I. Whereas the County of Bladen is now become so very extensive, that many of the Inhabitants thereof live very remote from the Place where the Court of the said County is held; whereby a great many Difficulties and Hardships arise to the Upper Inhabitants thereof, not only in attending their ordinary Business in the said Court, but also by being compelled to serve as Jurymen, and often times as Evidences, at the said Court: For Remedy whereof,

II. We pray that it may be Enacted, And be it Enacted, by his Excellency Gabriel Johnston, Esq., Governor, by and with the Advice and Consent of his Majesty's Council, and the General Assembly of this Province, and by the Authority of the same, That Bladen County be divided by a Line, beginning at the Place where the South Line of this Province crosseth the West-most Branch of Little Pee Dee River, then by a straight Line to a Place where the Commissioners for running the Southern Boundary of this Province crosseth that Branch of Little Pee Dee River, called Drowning Creek, thence up that Branch to the Head thereof; then by a Line, to run, as near as may be, equidistant, from Saxpahaw River, and Great Pee Dee River; and that the upper Part of the said County and Parish so laid off and undivided, be erected into a County and Parish, by the Name of Anson County, and St. George's Parish, and that all the Inhabitants to the Westward of the aforementioned dividing line, shall belong and appertain to Anson County: And that the said County and Parish shall enjoy all and every the Privileges, which any other County or Parish in this Province holds or enjoys.

III. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for the Justices of the said County to lay a Tax on all the Taxables in the said County, not exceeding the Sum of One Shilling Proclamation Money, per Annum, for the Term of Three Years, for building a Court House, Prison, and Stocks, in the said County, at such Place as the said Justices shall agree upon and appoint, at the County Court to be holden on the Third Tuesday of October, next following; and shall further divide the said County into Districts, and shall appoint Commissioners of the Roads for the same: Which said Tax shall be Collected by the Sheriff of the said County, at such Times, and in the same Manner as other County Taxes are collected.

IV. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That the Courts of the said County shall be held, on the Third Tuesdays in January, April, July, and October.

V. And be it further Enacted, That Joseph White be, and is hereby appointed Sheriff of the said County of Anson, until the Time prescribed by Law, for appointing Sheriffs of this Province; and shall be vested with the same Powers and Authorities, as any other Sheriff of any other County in this Province is Vested with.

VI. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That Mr. Joseph White, Mr. Charles Robertson, Mr. Edmond Cartledge, Mr. William Phillips, Mr. John Brandon, Mr. John Furbus, Mr. James Cartby, Mr. John Crawford, Mr. Alexander Osborn, Mr. Walter Carieth, and Mr. John Brevard, be, and they are hereby appointed Vestrymen of the said Parish of St. George's Until the General Election of Vestrymen, according to Law; and that the said Vestrymen shall be summoned by the Sheriff of the said County, to meet at such Time and Place, as the Majority of the said Vestrymen shall appoint, and qualify themselves as a Vestry, and proceed to Parish Business.

VII. And be it further Enacted, That all County and Parish Taxes, now due from any of the Inhabitants of the said County of Anson, shall be Collected by the Sheriff of Bladen County, and accounted for in the same Manner as tho' this Act had not been made.

VIII. And to the End, that no Action commenced in Bladen County be defeated, by the Division aforesaid,

IX. Be it Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That where any Action is already commenced in the said County of Bladen, and that the Parties or Evidences shall be Inhabitants of Anson County, all subsequent Process against such Parties or Evidences, shall be directed to be executed by the Sheriff of Bladen County, to the End and final Determination of the said Causes: Any Law, Usage, or Custom, to the contrary, notwithstanding.

X. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That the said County of Anson be, and is hereby obliged to send Jurors to the Courts of Assize, Oyer and Terminer, and General Gaol Delivery, to be held at Wilmington, in like Manner as the Counties of Bladen and Onslow.

Signed by,

GABRIEL JOHNSTON, ESQ., Governor.
NATHANIEL RICE, President.
SAMUEL SWANN, Speaker.