Joseph Blount (1755-1794) was a resident of Chowan County and a justice of the peace. In 1777 he signed an oath swearing his allegiance to the State of North Carolina and promised to report any treasonous conspiracies that might threaten North Carolina's independence. In September of that year he wrote to Governor Richard Caswell requesting that he intercede and fortify the Edenton jail, which was currently housing some members of the Gourd Patch Conspiracy, including John Lewellen.