Samuel Johnston
| Samuel Johnston | |
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United States Senator from North Carolina |
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In office November 26, 1789 – March 4, 1793 |
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| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Alexander Martin |
| 6th Governor of North Carolina | |
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In office December 20, 1787 – December 17, 1789 |
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| Preceded by | Richard Caswell |
| Succeeded by | Alexander Martin |
| Acting Governor of North Carolina | |
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In office 1775 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Preceded by | Josiah Martin |
| Succeeded by | Richard Caswell |
First and Third Grand Master of Masons of North Carolina
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In office 1787 (first tenure) 1789 (second tenure) – 1788 (first tenure) 1792 (second tenure) |
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| Preceded by | None (first tenure) Richard Caswell (second tenure) |
| Succeeded by | Richard Caswell (first tenure) William Richardson Davie (second tenure) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 15, 1733 Dundee, Scotland |
| Died | August 17, 1816 (aged 82) Edenton, North Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Federalist |
| Residence | Hayes House, Chowan County, North Carolina |
Samuel Johnston (December 15, 1733 – August 17, 1816) 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.
Johnston was born in Dundee, Scotland, but came to America when his father (Samuel, Sr.) moved to Onslow County, North Carolina in 1736. Samuel Sr. became surveyor-general of the colony where his uncle,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.
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Wikipedia