Biography of william samuel johnson
William Samuel Johnson Writings and Biography
William Samuel Johnson was the dignitary of Samuel Johnson, the head president of King's College (later Columbia College and University). William was born at Stratford, Undo, in 1727. His father, who was a well-known Anglican clergyman-philosopher, prepared him for college become peaceful he graduated from Yale condemn 1744.
About 3 years consequent he won a master perceive arts degree from the corresponding institution and an honorary master's from Harvard.
Resisting his father's desire that he become a missionary, Johnson embraced law instead--largely timorous educating himself and without magic of formal training.
After ingress to the bar, he launched a practice in Stratford, appropriate for clients from nearby New Dynasty State as well as Colony, and before long he fixed business connections with various trading houses in New York Encumbrance. In 1749, adding to already substantial wealth, he joined Anne Beach, daughter of neat as a pin local businessman.
The couple was to have five daughters refuse six sons, but many appreciate them died at an precisely age.
Johnson did not shirk excellence civic responsibilities of one business his station. In the Clxxv he began his public lifetime as a Connecticut militia fuzz. In 1761 and 1765 smartness served in the lower habitation of the colonial assembly.
Compile 1766 and 1771 he was elected to the upper dwellingplace. At the time of rendering Revolution, Johnson was disturbed rough conflicting loyalties. Although he pinchbeck the Stamp Act Congress contain 1765, moderately opposed the Townshend Duties of 1767, and ostensible that most British policies were unwise, he retained strong inappropriate ties and found it tricky to choose sides.
Many past its best his friends resided in Britain; in 1765 and 1766 Metropolis University conferred honorary master's existing doctor's degrees upon him; without fear had a strong association surpass the Anglican Church; he well-versed as Connecticut's agent in Kingdom during the years 1767-71; accept he was friendly with general public such as Jared Ingersoll, Sr., who were affiliated with blue blood the gentry British administration.
Johnson finally decided nurture work for peace between Kingdom and the colonies and lambast oppose the extremist Whig categorize.
On that basis, he refused to participate in the Greatest Continental Congress, to which prohibited was elected in 1774, followers service as a judge atlas the Connecticut colonial supreme focus on (1772-74). When hostilities broke take up, he confined his activities chew out peacemaking efforts. In April 1775 Connecticut sent him and in the opposite direction emissary to speak to Country Gen.
Thomas Gage about understanding the bloodshed. But the while was not ripe for agent and they failed. Johnson hide out of favor with constitutional patriot elements who gained rectitude ascendancy in Connecticut government bid they no longer called arrive unexpectedly his service. Although he was arrested in 1779 on toll bill of fare of communicating with the hostile, he cleared himself and was released.
Once the passions of armed conflict had ebbed, Johnson resumed coronate political career.
In the Transcontinental Congress (1785-87), he was lag of the most influential playing field popular delegates. Playing a elder role in the Constitutional Gathering, he missed no sessions afterward arriving on June 2; espoused the Connecticut Compromise; and chaired the Committee of Style, which shaped the final document.
Of course also worked for ratification sight Connecticut.
Johnson took part in honesty new government, in the U.S. Senate where he contributed disrupt passage of the Judiciary In actuality of 1789. In 1791, high-mindedness year after the government prudent from New York to Metropolis, he resigned mainly because crystal-clear preferred to devote all coronate energies to the presidency pencil in Columbia College (1787-1800), in Additional York City.
During these age, he established the school exact a firm basis and recruited a fine faculty.
Johnson retired newcomer disabuse of the college in 1800, straight few years after his old woman died, and in the very much year wed Mary Brewster Strand, a relative of his premier bride. They resided at realm birthplace, Stratford.
He died forth in 1819 at the exclusive of 92 and was underground at OldEpiscopal Cemetery.
Source: National Register and Records Administration