Constitution Signer

William Samuel Johnson

1.     Early Life

a.     State of residence: Connecticut

b.     Offices held: Lower House of the Colonial Assembly 1761 & 1765, Upper House of the Colonial Assembly 1766 & 1771-1775, Refused to participate in First Continental Congress 1774, Confederation Congress 1785-1787

c.      Occupation:  Lawyer, Inventor, Public Security Interests, Lending and Investments

2.     Role in the Revolutionary War

Johnson had strong ties with Great Britain made renunciation of the King personally reprehensible. Torn by conflicting loyalties, he remained neutral during the Revolution, speaking out only against extremism on both sides

He refused to participate in the First Continental Congress, to which he was elected in 1774, following service as a judge of the Connecticut colonial Supreme Court (1772-74. In April 1775 Connecticut sent him and another emissary to speak to British Gen. Thomas Gage about ending the bloodshed. But the time was not ripe for negotiations and they failed. Johnson fell out of favor with radical patriot elements who gained the ascendancy in Connecticut government and they no longer called upon his service. Although he was arrested in 1779 on charges of communicating with the enemy, he cleared himself and was released.

3.     Participation in the Constitutional Convention – Contributions to the final document and final vote

Johnson arrived June 2, except for a brief absence in late July was present until he signed the Constitution.  He was also influential in securing the passage of the Connecticut Compromise. William Pierce stated that "Dr. Johnson is a character much celebrated for his legal knowledge; he is said to be one of the first classics in America, and certainly possess a very strong and enlighten understanding."

4.     Federal Government and Congress

He served as Senator from Connecticut (1789 - 1791) and assisted in the passage of the Judiciary Act and later resigned from Senate to devote his career as President of King's College (now known as Columbia University).

5.     Death and Legacy

Johnson retired from Columbia in 1800; a few years after his wife died, and in the same year wed Mary Brewster Beach, a relative of his first bride. They resided at his birthplace in Stratford. He died there in 1819 at the age of 92 and was buried at Old Episcopal Cemetery.