Thomas Cary (North Carolina politician)

Thomas Cary
4th Deputy Governor of North-Carolina
In office 1705–1706
Preceded by	Robert Daniell
Succeeded by	William Glover (Acting)
In office 1708–1711
Preceded by	William Glover (Acting)
Succeeded by	Edward Hyde (as Governor of North-Carolina)
Personal details
Born	Buckinghamshire, England
Died	c. 1718 Bath County, North-Carolina

Thomas Cary who served as the fourth and last Deputy Governor of North-Carolina. He is best known for his role in the revolt known as Cary's Rebellion, between 1708 and 1711, in which he usurped power from then–Deputy Governor William Glover, driving Glover from the province.

Biography

Thomas Cary was born in Buckinghamshire, England, to Walter Cary and Ann Dobson. Eventually, Cary moved to South Carolina, where he became a prominent "merchant and shipowner". In 1707, Cary joined the South Carolina assembly as the representative and speaker. The same year, he also was appointed governor of South Carolina until he was replaced by William Glover. However, he regained the government of the province in October 1708 thanks to support from dissenters. Cary abolished the laws of Glover and replaced officials suspected of being disloyal to the dissidents. He prompted the immigration of new settlers through the reformation of land grant policy. He ended his term in 1711.^[1]

In this year, when Edward Hyde was appointed the first Governor of the Province of North-Carolina (albeit before the Province's official separation from the Province of South Carolina), Cary put up resistance to Hyde's new authority, thus causing a revolt in the colony. Cary was eventually defeated and captured in Virginia, and Hyde took office as he had planned. In 1711, Virginia Governor Alexander Spotswood sent Cary and his supporters to London to subject them to trial. Cary was released in 1712 without suffering any punishment, "likely due to a lack of clear evidence". In 1713, Cary returned to North Carolina, living in Bath County until his death in July 1718.^[2]

References

1. Bickham, Troy O. (23 September 2004). "Cary, Thomas (d. c. 1720)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/68507. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 7 May 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
2. Daniels, Dennis F.; Powell, William S., ed. (2006). "Thomas Cary". Encyclopedia of North Carolina. UNC Press. Retrieved 20 December 2012. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |first2= has generic name (help)