Male

March 25, 1758

September 6, 1802

New Bern, NC

Mary Leach Spaight (March 24, 1788)

Richard Dobbs Spaight was born in New Berne, North Carolina March, 25 1758. His father, Richard, was a member of the king's council in 1757, and secretary of North Carolina under the crown in 1762. His mother was the daughter of Arthur Dobbs, governor of the colony in 1753-'65.

Spaight lost his parents at eight years of age and received his education abroad, being graduated at the University of Glasgow. He returned home in 1778, and at twenty years of age became aide-de-camp to General Richard Caswell, and was present at the Battle of Camden during the Revolutionary War. His kinsman, Captain William Spaight, of the 65th regiment, had already been engaged at the battle of Bunker Hill on the British side.

In 1781 he was elected to the North Carolina legislature, and again ...in 1782 and 1783. In the last year he became a member of Congress and was placed on the committee to devise a plan for the temporary government of the western territory. He was a delegate to the convention to frame the Constitution of the United States in 1787, and was active in the proceedings.

In the Hillsboro', North Carolina, convention in July, 1788, though afterward a Jeffersonian Republican, he earnestly advocated the adoption of the United States constitution, but in vain. He had been in correspondence with General Washington on the subject, and the following interesting paragraph occurs in an unpublished letter to Governor Spaight, dated Mt. Vernon, May 25, 1788: "I am sorry to find by your letter that the state of North Carolina is so much opposed to the proposed government. If a better could be agreed on, it might be well to reject this: but without such a prospect (and I confess none appears to me), policy I think must recommend the one that is submitted." On the invitation of Governor Spaight, Washington visited North Carolina, and, in consequence of their united counsels, North Carolina ratified the constitution on November 21, 1789.

Owing to feeble health Governor Spaight retired during four years from public life. In 1792 he was elected to the legislature, and he was immediately chosen governor by that body, being the first native of the state that was chief magistrate. In 1793 and 1797 he was a presidential elector. He was a member of congress again from 1798 till 1801, and in the latter year sat in the North Carolina senate. He died of a, wound that he had received in a duel with John Stanly, his successor in Congress.
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