Richard Dobbs Spaight

Richard Dobbs Spaight
Portrait by Ellen Sharples, c. 1800–1810.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 10th district
In office December 10, 1798 – March 3, 1801
Preceded by	Nathaniel Bryan
Succeeded by	John Stanly
8th US Secretary of State of North Carolina
In office December 14, 1794 – November 19, 1799
Preceded by	John Stanly
Succeeded by	Samuel Ashe
Personal details
Born	Richard Dobbs Spaight (1758-03-25)March 25, 1758 New Bern, North Carolina, British America
Died	September 6, 1802(1802-09-06) (aged 44) New Bern, North Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Federalist (before 1799) Democratic-Republican (1799–1802)
Spouse	Mary Leech ​ (m. 1788)​
Children	3, including Richard
Education	University of Glasgow
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	North Carolina Militia
Rank	Major
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War  • Battle of Camden Court House

Richard Dobbs Spaight (March 25, 1758 – September 6, 1802) was an American Founding Father, politician, planter, and signer of the United States Constitution, who served as a Democratic-Republican U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 10th congressional district from 1798 to 1801. Spaight was the eighth governor of North Carolina from 1792 to 1795. He ran for the North Carolina Senate in 1802, and Federalist U.S. Congressman John Stanly campaigned against him as unworthy. Taking offense, Stanly challenged him to a duel on September 5, 1802, in which Stanly shot and mortally wounded Spaight, who died the following day.