Samuel Johnston
Encyclopedia
Samuel Johnston was an American
planter, lawyer, and statesman from Chowan County
, North Carolina
. He represented North Carolina
in both the Continental Congress
and the United States Senate
, and was the sixth Governor of North Carolina
.
in 1736. Samuel Sr. became surveyor-general of the colony where his brother, Gabriel Johnston
, was Royal Governor. Young Samuel was educated in New England, then read law in Carolina. He moved to Chowan County and started his own plantation, known as Hayes near Edenton
.
Johnston was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law in Edenton. In 1759 he was elected to the colony's general assembly and would serve in that body until it was displaced in 1775 as a part of the Revolution
. As a strong supporter of independence, he was also elected as a delegate to the first four provincial congresses
and presided over the Third and Fourth congresses in 1775 and 1776. In the time after the Royal Governor Josiah Martin
abdicated in 1775, he was the highest ranking official in the state, until Richard Caswell
was elected president of the Fifth Provincial Congress.
Johnston is frequently cited as having served in the North Carolina Senate in 1779, but this is not confirmed by a careful perusal of the Senate Journals. He may have been elected but he certainly did not attend. In Johnston's own words, after 1777 he "had nothing to do with public business" during the Revolution except for his later service in the Continental Congress. Under the new state Government, Johnston was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 1783 and 1784.
in 1780 and 1781. Johnston was elected the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled
under the Articles of Confederation
, but he declined the office, as reported July 10, 1781:
Thomas Rodney's letter to Caesar Rodney
of Delaware dated the same day reported of Johnston's decision to decline the U.S. Presidency:
The reasons for Johnston's refusal to not serve are unclear, but some historians claim the letter of July 30, 1781 clearly indicated he was in no position to accept an office which offered no salary:
Johnston's letter to James Iredell
only one month earlier gives support to that conclusion with him writing:
On June 27, just 13 days before his election to the Presidency, Johnston wrote:
from 1787 to 1789. He presided over both conventions called to ratify the U.S. Constitution
. The first in 1788 rejected the Constitution in spite of Johnston's strong support. He called another convention in 1789 which did complete ratification. After statehood Johnston resigned as governor to become one of the state's first two United States Senators
, serving from 1789 until 1793. In 1800 he was made a Judge in the Superior Court
of North Carolina, an office he held until his retirement in 1803.
Samuel Johnston died at his home, Hayes Plantation
, near Edenton in Chowan County, in 1816 and is buried in the Johnston Burial Ground there. The plantation house is privately owned, but was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1973. It is now within Edenton. However the current house was completed by his son, James C. Johnston, a year after Samuel's death.
Samuel Johnston's personal collection of books, which he bequeathed to his son James Cathcart Johnston, is preserved in a full-scale replication of Hayes Plantation's library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
. That octagonally shaped historic room is on permanent exhibit in the North Carolina Collection Gallery in Wilson Library.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
planter, lawyer, and statesman from Chowan County
Chowan County, North Carolina
- Law and government :Chowan County is a member of the Albemarle Commission regional council of government-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 14,793 people, 5,580 households, and 4,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. He represented North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in both the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
and the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, and was the sixth Governor of North Carolina
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
.
Early Life and Revolutionary Politics
Johnston was born in Dundee, Scotland, but came to America when his father (Samuel, Sr.) moved to Onslow County, North CarolinaOnslow County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 150,355 people, 48,122 households, and 36,572 families residing in the county. The population density was 196 people per square mile . There were 55,726 housing units at an average density of 73 per square mile...
in 1736. Samuel Sr. became surveyor-general of the colony where his brother, Gabriel Johnston
Gabriel Johnston
Gabriel Johnston was the colonial governor of North Carolina from 1734 to 1752, the longest-serving governor in state history.- External links :*...
, was Royal Governor. Young Samuel was educated in New England, then read law in Carolina. He moved to Chowan County and started his own plantation, known as Hayes near Edenton
Edenton, North Carolina
Edenton is a town in Chowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,966 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Chowan County. Edenton is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. In recent years Edenton has become a popular retirement location and a destination for...
.
Johnston was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law in Edenton. In 1759 he was elected to the colony's general assembly and would serve in that body until it was displaced in 1775 as a part of the Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. As a strong supporter of independence, he was also elected as a delegate to the first four provincial congresses
North Carolina Provincial Congress
The North Carolina Provincial Congresses were extra-legal unicameral legislative bodies formed in 1774 through 1776 by the people of the Province of North Carolina, independent of the British colonial government.-First Provincial Congress:...
and presided over the Third and Fourth congresses in 1775 and 1776. In the time after the Royal Governor Josiah Martin
Josiah Martin
Lieutenant-Colonel Josiah Martin was the last colonial governor of the Province of North Carolina .-Family and connections:...
abdicated in 1775, he was the highest ranking official in the state, until Richard Caswell
Richard Caswell
Richard Caswell was the first and fifth governor of the U.S. State of North Carolina, serving from 1776 to 1780 and from 1784 to 1787....
was elected president of the Fifth Provincial Congress.
Johnston is frequently cited as having served in the North Carolina Senate in 1779, but this is not confirmed by a careful perusal of the Senate Journals. He may have been elected but he certainly did not attend. In Johnston's own words, after 1777 he "had nothing to do with public business" during the Revolution except for his later service in the Continental Congress. Under the new state Government, Johnston was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 1783 and 1784.
Election as President
North Carolina sent Johnston as a delegate to the Continental CongressContinental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
in 1780 and 1781. Johnston was elected the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled
President of the Continental Congress
The President of the Continental Congress was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, the convention of delegates that emerged as the first national government of the United States during the American Revolution...
under the Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement among the 13 founding states that legally established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and served as its first constitution...
, but he declined the office, as reported July 10, 1781:
Thomas Rodney's letter to Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from St. Jones Neck in Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, east of Dover...
of Delaware dated the same day reported of Johnston's decision to decline the U.S. Presidency:
The reasons for Johnston's refusal to not serve are unclear, but some historians claim the letter of July 30, 1781 clearly indicated he was in no position to accept an office which offered no salary:
Johnston's letter to James Iredell
James Iredell
James Iredell was one of the first Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was appointed by President George Washington and served from 1790 until his death in 1799...
only one month earlier gives support to that conclusion with him writing:
On June 27, just 13 days before his election to the Presidency, Johnston wrote:
Later Career and Death
Johnston served as Governor of North CarolinaGovernor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
from 1787 to 1789. He presided over both conventions called to ratify the U.S. Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. The first in 1788 rejected the Constitution in spite of Johnston's strong support. He called another convention in 1789 which did complete ratification. After statehood Johnston resigned as governor to become one of the state's first two United States Senators
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, serving from 1789 until 1793. In 1800 he was made a Judge in the Superior Court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
of North Carolina, an office he held until his retirement in 1803.
Samuel Johnston died at his home, Hayes Plantation
Hayes Plantation
Hayes Plantation, also known as Hayes Farm, is a historic plantation near Edenton, North Carolina that belonged to Samuel Johnston , who served as Governor of North Carolina from 1787 to 1789. Johnston become one of the state's first two United States Senators, serving from 1789 until 1793, and...
, near Edenton in Chowan County, in 1816 and is buried in the Johnston Burial Ground there. The plantation house is privately owned, but was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1973. It is now within Edenton. However the current house was completed by his son, James C. Johnston, a year after Samuel's death.
Samuel Johnston's personal collection of books, which he bequeathed to his son James Cathcart Johnston, is preserved in a full-scale replication of Hayes Plantation's library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. That octagonally shaped historic room is on permanent exhibit in the North Carolina Collection Gallery in Wilson Library.