In 1784, this new act was passed by the House of Commons and the first courts were ordered to take place at the home of James Myland just west of the current town of Clinton, North Carolina.
Just before the start of the Revolutionary War, Clinton's step-father John Sampson was a Lieutenant General in the Provincial North Carolina Army for Governor William Tryon in support of King George III.
Richard Clinton did indeed sign this oath; however his step-father John Sampson did not, indicating that there may have been a conflict of interest of who the family would support: the British Crown, or the newly independent state.
[7] Richard Clinton was called upon by Duplin County to raise a militia of men and was commissioned a Captain at first, then later a Colonel in the Continental Army in order to serve in support of the American forces.
From 1776 to 1781, all was generally quite within the county, and the militia's primary job was to put down any insurrection among the local Tory population; a task he accomplished with his brother-in-law Colonel Kenan.