Talk of freedom from British rule was prevalent in Mecklenburg County in the spring of 1775. A committee of citizens drew up a document known as the Mecklenburg Resolves [1] on May 31, 1775. They reorganized their local government and declared themselves "independent of the Crown of Great Britain." This document was published in the North Carolina Gazette in New Bern on June 16, 1775. It has great historical importance but has never drawn the interest and curiosity of historians, politicians and citizens as much as an alleged previously written document known as the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.
 
Controversy has existed for decades about the possibility of a "declaration of independence," often referred to as the "Meck Dec," which was reportedly written eleven days prior to the Mecklenburg Resolves. Was the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence written on May 20, 1775, more than a year before our founding fathers met in Philadelphia and signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776?

• The Meck Dec Document [2]

View [2] and listen to a reading [3] of this controversial document.

 

• Historical Background [4] 

What led up to the events of May 20, 1775?

 

• Souvenirs and Photos [5]

Photo & memorabilia collection from past Meck Dec celebrations

 

• Historical Document Index [6]

Links to the articles and documents appearing throughout this site

 

• Signers' Biographies:

Abraham Alexander [7]

Adam Alexander [8]

Charles Alexander [9]

Ezra Alexander [10]

Hezekiah Alexander [11]

John McKnitt Alexander [12]

Waightstill Avery [13]

Hezekiah Balch [14]

Richard Barry [15]

Ephraim Brevard [16]

John Davidson [17]

Henry Downs [18]

John Flennekin [19]

John Foard [20]

William Graham [21]

James Harris [22]

Richard Harris [23]

Robert Irwin [24]

William Kennon [25]

Matthew McClure [26]

Neill Morrison [27]

Duncan Ochiltree [28]

Benjamin Patton [29]

John Phifer [30]

Thomas Polk [31]

John Queary [32]

David Reese [33]

Zaccheus Wilson [34]

Meet the varied group known as the “Mecklenburg signers.”

• Documents about People & Families Associated with the Meck Dec:

• Alexander, Charles - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Will Book A, pp. 43 [35] - 44 [36]
• Alexander, Ezra - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Will Book A, p. 19 [37]
• Alexander, Hezekiah - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Deed Book 1, pp. 441 [38], 442 [39], 443 [40]
• Alexander, Hezekiah - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Will Book A, pp. 20 [41], 21 [42], 22 [43], 23 [44]
• Alexander, John McKnitt - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Will Book A, pp. 54 [45], 55 [46], 56 [47], 57 [48], 58 [49], 59 [50]
• Alexander, Mary, (wife of Hezekiah) - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Will Book A, pp. 47 [51]-48 [52]
• Craighead, Rev. Alexander - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Deed Book 1, pp. 466-467 [53]
• Downs, Henry - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Will Book C, p. 22 [54]
• McClure (McLure), Matthew - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Deed Book 1, pp. 190 [55], 191 [56]
• McClure, Matthew - Mecklenburg Co., NC; Will Book E, pp. 4 [57], 5 [58], 6 [59]
• Reese, David - Mecklenburg, Co., NC; Original Will, pp. 1 [60], 2 [61], 3 [62], 4 [63]