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| Whaling License issued to Samuel Chadwick 1726 image from Seasoned by Salt by Rodney Barfield |
To Samuel Chadwick you are hereby permitted with three boats to fish for whale or Other Royall fish on ye Seay Coast of this Government and whatsoever you shall catch to convert to your own use paying to ye Hon, ye Governor one tenth parte of ye Oyls and bone Made by Vertue of this License. By ye Hon. y Govern. Ord.
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On November 23, 1723 Beaufort was incorporated by an act of the General Assembly. Contracts for lots sold were to keep the building provision established by Robert Turner in 1713, but increased the time limit to two years. Money received from the resale of lots was to be used for the building of a church and other uses decided upon by the church wardens and the vestry.
Guidelines also stipulated that all lots were to be cleared and all streets measure at least 66 feet wide. There would be no make-shift fences. Those fences built were required to be “paled in”—constructed with post and rails. Disturbing the peace would warrant a fine of ten shillings, 24 hours in jail, or two hours in a stockade. At the same time, liquor made in the precinct could be sold by anyone without a license.
In 1725, according to historian Charles L. Paul, two roads connected Beaufort with the surrounding area. One extended northeast to the west side of North River. The other ran north to Core Creek. The two roads merged in town at the courthouse. At that time a ferry became available across Core Creek and a bridge road was planned from the west side of the Newport River to the White Oak River area.
The growth of the town of Beaufort proceeded at a snail’s pace. In 1723, only five lot sales were recorded—all lapsed because the owners did not build on them. In December, 1725, Richard Rustull saved his investment by selling the Beaufort land to Nathaniel Taylor, a resident of Carteret Precinct, for 160 pounds sterling.
