Going through court minutes today at work, here's a couple things -
Reason 5,749 it must have sucked to be black in a slave-holding society, from May 12, 1779 Surry County Court Minutes:
"Ordered by the Court that David Toles to Examine Respecting Jane Scott a supposed free negro in the Possesion of Abraham Creson in order to ascertain the facts Respecting her freedom."
This guy had to be a pain in the ass, from August 1784 Guilford County Court Minutes (is this how you said "Public Drunk" in the 18th century?):
"Ordered that Jehu Morton be fined 15s for three Profane Oaths by him sworn in the presence of the Court -- and that he stand commited until fine & fees paid.
Ordered that Jehu Morton be commited to Jail for the space of one Hour for a Contempt offered the Court.
Ordered by the Court that Jehu Morton be commited to Stocks for two Hours and that the Sheriff summon a Guard sufficient for that purpose and that any convenient fence be deemed stocks for that purpose or any other place of confinement."
P.S.
Going through some weird stuff here we don't usually research for folks. I just found a couple of "Ordinary Bonds" from the 1760's for some guy. These are licenses to run a tavern. One of the conditions of running said tavern is: "shall not suffer or permit any Unlawful Gaming in his House nor on the Sabath day suffer any person to tipple drink more than is necessary."
