Nathan Hattaway was a resident of Martin County. In 1777 when John Carter told him about his belief that the French military and American officials were going to introduce Catholicism into North Carolina and prohibit the practice of Protestantism, Hattaway swore an oath of secrecy and joined the Gourd Patch Conspiracy. Hattaway later refused to swear to the plot's constitution, but did make an oath to oppose the draft. When the plot was discovered, Hattaway submitted a deposition about his knowledge of the plot.