Thomas Burke is elected Governor of North Carolina
By the summer of 1781, the N.C. House needed to appoint a governor, as they did annually, and the nomination list included Abner Nash, the current governor, Thomas Burke and Samuel Johnson. Abner Nash asked to have his name withdrawn from the nomination list, due to health and other issues. The house then voted on the remaining list, and recommended that Thomas Burke be appointed the 3rd Governor of North Carolina. They sent a letter to Thomas in Hillsborough asking if he would be willing to accept the position, and on June 26, 1781 he accepts and takes the oath of office. Can you imagine, here is a 34 year old man, who was a doctor, a lawyer, congressman and now Governor?!!
When he became Governor, I don’t think he was all that informed about what the job as Chief Magistrate entailed, as he wrote a number of letters asking how much he was to be paid, and if he was to get a secretary and how much the secretary was to be paid and on and on the questions went. Can you imagine, “Sure I will take this office, and by the way – what does it pay”?
What was the situation like in 1781 in North Carolina? Well here is a paragraph from a letter he wrote to the Governor of Virginia after one month on the job…
“ To give you an adequate idea of the disarrangement would require much more time than you or I can at present spare, and the picture would be very disagreeable as the drawing would be unfavorable. I will not attempt it at present tho, if I shall be able to affect such information as may afford an agreeable contrast on such future day, I may perhaps present you with the sketches.” How much is the pay?
He then travels the eastern part of the state, typically around Halifax, Edenton and Williamsborough. It’s at the Nutbush church that he writes many letters. This very old church was formerly aligned with the Church of England, not very popular at the time, so the vacant church building became his headquarters. His wife remained with friends in Halifax. When you read these letters, everyone complaining, everyone wanting something, needing something, and a sprinkle of war issues and the like, it makes your head spin. I don’t think I ever read one piece of good news.