Robert Hardy was a resident of Edenton. Together with other residents, he wrote a petition to Arthur Dobbs requesting that the colony reduce its duties on exporting wine and other alcohol from North Carolina.  Later he served as a justice of the peace in Chowan County and in 1777 & 1778 he signed two oaths swearing his allegiance to the State of North Carolina and promising to report any treasonous conspiracies that might threaten North Carolina's independence.