The east of America between 31° and 36° north latitude was colonized during the reign of Charles II of England (1660-’85). Soon a great difference arose between the north and the south. For that reason the province was partioned in 1729 in North Carolina and South Carolina. In 1776 both colonies signed the act of independence. South-Carolina ratified the constitution in 1788 and North-Carolina in 1789.

Carolina

Shortly after King Charles II issued the Charter of 1663 to the Lords Proprietors, a seal was adopted to use in conjunction with their newly acquired domains in America. No official description has been found of the seal but it can be seen in the British Public Record Office in London. The seal had two sides and was three and three-eighths inches in diameter. The impression was made by bonding two wax cakes together with tape before being impressed. The finished impression was about one-fourth inch thick. This seal was used on all official papers of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina, embracing both North Carolina and South Carolina.

Obverse and reverse of the seal of the Lords Proprietor of the Province of Carolina.

The reverse shows the personal arms of the Lords Proprietor. (Coll. Arms, I 9. fo. 194)

Arms: Two Cornucopia in saltire, mouths upwards.

Crest: A buck trippant.

Supporters Dexter an indian woman holding a baby in her arms and at her side a small indian boy holding an arrow and sinister an indian, on his head a crown of feathers and holding a large arrow.

Motto: Domitus Scultiribus Orbis (The taming makes the land).

There is a docket of the above arms in the College of Arms (Coll. Arms, I 9, fo. 194)  with this note: “The arms, Crest and Supporters of the province of Carolina drawn from the impression of the Great Seal of that province fixt to the Patent granted to Laurence Cromp, Esqr. Late York Herald, to be principal Herald of the said province, under the hands of his excellency John Lord Granville, Palatine, and the Right Honbl. the rest of the true and Absolute Proprietors of the said Province, dated the first day of June Anno Dni 1705. [1]

Counterseal of Carolina,

The cross of England surrounded by the arms of the Lords Proprietor of Carolina

In the middle is the red cross on the white field of England

The arms on the counterseal are (clockwise):

Albemarle (General George Monk, 1st Duke of Albemarle) Gules a chevron between three lion´s heads Argent

Craven William Craven 1st Earl of Craven 16 08-‘97  Quarterly: 1&4: a fesse between six cross crosslets fitchée, 3 and 3 Gules; 2&3: [Azure] five fleurs de lys 1-3-1 [Or]

Berkeley (Sir William Berkeley, Governor of Virginia): Gules a chevron and ten crosses, six in chief and four in base Argent. 

Ashley (Lord Ashley Cooper, afterwards Earl of Shaftesbury) Argent three bulls passant Sable

Carteret (Sir George Carteret): Gules, four fusils conjoined per fess Argent.

Berkeley (John Lord Berkeley): Gules a chevron and ten crosses, six in chief and four in base Argent. 

Colleton (Sir John Colleton) Or, three deer´s heads proper

Clarendon (Edward Hyde 1st Lord Clarendon ) Quarterly 1&4 Azure, a chevron between three fusils Or; 2&3: Paly of sic Or and Gules a bend Azure Andf in nombril point  Azure, a cross Argent

Albemarle

Craven

Berkeley

Ashley

Carteret

Berkeley

Colleton

Clarendon

When the Government of Albemarle was organized in 1665, it adopted for a seal the reverse side of the seal of the Lords Proprietors. Between the coats-of-arms, the word A-L-BE-M-A-R-L-E was fixed in capitals, beginning with the letter "A" between the Edward Hyde arms and those of General George Monk.

The Albemarle seal was small, only one and seven-sixteenths inches in diameter and had only one face. The seal was usually impressed on red wax, but was occasionally seen imprinted on a wafer stuck to the instrument with soft wax. The government for Albemarle County was the first to use the seal; however, as the colony grew, it became the seal of the entire Province of North Carolina. It continued in use until just after the purchase of North Carolina by the crown. During the troublesome times of the Cary Rebellion, the Albemarle seal was not used. Instead, Cary used his family arms as seal for official papers. William Glover used his private seal during his presidency as well.

North-Carolina

In colonial times the royal achievements of Great Britain, of which it was a part, were used but these were abandoned after independence and replaced, when needed, by a coat of arms of the state itself.

The arms of North Carolina

On Thomas Doolittle’s “A display of the United states of America”, 1787

On the arms are the allegory of Prosperity  with maizecobs in her right hand and her cornucopia in het left hand in the distance is a cow grazing. In base the inscription INDEPENDENCE 1776. on a ribbon the motto: o fortunatos nimium Sua si bona norint COLONOS (How happy are they if they only knew which side their bread was buttered).

The charges of these arms and the motto are borrowed from the reverse of the seal of 1779, the tree omitted. (See below: Seals)

Arms of North Carolina,

From: Mitchell, Henry:The State Arms of the Union. Boston, 1876

The arms represent the allegories of Liberty and Prosperity as on the seal of 1835.

When a motto was adopted in 1893 it was provided in “An Act to establish a State Motto” of 21.02.1893:

“SEC. 2. That on the Coat-of-Arms, in addition to the motto at the bottom, there shall be inscribed at the top ‘May the 20th, 1775.’

but no representations of such a coat of arms seem to have been made.

The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina

Colony

During the colonial period North Carolina used successively four different seals (obverse and reverse). Since independence six seals (obverse and reverse) have been used.

Obverse and reverse of the seal of 1730-‘67

When North Carolina became a Royal Colony in 1729, the old "Albemarle" seal was no longer applicable. On February 3, 1730, the Board of Trade recommended that the king order a public seal for the Province of North Carolina. Later that same month, the king approved the recommendations and ordered that a new seal be prepared for the Governor of North Carolina. On March 25, the Board of Trade presented the king with a draft of the proposed seal for his consideration. The king approved the proposed new seal on April 10 with one minor change – “Georgius Secundus’ was to be substituted for the original “Geo.II.” The chief engraver of seals, Rollos, was ordered to “engrave a silver Seal according to said draught ....”

The arrival of the new seal in North Carolina was delayed, so when the council met in Edenton on March 30, 1731, the old seal of the Colony was ordered to be used till the new seal arrived. The new seal arrived in late April and the messenger fetching the seal from Cape Fear was paid ten pounds for his journey. The impression of the new seal was made by placing two cakes or layers of wax together, and then interlacing ribbon or tape with the attached seal between the wax cakes. It was customary to put a piece of paper on the outside of three cakes before they were impressed. The complete seal was four and three-eighths inches in diameter and from one-half to five-eighths inches thick and weighed about five and one-half ounces.

The obverse of the seal represents the oulines of the North Carolinian coast with the Apallachians in the North, and a ship arriving from the east; on the left (dexter) side King George II is seated on his throne, Liberty with her pole and phrygian cap standing on his left side and receiving Prosperity with her cornucopia before him. Legend:  QUÆ SERA TAMEN RESPEXIT (Which though belated)

On the reverse are the royal achievement and the name and titles of king  George II (1727-’60) for legend.

Obverse and reverse of the seal of 1767

At a meeting of the council held in New Bern on 14 December 1767, Governor Tryon produced a new Great Seal of the province with his Majesty's Royal Warrant bearing date at the Court of St. James the 9th day of July, 1767. The old seal was returned to his Majesty's Council office at Whitehall in England. Accompanying the warrant was a description of the new seal with instruction that the seal was to be used in sealing all patents and grants of lands and all public instruments passed in the king's name for service within the province. It was four inches in diameter, one-half to five-eighths inches thick, and weighed four and one-half ounces.

Sometimes a smaller seal than the Great Seal was used on commissions and grants, such as a small heart-shaped seal, or a seal in the shape of an ellipse. These impressions were evidently made by putting the wax far enough under the edge of the Great Seal to take the impression of the crown. The royal governors also used their private seals on commissions and grants.

Lord Granville, after the sale of the colony by the Lords Proprietors, retained his right to issue land grants. He used his private seal on the grants he issued. The last reference found to the colonial seal is in a letter from Governor Martin to the Earl of Hillsborough in November, 1771, in which he recounts the broken condition of the seal. He states the seal had been repaired and though "awkwardly mended . . . [it was] in such manner as to answer all purposes."

The obverse of the seal represents the oulines of the North Carolinian coast with a ship moored, and the Apallachians in the North; on the left (dexter) side King George III is seated on his throne, Liberty with her pole and phrygian cap standing on his right side leaning towards him and giving audience to Prosperity with her cornucopia kneeling before him. Legend:  QUÆ SERA TAMEN RESPEXIT (Which though belated)

On the reverse are the royal achievement and the name and titles of king George III (1760-1820) for legend.

Independence

Following independence Section XVII of the new constitution adopted at Halifax on December 18, 1776, provided “That there shall be a Seal of this State, which shall be kept by the Governor, and used by him as occasion may require; and shall be called the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina, and be affixed to all grants and commissions.” When a new constitution was adopted in 1868, Article III, Section 16 provided for “. . . a seal of the State, which shall be kept by the Governor, and used by him, as occasion may require, and shall be called ‘The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina.’” It also provided for the secretary of state to countersign with the governor. When the people of North Carolina ratified the current constitution in 1970, Article III, Section 10 contained provisions for “The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina.” However, the wording which authorized the secretary of state to countersign documents was removed.

Seal of 1779-‘94 obverse

Seal of 1779-’94 reverse

On December 22, 1776, the Provincial Congress at Halifax appointed William Hooper, Joseph Hewes and Thomas Burke as commissioners to procure a seal for the State; however, there is no record that a report was ever made by this commission. The Congress provided for the governor to use his “private seal at arms” until the Great Seal for the state was procured. A bill calling for the procurement of a Great Seal was introduced in the lower house of the General Assembly on April 28, 1778. The bill became law on May 2. The legislation provided that William Tisdale, Esq., be appointed to cut and engrave a seal for the State. On Sunday, November 7, 1779, the senate granted Tisdale £150 to make the seal. The seal procured under this act was used until 1794. The actual size of the seal was three inches in diameter and one-fourth inch thick. It was made by putting two cakes of wax together with paper wafers on the outside and pressing them between the dies, thus forming the obverse and reverse sides of the seal.

An official description of this seal cannot be found, but many of the seals still in existence are in an almost perfect state of preservation.

On the obverse of the seal is a representation of Liberty, in her right hand a pole with a phrygian cap and keeping a document in her left hand inscribed constitution. Below is the motto: in legibus salus. Legend:  the great seal of the state of north carolina

On the reverse is a representation of a virgin with a distaff in her right and a corncob in her left hand and a grazing cow and a tree on the right side. Below her is the inscription: “independence mdcclxxvi.” And for legend the motto o fortunatos nimium Sua si bona norint COLONOS (How happy are they if they only knew which side their bread was buttered).

Seal of 1794

In January, 1792, the General Assembly authorized a new State seal, requiring that it be prepared with only one side. Colonel Abisha Thomas, an agent of North Carolina commissioned by Governor Martin, was in Philadelphia to settle the State's Revolutionary claims against the Federal Government. Martin sent a design to Colonel Thomas for a new seal for the State; however, after suggestions by Dr. Hugh Williamson and Senator Samuel Johnston, this sketch was disregarded and a new one submitted. This new sketch, with some modification, was finally accepted by Governor Spaight, and Colonel Thomas had the seal made accordingly.

The seal press for the old seal must have been very large and unwieldy probably due to the two-sided nature and large diameter of the seal. Governor Richard Dobbs Spaight in a letter to Colonel Abisha Thomas in February, 1793, wrote: "Let the screws by which the impression is to be made be as portable as possible so as it may be adapted to our present itinerant government. The one now in use by which the Great Seal is at present made is so large and unwieldy as to be carried only in a cart or wagon and of course has become stationary at the Secretary's office which makes it very convenient." The seal was cut some time during the summer of 1793, and Colonel Thomas brought it home with him in time for the meeting of the legislature in November, 1793, at which session it was "approbated." The screw to the seal was two and one half inches in diameter and was used until around 1835.

The seal represents Liberty seated, with the constitution and the pole with phrygian cap  and Prosperity standing at her side. Legend: THE GRAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

Seal of 1835

In the winter of 1834-35 the legislature enacted legislation authorizing the governor to procure a new seal. The preamble to the act stated that the old seal had been used since the first day of March, 1793. A new seal which was very similar to its predecessor was adopted in 1835 and continued in use until 1893. In 1868 the legislature authorized the governor to procure a new replacement Seal and required him to do so whenever the old one was lost or so worn or defaced that it was unfit for use.

The seal represents the Appalachians and a sea with a ship in the distance on the foreground Liberty standing with the constitution and the pole with phrygian cap, and Prosperity seated.

Legend: THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

Seal of 1893-1984

In 1883, Colonel S. MCD. Tate introduced a bill that did not provide that a new seal be procured but described in more detail what the seal should be like.

In the Session Laws, 1883, c. 392 is written

CHAPTER 270

Sec. 35. The Governor shall procure for the State a seal, which shall be called the great seal of the State of North Carolina, to be used for attesting and authenticating grants, proclamations, commissions and other public acts, in such manner as may he directed by law, and the usage established in the public offices ; also a seal for every Court of Record of the State, for the purpose of authenticating the papers and records of such Court.

In 1893, Jacob Battle introduced a bill that made no change in the seal except to add at the foot of the coat-of-arms of the state as part thereof the motto Esse Quam Videri and to provide that the words "May 20, 1775," be inscribed at the top of the coat-of-arms.

The motto is borrowed from Part 26 vs. 16 of  “De Amicitia” of Cicero, reading: Virtute enim ipse non tam multi præditi esse quam videri volunt (The truth is that virtue is a morality that many do not wish to have but rather wish to seem to have.)

The motto was introduced as follows:

An Act to establish a State Motto

Whereas, Contrary to the usage of nearly all the States of the American Union to the Coat-of-Arms and the Great Seal of this State bear no mott; and whereas, a suitable motto, expressive of some noble sentiment and indicative of some leading trait of our people, will be instructive as well as ornamental, and the State should also keep in perpetual remembrance the immortal Decalration of Independence made at Charlott; now therefore:

“The General Assembly of Nort Cartolina do enact

“SECTION 1. That the words ‘Esse quam videri’ are herby adopted as the motto of this State, and as such shall be engravesd on the Great Seal of Nort Carolina and likewise at the foot of the Coat-of-Arms of the State as a part thereof.

“SEC. 2. That on the Coat of Arms, in addition to the motto at the bottom, there shall be inscribed at the top ‘May the 20th, 1775.’

“SEC. 3. That this act shall be in force from and after its ratification.

“Ratified the 21st day of February, A.D. 1893.”[2]

The seal represents the Appalachians on the foreground Liberty standing with the constitution and the pole with phrygian cap, and Prosperity seated; in chief the date  MAY 20, 1775.

Legend: THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. ESSE QUAM VIDERI.

By the late 19th and early 20th century, the ship that appeared in the background of the early seals had disappeared. The North Carolina Mountains were the only backdrop on the seal, while formerly both the mountains and the ship had been depicted.

The 1971 General Assembly, in an effort to “provide a standard for the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina,” passed the following Act amending the General Statutes provision relative to the State Seal:

The Governor shall procure of the State a Seal, which shall be called the great seal of the State of North Carolina, and shall be two and one-quarter inches in diameter, and its design shall be a representation of the figures of Liberty and Plenty, looking toward each other, but not more than half-fronting each other and otherwise disposed as follows: Liberty, the first figure, standing, her pole with cap on it in her left hand and a scroll with the word "Constitution" inscribed thereon in her right hand. Plenty, the second figure, sitting down, her right arm half extended toward Liberty, three heads of grain in her right hand, and in her left, the small end of her horn, the mouth of which is resting at her feet, and the contents of the horn rolling out.

The background on the seal shall contain a depiction of mountains running from left to right to the middle of the seal. A side view of a three-masted ship shall be located on the ocean and to the right of Plenty. The date "May 20, 1775" shall appear within the seal and across the top of the seal and the works "esse quam videri" shall appear at the bottom around the perimeter. No other words, figures or other embellishments shall appear on the seal.

It shall be the duty of the Governor to file in the office of the Secretary of State an impression of the great seal, certified to under his hand and attested to by the Secretary of State, which impression so certified the Secretary of State shall carefully preserve among the records of this Office.

The late Jullian R. Allsbrook, who served in the North Carolina Senate for many years, felt that the adoption date of the Halifax Resolves ought to be commemorated on the State seal as it was already on the State flag. This was to “serve as a constant reminder of the people of this state's commitment to liberty.” Legislation adding the date “April 12, 1776” to the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina was ratified May 2, 1983, with an effective date of January 1, 1984. Chapter 257 of the Session Laws of North Carolina included provisions that would not invalidate any Great Seal of the State of North Carolina in use or on display. Instead replacement could occur as the need arose.

Session Laws, 1868-69, c. 270

CHAPTER 392

AN ACT CONCERNING THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE.

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact :

Section 1. That the great seal of the state of North Carolina shall be two and one quarter inches in diameter, and its design shall be a representation of the figures of Liberty and Plenty, looking toward each other but not more than half fronting each other and otherwise disposed as follows: Liberty, the first figure, standing, her pole with cap on it in her left hand and a scroll with the word " constitution " inscribed thereon in her right hand. Plenty, the second figure, sitting down, her right arm half extended toward Liberty, three heads of wheat in her right hand, and in her left the small end of her horn, the mouth of which is resting at her feet and the contents of the horn rolling out.

Sec. 2. That it shall be the duty of the governor to file in the office of secretary of state an impression of thegreat seal, certified to under his hand and attested by the secretary of state, which impression so certified, the secretary of state shall cause to be bound up with this statute among the manuscript statutes of this general assembly.

Sec. 3. That this act shall take effect from and after its ratification.

In the general assembly read three times, and ratified this the 12th day of March, A. D. 1883.

Session Laws, 1971, c. 167

H. B. 115

CHAPTER 167

AN ACT TO PROVIDE A STANDARD FOR THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1. G. S. 147-26 is hereby amended by adding before the last sentence a new paragraph so that G.S. 147-26 shall read as follows:

"§147-26. To procure great seal of State; its description.-The Governor shall procure for the State a seal, which shall be called the great seal of the State of North Carolina, and shall be two and one-quarter inches in diameter, and its design shall be a representation of the figures of Liberty and Plenty, looking toward each other, but not more than half-fronting each other and otherwise disposed as follows: Liberty, the first figure, standing, her pole with cap on it in her left hand and e scroll with the word 'Constitution' inscribed thereon in her right hand. Plenty, the second figure, sitting down, her right arm half extended towards Liberty, three heads of grain in her right hand, and in her left, the small end of her horn, the mouth of which is resting at her feet, and the contents of the horn rolling out.

The background on the seal shall contain a depiction of mountains running from left to right to the middle of the seal and an ocean running from right to left to the middle of the seal. A side view of a three-masted ship shall be located on the ocean and to the right of Plenty. The date 'May 20, 1775' shall appear within the seal and across the top of the seal and the words 'esse quam videri' shall appear at the bottom around the perimeter. The words THE GREAT SEAL of the STATE of NORTH CAROLINA' shall appear around the perimeter. No other words, figures or other embellishments shall appear on the seal.

It shall be the duty of the Governor to file in the office of Secretary of State an impression of the great seal, certified to under his hand and attested by the Secretary of State, which impression so certified the Secretary of State shall carefully preserve among the records of his office."

Sec. 1.1. This act shall not invalidate any Seal presently on display or heretofore used.

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective January 1, 1972.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 8th day of April, 1971.[3]

Governor

Senate of North Carolina    

Following a petition from the President of the Senate, a devisal by Letters Patent of Arms, Crest and Supporters for the Senate was made by Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms to the Senate, dated 25 November 2005. College reference: Foreign Arms 2/190.

The Arms are blazoned: Argent on a Cross between four Escutcheons bases inwards Gules four Escutcheons bases also inwards Argent. The Crest is Issuant from a Coronet of a Noble of the former Province of Carolina Or a Cap of Liberty Gules raised upon a Pole Or between two Cornucopiae in saltire Argent replenished proper. The Supporters are On each side an Aborigine of North Carolina as depicted by John White in the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First that on the dexter a Warrior supporting with his exterior hand a Long Bow and holding an Arrow girded at his back a Quiver that on the sinister a Woman holding in her exterior hand a Gourd all proper.

The reference to the noble’s coronet is to the scheme of heraldic ornaments worked out for landgraves and cassiques of the Province of Carolina in 1705.

Meanwhile, the President of the Senate of North Carolina petitioned the College of Arms in London for a coat of arms for the upper house of the state legislature. The devisal by Letters Patent of Arms, Crest, and Supporters was made 25 November 2005 by Garter, Clarenceux, and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms. The eight little shields (known as escutcheons in blazonry) on the main shield allude to the eight proprietary Lords of the Province of Carolina. The colonial grant for Carolina was one of the most feudal, allowing the Lords of Carolina to grant minor hereditary titles of nobility, and in terms of heraldry allowed for the appointment of a Carolina Herald to grant arms independently of the College of Arms in England. The noble coronet atop the shield is apparently one of the heraldic ornaments worked out in 1705 for landgraves and cassiques in the Province of Carolina.

The shield of the coat of arms of the Senate of North Carolina is blazoned as "Argent on a Cross between four Escutcheons bases inwards Gules four Escutcheons bases also inwards Argent" while the crest is "Issuant from a Coronet of a Noble of the former Province of Carolina Or a Cap of Liberty Gules raised upon a Pole Or between two Cornucopiae in saltire Argent replenished proper". The supporters are "On each side an Aborigine of North Carolina as depicted by John White in the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First that on the dexter a Warrior supporting with his exterior hand a Long Bow and holding an Arrow girded at his back a Quiver that on the sinister a Woman holding in her exterior hand a Gourd all proper".

An interesting note: the lower house of North Carolina's General Assembly was known as the House of Commons until the conquest of the South during the Civil War.

Watercolor paintings of an Algonquin Indian Chief an an Algonquin woman with her child.

By Governor John White c.1585 (British Museum, London)

North Carolina State Area Command

Crest

Description

That for regiments and separate battalions of the North Carolina Army National Guard: From a wreath of colors, a hornets' nest hanging from a bough beset with 13 hornets all Proper.

Symbolism

The first flag of North Carolina, June 1775, bore a hornets' nest and the date May 20, 1775. ("The Flag of the United States and other National Flags," by Admiral Preble, page 627). Thus the hornets' nest of North Carolina antedates the Flag of the United States.

Background

The crest for color bearing organizations of the State of North Carolina was approved on 10 January 1924.

Distinctive Unit Insignia

Description

A Gold color metal and enamel device 2.78 cm in height overall consisting of an octagon divided per chevron reversed Azure and Argent bearing the crest for the Army National Guard of the State of North Carolina Or.

Symbolism

The insignia is taken from the crest approved for all regiments and separate battalions of the North Carolina National Guard.

Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the State Staff and State Detachment, North Carolina National Guard on 30 November 1928. It was redesignated for Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment and noncolor bearing units of the North Carolina Army National Guard on 27 March 1972. The insignia was redesignated effective 1 October 1982, for Headquarters, State Area Command, North Carolina Army National Guard.

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia

Description

On a blue shield 5.08 cm in width and 7.30 cm in height a gray hornet's nest charged with a red and gray hornet above a red entrance hole.

Symbolism

The insignia is based upon the crest approved for all regiments and separate battalions of the North Carolina National Guard.

Background

The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, North Carolina Army National Guard on 22 May 1953. The insignia was redesignated with description amended for Headquarters, State Area Command, North Carolina Army National Guard on 30 December 1983.  (TIOH Dwg. No. A-1-170)

Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation / ᏣᎳᎩᏱ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᎩ

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina

Seal on yellow 1:2 flag

The seal of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is derived from the seal of the Cherokee Nation.

Æ  Oklahoma