James Blount (colonist)
Captain James Blount | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Rebel North Carolina Assembly | |
| In office 1677–1678 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1620 |
| Died | 17 July 1686 (aged 65–66) Mulberry Hill, Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Wylde |
| Children | 5, including Thomas Blount (magistrate) |
| Occupation | planter, settler, militia officer, politician |
| Military service | |
| Rank | Captain (North Carolina Militia) |
| Battles/wars | |
Captain James Blount was an American officer, politician, and planter in colonial North Carolina.[1] He served in the rebel North Carolina Assembly during Culpeper's Rebellion.[2] It was one of the earliest instances of open defiance of British crown rule in America.[3]
Early life & Family
James John Blount was born in 1620 to James Blount and Anne Clare. His grandparents were landowners in England, having some considerable level of wealth. He married his wife Elizabeth Wylde in 1646 and they would go on to have 5 children, including his son Thomas Blount (magistrate).[4]
Culpeper's Rebellion
As a prominent landowner and militia captain in the Albemarle region, Blount opposed the proprietary officials’ enforcement of tobacco taxes and trade regulations imposed by the Lords Proprietors.[5] During the rebellion, he served on the rebel council, which temporarily governed the colony after the proprietary governor and customs officers were expelled. Although the uprising did not challenge English rule itself, it demonstrated the settlers’ willingness to resist perceived abuses by the proprietary government. [6]
Later life & Legacy
Following the rebellion, James Blount was restored to official positions, including membership on the Albemarle Council and service as a justice of the county court. He died in Edenton, North Carolina, aged 65-66.[7]
References
- ^ Parker, Mattie E. E. "Blount (Blunt), James". NCpedia. State Library of North Carolina. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ Saunders, William L. (1886). The Colonial Records of North Carolina, Volume II. Raleigh: P. M. Hale.
- ^ Saunders, William L. (1886). The Colonial Records of North Carolina, Volume I. Raleigh: P. M. Hale.
- ^ "Captain James Blount". Haywood County Line. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ Butler, Lindley S. "Culpeper's Rebellion". NCpedia. State Library of North Carolina. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ Rankin, Hugh F. (1962). Upheaval in Albemarle: The Story of Culpeper's Rebellion. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.
- ^ Unknown. "James Blount biography and genealogy". FeindHolloway.com. Retrieved 25 February 2026.