Johnston, Samuel, senator, born in Dundee,
Scotland, 15 December, 1733; died near Edenton, North Carolina, 18 August, 1816,
came to this country in 1736 with his father, John, who settled in North
Carolina, and acquired large estates there. Samuel was educated for the bar, and
in 1767-'72 was clerk of the superior court of Chowan county, North Carolina,
and at the same time a naval officer under the crown. He soon became known as a
politician and lawyer, was an ardent patriot, a member of the assembly in 1769,
where he was placed on its standing committee of inquiry and correspondence, an
active member of the first two Provincial congresses, and presided over the
third and fourth. In August, 1775, he was elected chairman of the provincial
council, and virtually became governor of the state.
He was chosen treasurer of the northern district of North Carolina in
September of that year, was a member of the Continental congress of 1781-'2.
In July 1781 he was the first man elected as President of the United States in
Congress Assembled under the newly ratified Articles of Confederation. He
refused to accept the US Presidency and the following day Thomas McKean was
elected President.
In 1788 elected governor of North Carolina, presiding over the convention
that failed to ratify the Federal constitution, which he supported with all his
influence. In the following year he also presided over the convention that
adopted the constitution. In 1789-'93 he was a member of the United States
senate, as a Federalist, and in February, 1800, was appointed judge of the
superior court, resigning in 1803.
