(1727-1819)
William Samuel Johnson was born in Connecticut in 1727.
He graduated from Yale and became a lawyer.
Johnson held a number of positions in his home state prior to the Revolution, in which he found it difficult to choose sides.
He finally decided that his role should be one of peacemaker, which was what he attempted to do during the war.
After the war, Johnson was a powerful member of the Continental Congress.
He played an important role in the Philadelphia Convention, serving as the chairman of the committee of style, which drafted the final document.
He worked for ratification in Connecticut, which he later represented in the Senate. He retired from political office to devote his time to his position as president of Columbia College.
