JOHNSON, William Samuel, American jurist: b. Stratford, Conn., 7 Oct. 1727; d. there, 14 Nov. 1819. He was the son of the Rev.
Samuel Johnson (q.v.), first president of King's College (Columbia University), New York. He was graduated from Yale in 1744, was ad mitted to the bar, practised in the New York and Connecticut courts, in 1761 and 1765 rep resented Stratford in the Connecticut general assembly, or lower house, and in the latter year was a Connecticut delegate to the Stamp-act congress at New York. In 1766 he became a member of the governor's council or upper house of the Connecticut legislature, in 1766-71 was in England as special agent for the colony in defense of its title to land obtained from the Mohegan Indians, in 1771 re-entered the coun cil, and for a time in 1772 was a judge of the Superior Court of the colony. After Lexington, he was a member of a committee sent to Gen eral Gage on the unsuccessful mission of in quiring into possible means of peace. Opposed
to the Revolution, he remained in private life during its progress, but in 1784-87 was a mem ber of the Continental Congress, in 1787-89 sat in the Connecticut assembly, in 1787-1800 was president of Columbia College, and from 1789 to 1791, when he resigned, was the first United States senator from Connecticut. He resigned the college presidency in 1800 because of fail ing health and retired to Stratford. Oxford conferred on him the degree of D.C.L. in 1766. He made the acquaintance of Dr. Samuel John son during his stay in London, and later cor responded with him. His letters to the governors of Connecticut during his residence in Great Britain have been published in the 'Collections' of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 5th series, Vol. IX (Boston 1885). Consult Beards ley, 'Life of William Samuel Johnson' (Bos ton 1876).