The Jesse Benton Letters (1780-1790)

This book contains a collection of letters between Jesse Benton and Thomas Hart. Thomas Hart was the owner of a large mill complex just east of the Town of Hillsborough, which he sold to Benton. Benton became Hart’s attorney while Hart continues his migration out of NC to a number of other states. These letters were located in the Library of Congress and provide great insight to life in the area, and legal matters with the Transylvania Land Company in TN. It was this mill site (first as Maddox Mill in the 1760s) was used as a meeting place for the Regulation, as well as the location of a Revolutionary skirmish (Harts Mill). A dossier of the people mentioned in the letter, as well as some locales is provided (Rochester, Tullock, Johnston, Burke, Mallett, Munford, Kellow, etc)