Martin County

July 19th 1777}

John Stewart being called upon to give Evidence of a Certain ^Religious^ Society &c declareth & sayeth that on or About the first of this Instant he this Deponant going to Tar River on Business on his return was informed that Daniel Legget had been to his house & informed this Deponents Wife that he Daniel Legget wanted to see this Deponant on Business & desired he might come down to Thomas Harrison Senr. on his return the second or third Day after this Deponant came home he went to the House of Thomas Harrison Senr. where he this Deponent saw Daniel Legget when he the sd. Deponent was called out of Doors by sd Legget & Began his Discourse by saying that ^we^ was like to have a great fall in our Religion as he the sd Legget understood that sundry of the Members of Congress had Denied the Being of a (God) & thought it would be very Necessary for the People of the Country to form themselves into a society for the suport of Religion then he the said Daniel Legget pulled out a paper & read something all of which this Deponant Does not remember but that it related principally to religion after reading some time he the said Daniel Legget asked the Deponent how he liked it he the sd. Deponant answered he liked it well enough, He this Deponent sayeth that the said Legget told him this Deponent that some of the Members of Congress was in it & that some of the Justices of Martin County was members in the sd society & particularly Mentiond Jas Sherrod & that they intended to have Ministers in the society after it grew a little older this Deponent told the said Legget if they would have Ministers he would freely subs subscribe five pounds to it Then he the said Legget tendered this Deponent an oath which this Deponent refused to take by as he said he Intended out of the Country in a short time did not choose to be concerned in any society, the said Deponent mentiond he was going to Mr. Saml Blacks for an Augue the said Legget asked this Deponent if Mr. Samuel Black would not make a good Member, this Deponent answerd he thought he would then the said Daniel Legget desired the said Deponent to inform Mr. Black of sd society which he this Deponent said he would but the said Daniel Legget told this Deponent there was a token to be learnt before the said Black must be sent & that this Deponent must swear him to secrecy of said Leggets name which the said Legget learnt ^the Deponent^ for that purpose Then this Deponent to Mr. Blacks & did as the said Legget had learnt him on which Mr. Black told this Deponent that he would go to said Legget; a few Days after the said Samuel Black came to this Deponents house & brought with him Mr. Wm. Brimage the sd Black told this Deponent that he had brought Mr. Brimage to get inform’d of the Society which this Deponent had Mentiond to said Black when he this Deponent told him he knew neither head nor tail of it, but that he this Deponent was going down to Col. Stevens Lees in the Morning if they would stay at his house that night he would call with them in the morning at Harrisons to see Legget after swearing Brimage not to mention Leggets name as before ordered by said Legget upon which this Deponent Black & Brimage set off Black Calling at Jona Davis, the [illegible] Deponent & Brimage keept on to Harrisons house where they found sd Legget; The sd Legget Brimage & Thomas Harrison went a little way into the woods while this Deponent went to Cut a whip after coming up to Mr. Brimage, he Mr. Brimage & this Deponent went on to the Road where they met with Mr. Saml Black Coming where he this Deponent left Mr. Black Mr. Brimage & proceeded to Colo. Stevens Lees the next Day, on this Deponents return he met with sd Black at Capt Everetts Muster when this Deponent asked said Mr. Saml Black how he liked the paper Mr. Black asked this Deponent if he had thought any thing more of it & this deponent told him he had not upon which the said Black told ^this^ Deponent that he had read it twice & that he liked [illegible] the last did not like it the last time, as he thought he could discover something that might mean Bad in it & that he had an Intention to Disclose it to this Deponent told him if he thought any thing Bad was meant, he might Disclose it, upon which this Deponent & said Mr Samuel Black parted & further this Deponent sayeth not—

John Stewart

Deposition of John Stewart vs Daniel Legit Wm. Brimage Thos. Harrison & Black