14 Facts About Samuel Johnston

Samuel Johnston was an American planter, lawyer, Grand Master of Freemasons, slave holder, and statesman from Chowan County, North Carolina.

Samuel Johnston represented North Carolina in both the Continental Congress and the United States Senate, and he was the sixth Governor of North Carolina.

Young Samuel Johnston was educated in New England, and then read law in Carolina.

Samuel Johnston moved to Chowan County and started a plantation known as Hayes near Edenton.

Samuel Johnston was admitted to the bar and began a law practice in Edenton.

Samuel Johnston is frequently cited as having served in the North Carolina Senate in 1779, but that is not confirmed in Senate Journals.

Under the new state government, Samuel Johnston was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 1783 and 1784.

Samuel Johnston was elected the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled under the Articles of Confederation, but he declined the office.

Mr [Samuel] Johnston having declined to accept the office of President, and offered such reasons as were satisfactory, the House proceeded to another election; and, the ballots being taken, the hon.

Samuel Johnston served as Governor of North Carolina from 1787 to 1789.

Samuel Johnston presided over both conventions called to ratify the US Constitution.

Samuel Johnston called another convention in 1789, which decided on ratification.

Samuel Johnston then resigned as governor to become one of the state's first two US Senators and served from 1789 to 1793.

Samuel Johnston died at his home, Hayes Plantation, near Edenton, in Chowan County; he purchased the house from David Rieusett in 1765 and lived there until 1793 when he moved to the Hermitage, a plantation in Martin County.