William Gilbert kicked out for fraud

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:41:32 -0500

William Gilbert was kicked out of the House for fraud.

Born in Ireland, Gilbert moved to Western North Carolina in 1760 and became the largest landholder in Tryon (now Rutherford) County in an area that came to be known as Gilbert Town.

In 1779, he represented the area in the General Assembly, according to William S. Powell's "Dictionary of North Carolina Biography":

Later that year, after a six-month inquiry, he was expelled from the Assembly for "intentionally defrauding the publick."

Nevertheless, Powell notes, he was immediately re-elected and served until 1783.

Gilbert later worked as a justice of the peace, and his home did double-duty as a tavern and the county seat. The General Assembly found him guilty of forgery and removed him from the post.

He moved to South Carolina, where his fortunes soured. He lost "a great deal of his property" and his children died in epidemics, Powell notes.

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William Gilbert kicked out for fraud