 1905 the mecklenburg declaration of independence. The mecklenburg declaration of independence is claimed by some to be the first declaration of independence made in the thirteen colonies during the american revolution. The mecklenburg declaration of independence may 20, 1775 whereas, by an address presented to his. The mecklenburg declaration of independence charlotte north. Mecklenburg declaration papers, 17751982 bulk 17751853. Lives and times of the 27 signers of the mecklenburg declaration of independence of may 20, 1775. It was supposedly signed on may 20, 1775, in charlotte, north carolina, by a.
The mecklenburg declaration of independence and the. It caused john adams to call thomas paines common sense a crapulous mass. Descendants of the alleged signers claimed that the original document burned in a house fire in 1800 which was why it was not preserved, but even then, their was no evidence of the declaration in any of the notes of the signers. Two hundred forty years after a county in north carolina supposedly announced its independence from great britain, take a look back at the murky history of. Fiercely independent and wanting to remain that way, the leading citizens of mecklenburg county drafted the mecklenburg declaration of independence in 1775. The mecklenburg declaration of independence 1775 on april 30, 1819, the raleigh n. The document by which inhabitants of mecklenburg county, north carolina, declared independence from britain, over a year before july 4, 1776. A guide to the literature surrounding mecklenburg countys disputed claim to fame its peoples declaration of independence on may 20th, 1775, a full year and more before the national declaration. The simple reverse features the inscriptions mecklenburg declaration of independence and 20 may 20 1775. The mecklenburg resolves document was created by the mecklenburg county committee of safety on or after may 20, 1775 and adopted by that same committee on may 31, 1775. The mecklenburg declaration of independence may 20, 1775. Signers of the mecklenburg declaration of independence.
Image from the mecklenburg declaration of independence. Hand set and printed miniature book on the mecklenburg declaration of independence. This monograph upon the mecklenburg declaration of independence was read before the scotchirish society of america at its meeting in lexington, virginia, on june 21, 1895, and is printed in vol. We dont take the day off, but we do recall, with ceremony and remembrance, the events of may 20, 1775 and the document affectionately called the meck dec.
The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and. If you are interested in joining the mecklenburg declaration of independence chapter through one of the patriots below or through a different patriot, please contact us and provide a brief sketch of your lineage in the ancestors service column, revolutionary war pensions. The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775 jstor. The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers by george w. My interest is not only the early colonial history, but john mcnitt mcnight alexander who is the principle creator and one of the 14 signers, but he is a direct ancestor whom i have my daughters of the american revolution linage. The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers author. It was supposedly signed on may 20, 1775, in charlotte, north carolina, by a committee of citizens of mecklenburg county, who declared independence from great britain after hearing of the battle of lexington. According to local legend, on may 20, 1775, in a log court house in the remote backcountry two. A full year before the famous july 4 1776 declaration. The formal opening of the exhibition follows the gathering of friends to greet mr. One of the few publications on the first declaration of independence the mecklenburg declaration of independence dated 1775.
This document adopted a set of radical resolutions that fell short of an actual declaration of independence. Search results for bookprinted material, declaration of. Bookprinted material the mecklenburg declaration of independence charlotte north carolina may 20th 1775. Proof the mecklenburg declaration of independence is not a myth 2015 james a.
The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its. In it i got the story of the mecklenburg declaration of independence. The lives and characters of the signers of the mecklenburg declaration of independence, of the 20th of may, 1775 by wheeler, john h. The lives and characters of the signers of the mecklenburg. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages. Mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775. This is a comprehensive history of one of the greatest mysteries in american historydid mecklenburg county, north carolina, declare independence from great britain more than a year before anyone else. Last week we quoted an article about the mecklenburg declaration of independence that said no contemporary newspaper accounts of the event had been found. The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and the lives of its signers database online.
Thomas jefferson was aware of these documents and utilised their ideas and expressions when drafting his july 1776 declaration. The mecklenburg declaration of independence is a text published in 1819 with the. Lives and times of the 27 signers of the mecklenburg declaration of. The document was the mecklenburg declaration, issued on may 20, 1775 and strikingly similar to the united states declaration of independence of july 4, 1776, but from a full year earlier. The first american declaration of independence is excellent reading. The first american declaration of independence the. Ancestors of the mecklenburg declaration of independence chapter daughters please note that the information below does not constitute proof of lineage and cannot be used in place of a record copy. Putnams sons, 1907 mecklenburg declaration of independence 284. This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. The mecklenburg declaration may 20, 1775 today is somewhat of a holiday in charlotte, north carolina. And lives of its signers george washington graham neale publishing company, 1905 mecklenburg declaration of independence.
The mecklenburg resolves, or charlotte town resolves, was a list of statements adopted at charlotte, in mecklenburg county, north carolina on may 20, 1775. Editor the mecklenburg county resolves were published in the new york journal, june 29, 1775. It was supposedly signed on may 20, 1775, in charlotte, north carolina, by a committee of citizens of mecklenburg county, who declared independence. This motion for independence was passed by the representatives of mecklenburg country, north carolina, in may 1775. Between 1775 and 1819 the mecklenburg declaration of independence was remembered and celebrated in mecklenburg county and to some extent in north carolina, but no one outside of north carolina knew or cared much about it. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. The us mint struck 1,005 silver medals and 1,000 bronze medals on standard coining presses. Sep 03, 2014 the simple reverse features the inscriptions mecklenburg declaration of independence and 20 may 20 1775. The mecklenburg declaration of independence is the name given to a document that was allegedly produced on 20 may 1775, when the residents of mecklenburg county declared themselves free and independent people. It caused thomas jefferson to profess unbelief in such an apocryphal gospel. Aug 11, 2014 no one in the 19 th century was even calling the tryon document a set of resolves. Scott syfert is the sherlock holmes of the mecklenburg declaration of independence, able to deal with serious and substantial issues concerning thomas jefferson, revolutionary politics, states pride, accusations of plagiarism, and government coverups. Nov 14, 2011 the mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers by george w. This book is one of the finest pieces of historical detective work ive ever read.
The event has been celebrated in charlotte on its anniversary, despite the skepticism of. Transaction of the mecklenburg delegation, 1920 may 1775, given to general william r. The mecklenburg declaration of independence centennial medal. Jun 10, 2008 the mecklenburg declaration the controversy. His claim as well as others proved to be difficult because the original copy was destroyed in a house fire in the early 1800s and only copies written from memory was available. The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers classic reprint graham, george washington on. North carolina was the first state to declare independence from england. No one in the 19 th century was even calling the tryon document a set of resolves. Gold was discovered around 1800 and mecklenburg soon became the location for the charlotte mint and so it is only fitting that it is today the home of the largest assets bank in the.
A study of evidence showing that the alleged early declaration of independence by mecklenburg county, north carolina, on may 20th, 1775, is spurious. The mecklenburg declaration of independence is a text published in 1819 with the claim that it was the first declaration of independence made in the thirteen colonies during the american revolution. The disputed history of the mecklenburg declaration of may 20, 1775 scott. C register published the following document that was adopted by the committee of mecklenburg county, nc on may 20, 1775, the day after the receipt of the news of the battle of lexington. The nook book ebook of the the mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers by george w. Abraham alexander, the chairman of the mecklenburg convention of the 19th and 20th of may, 1775, was born in 1718, and was an active and influential magistrate of the county before and after the revolution, being generally the honored chairman of the inferior court. Mecklenburg declaration of independence may 20, 1775. In reality, the mecklenburg declaration was published in a newspaper in 1819. Register published the following document, said to have been adopted by the committee of mecklenburg county, north carolina, on may 20, 1775, the day after the receipt of the news of the battle of lexington. Mecklenburg declaration day celebrates a day in 1775 when some colonists in mecklenburg county, north carolina, may have been the first colonists to declare independence from england.
Graham published 1905 by the neale publishing company in new york, washington. A study of evidence showing that the alleged early declaration of independence by mecklenburg county, north carolina, on may 20th, 1775, is spurious, william henry hoyt. Those who tilled the startlingly red clay or who lived in the town named for george iiis wife. May 28, 2014 yet, having begun reading the first american declaration of independence as a solid skeptic, by the time i finished the book i found myself accepting the possibility that the document may indeed have existed, and that the citizens of mecklenburg might actually have declared independence from great britain in may 1775. After jones in 1834 and hunter in 1877 had called attention to the tryon association, alfred nixon in 1910 praised the bold document which a gallant band of patriots had signed as early as august 1775. Scott syfert this is a comprehensive history of one of the greatest mysteries in american historydid mecklenburg county, north carolina, declare independence from great britain more than a year before anyone.
The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers classic reprint. Was the mecklenburg declaration of independence written on may 20, 1775, more than a year. He was a member of the popular branch of the assembly signers of the mecklenburg declaration of independence read more. The first american declaration of independence the disputed. According to the dmvs website, the first in freedom plate design recognizes two important events. If you are interested in joining the mecklenburg declaration of independence chapter through one of the patriots below or through a different patriot. Sep 01, 2018 two hundred forty years after a county in north carolina supposedly announced its independence from great britain, take a look back at the murky history of 1775s mecklenburg declaration. Aug 22, 2012 the mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers classic reprint graham, george washington on. In the 12 years since the end of the french and indian war the king and parliament had attempted to increase their power over these independent minded citizens.
Similar lists of resolves were issued by other local colonial governments at that time, none of which called for independence from great britain. Title the mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775. The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers, catalog record electronic resource available this monograph upon the mecklenburg declaration of independence was read before the scotchirish society of america at its meeting in lexington, virginia, on june 21, 1895, and is printed in vol. The socalled declaration did not surface until 1819, 44 years after the event, when it was published in the raleigh register at the behest of u. Yet, having begun reading the first american declaration of independence as a solid skeptic, by the time i finished the book i found myself accepting the possibility that the document may indeed have existed, and that the citizens of mecklenburg might actually have declared independence from great britain in may 1775. And lives of its signers george washington graham neale publishing company, 1905 mecklenburg declaration of independence 205 pages. This was followed in 1834 with a book by a leading north carolina historian. The mecklenburg resolves, created by the mecklenburg county committee of safety on or after may 20, 1775, was adopted by that same committee on may 31, 1775. The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775, and lives of its signers. This was just weeks after what is now considered the first battles in the american war for independence at lexington and concord, massachusetts. Please note that the information below does not constitute proof of lineage and cannot be used in place of a record copy. The mecklenburg declaration of independence, may 20, 1775.