The Liberty Point Resolves, also known as "The Cumberland Association", was a resolution signed by fifty residents of Cumberland County,

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, early in the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

. On June 20, 1775, these Patriots, who had formed themselves into a group known simply as "The Association", met at Lewis Barge's tavern in Cross Creek (now part of Fayetteville) to sign a document protesting the actions of

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following the

battles of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 were the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot militias from America's Thirteen Co ...

. The signers expressed the hope that Great Britain and the colonies would be reconciled, but vowed that, if necessary, they would "go forth and be ready to sacrifice our lives and fortunes to secure her freedom and safety". The resolves were thus not a declaration of independence—public advocation for separation from Great Britain would not become common until 1776. The period of the American Revolution was a time of divided loyalties in Cumberland County, and a considerable portion of the population, especially the Highland Scots who had immigrated in 1739, were staunchly loyal to the British Crown. Among them was the famous Scottish heroine Flora MacDonald. The Liberty Point document followed the similar Mecklenburg Resolutions by just a month and preceded the

United States Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America in the original printing, is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, it was adopted unanimously by the Second Continen ...

by a little more than a year.

Text

The brief document read: Robert Rowan, who apparently organized the group, signed first. The names of other signers include those of families who made a deep imprint on the Cape Fear region, from colonial times onward: Barge, Powell, Evans, Elwell, Green, Carver, Council, Gee, Blocker, Hollingsworth. The event is commemorated today by a memorial and plaque in downtown Fayetteville, near the corner of Bow and Person Streets.

Signers

*Robert Rowan *Peter Messer *Sam. Hollingsworth *Maurice Nowlan *Thomas Cabein *John Glendenin *Theophilus Evans *Daniel Douse *William Carver *Joseph DE Lespine *James Dick *James Edmunds *John Oliver *John Stephenson *John Carraway *Micajah Terrell *William Bathgate *William Herin *John Wilson *Charles Stevens *David Evans *Thomas Rae *John Parker *James Gee *James Emmitt *Walter Murray *Benjamin Elwell *Aaron Varden *William Gillespie *William White *Oners West *Philip Herin *Joseph Greer *George Fletcher *Robert Varner *Thomas White *James Pearl *John Elwell *John Jones *Lewis Barge *David Dunn *Robert Council *Martin Leonard *Simon Bandy *James Giffy *Thomas Moody *Robert Greer *Robert Carver *Arthur Council *Joshua Hadley *Samuel Carver *David Shephard *William Blocker *George Barnes

References

"Association adopted and signed by the Committees of the District of Wilmington, in North-Carolina".
''American Archives'' Series 4, Volume 2, p. 1030, published online by the Northern Illinois University Libraries.
"Liberty Point Resolves return to Fayetteville"
'' The Fayetteville Observer'', July 22, 2008. Accessed on August 3, 2008. ---- {{American Revolution origins Cumberland County, North Carolina North Carolina in the American Revolution 1775 in the Thirteen Colonies Documents of the American Revolution United States documents 1775 in North Carolina 1775 documents