Herman Husband's libel charge

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:00:00 -0500

Herman Husband was kicked out of the legislature for libel.

A native of Maryland, he first came to North Carolina in 1754 to work as a land surveyor. Eventually, he settled on the present-day site of Hillsborough, growing wheat along Sandy Creek.

Husband, a Quaker, played a role in several colonial-era protests, according to William S. Powell's "The Dictionary of North Carolina Biography." He was then elected to the state House:

He served as an assemblyman for Orange County in 1769 and 1770 but was expelled during the latter session and imprisoned in New Bern for allegedly libeling Maurice Moore, Jr., and for threatening the Assembly, and initiating the revolt.

He remained in jail until 1771. He later moved to Pennsylvania, where he supported the American Revolution and served in the state legislature.

He died of an illness apparently contracted in prison while serving briefly for his role in the Whiskey Rebellion.

newsobserver.com projects - Herman Husband's libel charge - Comments

Herman Husband's libel charge