North Carolina's Peacock Bridge

The Peacocks Bridge is located on Highway 58 in Stantonsburg, N.C. and is marked with a historical marker reading: Peacocks Bridge Here Lt. Col. Tarleton's British dragoons and Colonel James Gorham's militia engaged in a skirmish, May, 1781. The bridge had its beginning as a toll bridge built by Samuel Peacock prior to 1751.

Then Governor Gabriel Johnston signed a bill into law on October 12, 1751 to invest the property of the bridge in John Peacock, his heirs, and assigna (by him already built over Contentney Creek, in Johnston County) The document reads in part:

• "Whereas a Bridge over Great Contentney Creek, on the main road leading from Johnston County to Edgecombe County, is as much for the conveniency of Travellers: and Samuel Peacock having already built one on his own land, at his own Expence, where the main road crosses the Creek, and Petitioning to be allowed the priviledge of taking and receiving from Travellers, the usual rates they were accustomed to pay, when he kept a Ferry there; and to be invested with the sole Property of the said Bridge, for the Space of Twenty Five Years:"
• "We pray it may be enacted, and be it enacted, by his Excellency Gabriel Johnston, Esq., Governor, by and with the advice and consent of his Majesty's Council, and the General Assembly of this Province, and by the authority of the same, That it shall and may be lawful for the said Samuel Peacock, his heirs and Assigns, to keep a sufficient Gate on the Bridge built by him, on Great Contentney Creek, where the road now crosseth the said Creek, leading from Johnston County to Edgecombe County, and take and receive from all Persons that shall pass over the same, the following Rates; that is to say,


• For every Man and Horse, Four Pence. For every Carriage, drawn bt one or two horses Or oxen, one Shilling. And for every Horse, Mare, or Ox, Four Pence each. And for every Head of Neat Cattle, One Penny. And for every twenty Hogs or Sheep, One Shilling. And so in proportion for a greater or lesser Number of hogs or sheep; For and during the Space of Twenty Five years, and no longer."


• "And be it further enacted, That during the Time the Bridge shall be kept in Repair, and fit for Travellers and Carriages to pass and repass the same. It shall not be lawful for any Person whatsoever to keep any Ferry, build any Bridge, or set any Person, or Persons, Carriage or Carriages, Cattle, Hogs, Sheep, over the said Creek, for Fee or Reward, within six Miles of the same, during the Time aforesaid; under the Penalty of Twenty Shillings, Proclamation Money, for each and every offence, to be Recovered by the said Samuel Peacock, his Heirs, Execu- tors, Administrators and Assigns, before any Magistrate Of the County; to be applied to the Use of the Pro- prietor of the Bridge built by the said Samuel Peacock; And during the said Time, the Right and Property of the said Bridge is hereby invested in the said Samuel Peacock, his Heirs, Executors, Administrators or Assigns."

Peacock Bridge on Hwy 58 in Stantonsburg, NC.  Originally the Peacock toll bridge built by Samuel Peacock prior to 1751.