Date Died: September 6, 1802

Place Buried: James City, Craven County

Occupation: Planter

As the first native-born governor, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Sr., was born in New Bern, NC in 1758. His mother was the sister of NC Royal Governor Arthur Dobbs. Richard Dobbs Spaight served as aide-de-camp to Governor Richard Caswell when he was a colonial army general. Spaight served several years in the state House of Commons, in the national Continental Congress, and at the federal Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

In 1792, he was elected governor and served three terms. In 1798, Spaight was elected to Congress. His support of issues while in Congress and in the years following did not find favor with John Stanly, a native of New Bern and Spaight's successor in Congress. Stanly challenged Spaight to a duel. The duel was held on September 5, 1802, and Spaight was mortally wounded on the fourth discharge. The Spaight-Stanly duel prompted the NC legislature to pass a law declaring the survivor (and his second) of a duel, in which the opponent was killed, to be subject to the death penalty.

Next Governor - Samuel Ashe >>