Charlotte center city in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Captain James Jack's Ride
A few days after the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and Mecklenburg Resolves were signed, Captain James Jack was deputized to deliver the words of liberty to the North Carolina delegates at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. On his trip north, after reading the documents in Salisbury, a group of angry Loyalists attempted to detain Captain Jack for treason against Great Britain. He escaped and arrived in Philadelphia to deliver the papers to delegates Richard Caswell, William Hooper, and Joseph Hewes. Since members of Congress were at this time hopeful of a reconciliation with Great Britain, the Mecklenburg action was deemed "premature" and was not presented to Congress.
During Captain Jack's journey home, he passed through the Moravian village of Salem, where their records show alarm at Mecklenburg's "encouragement to take up arms" in order to be free and independent of England."
Captain James Jack's father, Patrick Jack, owned and operated a tavern on Trade Street where travelers and local citizens ate, drank, exchanged news and discussed politics. Because of the Jack family's role in the Revolution, the British torched both Captain Jack's home and Pat Jack's tavern during Cornwallis' occupation of Charlotte.
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Location. 35° 13.754′ N, 80° 50.596′ W. Marker is in Charlotte, North Carolina, in Mecklenburg County. It is in Charlotte center city. It is on West 5th Street just west of North Church Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 W Trade St, Charlotte NC 28202, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (here, next to this marker); The Battle of Charlotte (here, next to this marker);
Credits. This page was last revised on June 20, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 1,257 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 20, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
