William Gilbert later cleared

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:38:37 -0500

A history of Tryon County says William Gilbert was later cleared.

In "The History of Old Tryon and Rutherford Counties," county historian Clarence Griffin says the one-time representative was expelled on Feb. 8, 1779, on charges of fraud for allegedly duplicating his vouchers while working as commissary of the Tryon County militia.

In a footnote (p. 71), Griffin says Gilbert denied his guilt and was later re-elected.

In 1781, he was appointed a justice of the peace in the Rutherford County court and chosen as chairman. That October, the court heard testimony on the fraud charges and vindicated Gilbert with the following order:

It is the opinion of the court that the said William Gilbert is not guilty of the charge laid against him to the General Assembly, and we do certify that the said William Gilbert never plundered, nor was guilty of plundering, to our knowledge.

Of course, Gilbert was in charge of the court at the time and the county's largest landholder, so one could be skeptical. The truth, Griffin notes, "in all likelihood will never be known."