Hardy Counsell (d. 1780) was a resident of Martin County. In 1777 he became a member of the Gourd Patch Conspiracy. After some members of the plot were arrested that summer and they were fearful of their plan being discovered, Counsell and others met in a gourd patch and went to confront or spy on Nathan Mayo, a man the plot's ringleader John Lewellen considered to be one of the chief enemies of their plan. Counsell does not appear to have been arrested for his role in the plot.