William Caswell (September 24, 1754January 6, 1785) was an American politician, lawyer, and planter. Besides service on state court benches, he represented
Dobbs County in the
North Carolina House of Commons
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...
from 1779 to 1784. He was also a senior
officer
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
who commanded
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
during the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
.
Biography
William Caswell, the son of
Richard
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...
and Mary ( Mackilwean) Caswell, was born September 24, 1754, in
Johnston County (present-day
Lenoir County
Lenoir County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 55,122. Its county seat is Kinston, located on the Neuse River, across which the county has its territory.
Lenoir County comprises the K ...
),
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. He received training by apprenticeship in law and served as the register of deeds for Dobbs County. He attended the
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
in 1774 with his father. Caswell was elected to the
North Carolina House of Commons
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...
in
1779
Events
January–March
* January 11 – British troops surrender to the Marathas in Wadgaon, India, and are forced to return all territories acquired since 1773.
* January 11 – Ching-Thang Khomba is crowned King of Manip ...
(second session),
1780-1781, 1782, and 1784. After the American Revolution, he resided at his plantation, "Red House," near
Kinston, where he died on January 6, 1785.
During the American Revolutionary War, Caswell saw service as a
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
commanding
Caswell's Brigade,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
; appointed May 9, 1779 (1779-1783). Caswell previously served as an
ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
in the
2nd North Carolina Regiment
The 2nd North Carolina Regiment was an American infantry unit that was raised for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. In 1776 the regiment helped defend Charleston, South Carolina. Ordered to join George Washington's main ...
, commissioned September 1, 1775 (1775-1776); a captain in the
5th North Carolina Regiment
The 5th North Carolina Regiment was assigned on March 26, 1776, to the Continental Army in the Southern Department. It was organized in the spring of 1776 at Wilmington, North Carolina, as eight companies of volunteers from the districts of New ...
(1776-1778); and
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
of
The Dobbs Regiment, North Carolina militia (1779), appointed 2nd colonel during the third quarter of 1778.
References
External links
William Caswell papersat the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
William Caswellat
The Political Graveyard
The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information. The name comes from the website's inclusion of burial locations of ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caswell, William
1754 births
1785 deaths
18th-century American judges
18th-century American lawyers
18th-century American politicians
American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law
County judges in the United States
Deaths in North Carolina
Farmers from North Carolina
Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
Militia generals in the American Revolution
North Carolina lawyers
North Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution
People of colonial North Carolina
People from Dobbs County, North Carolina
People from Johnston County, North Carolina
People from Kinston, North Carolina