1st Governor of Maryland, US Supreme Court Associate Justice. A member of the Federalist party, he served as Maryland's governor from March 1777 until November 1779 and served on the US Supreme Court from August 1791 until January 1793. Born into English ancestry, he was educated at home. He studied law and in 1753 he was admitted to the Maryland bar. In 1761 he was elected to the Maryland Provincial Assembly from Frederick County and from 1774 to 1775 he became a delegate to the Continental Congress where he supported separation from England. In 1775 he authored the declaration of rights that was adopted by the Maryland Provincial Assembly and became a brigadier general in the Maryland militia during the Revolutionary War. In 1777 he was elected Maryland's first governor and after leaving office in 1779, he held a number of judicial posts as well as serving in the Maryland General Assembly on several occasions. In September 1789 President George Washington nominated him as the first federal judge for the District of Maryland but he declined. In January 1791 President Washington appointed him to the commission to lay out the federal capital that would become "The City of Washington" with the federal district "The Territory of Columbia". The following August, President Washington then appointed him to the US Supreme Court to replace Associate Justice John Rutledge who had resigned and was confirmed by the US Senate in November but not officially sworn in until August 1792. Being in poor health, he resigned his seat in January 1793 and was succeeded by William Paterson. In February 1801 President John Adams named him as chief judge for the District of Columbia. He died at the age of 86.
1st Governor of Maryland, US Supreme Court Associate Justice. A member of the Federalist party, he served as Maryland's governor from March 1777 until November 1779 and served on the US Supreme Court from August 1791 until January 1793. Born into English ancestry, he was educated at home. He studied law and in 1753 he was admitted to the Maryland bar. In 1761 he was elected to the Maryland Provincial Assembly from Frederick County and from 1774 to 1775 he became a delegate to the Continental Congress where he supported separation from England. In 1775 he authored the declaration of rights that was adopted by the Maryland Provincial Assembly and became a brigadier general in the Maryland militia during the Revolutionary War. In 1777 he was elected Maryland's first governor and after leaving office in 1779, he held a number of judicial posts as well as serving in the Maryland General Assembly on several occasions. In September 1789 President George Washington nominated him as the first federal judge for the District of Maryland but he declined. In January 1791 President Washington appointed him to the commission to lay out the federal capital that would become "The City of Washington" with the federal district "The Territory of Columbia". The following August, President Washington then appointed him to the US Supreme Court to replace Associate Justice John Rutledge who had resigned and was confirmed by the US Senate in November but not officially sworn in until August 1792. Being in poor health, he resigned his seat in January 1793 and was succeeded by William Paterson. In February 1801 President John Adams named him as chief judge for the District of Columbia. He died at the age of 86.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
See more Johnson memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
