Samuel William Johnson (October 27, 1828 – November 25, 1895) was an American lawyer and

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

politician from New York.

Early life

Johnson was born in New York City on October 27, 1828. He was the second child and eldest son of William Samuel Johnson (1795–1883) and Laura (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Woolsey) Johnson. His father was a New York lawyer and a New York State Senator. His great-grandfather was William Samuel Johnson, signor of the U.S. Constitution and

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

, and his great-great grandfather was

Dr. Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. The ''Oxford D ...

, a prominent Connecticut clergyman who was the first president of King's College. His maternal grandparents were Elizabeth (née Dwight) Woolsey (sister of Timothy Dwight IV) and William Walton Woolsey. His uncle was Theodore Dwight Woolsey, president of Yale University. After preparatory school, Johnson graduated from Princeton College in 1849 and from

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class ...

in 1851. After law school, he entered the law office of

District Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a l ...

N. Bowditch Blunt Nathaniel Bowditch Blunt (June 19, 1804July 17, 1854) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He became the New York County district attorney in 1851. Early life Nathaniel Blunt was born on June 19, 1804, in Newburyport, Massachu ...

Career

After being admitted to the bar in 1852, Johnson moved to

Cattaraugus County, New York Cattaraugus County (locally known as Catt County) is a county in Western New York, with one side bordering Pennsylvania. As of the United States 2020 census, the population was 77,042. The county seat is Little Valley. The county was created ...

where he practiced law and was a land office proprietor for thirteen years. In 1865, he moved to

Rye Neck Mamaroneck is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 18,929 at the 2010 census. its population was an estimated 19,131. It is located partially within the town of Mamaroneck and partially within the town o ...

(today known as Mamaroneck) where he was elected supervisor of the town of Rye nine times and served as chairman of the board of supervisors for two years. He served as a director of the North River Insurance Company was a trustee of the Port Chester Savings Bank for many years. From 1853 to 1872, he held commissions from New York, the final being Brigadier General on the staff of Governor

John T. Hoffman John Thompson Hoffman (January 10, 1828March 24, 1888) was the 23rd governor of New York (1869–72). He was also recorder of New York City (1861–65) and the 78th mayor of New York City (1866–68). Connections to the Tweed Ring ...

. In 1871, he was appointed Commissary General and Chief of Ordnance for New York State. From January 1, 1883 to December 31, 1885, Johnson served as a

member of the 106th, 107th, and

108th New York State Legislature The 108th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to May 22, 1885, during the first year of David B. Hill's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provision ...

s. He was one of three Assemblyman representing Westchester County.

Personal life

On March 1, 1859, Johnson was married to Frances Ann "Fannie" Sanderson. She was a daughter of Julia (née Carow) Sanderson (daughter of

Isaac Carow Isaac Quentin Carow (March 29, 1778 - September 3, 1850) was an American banker and merchant. He was the father of Charles Carow, grandfather of former first lady Edith Carow Roosevelt and grandfather-in-law of Theodore Roosevelt. Early life Caro ...

and sister of

Charles Carow Charles Carow (October 4, 1825 – March 18, 1883) was an American merchant and shipowner who was the father of first lady of the United States Edith Carow Roosevelt. Early life Carow was born on October 4, 1825. He was the youngest, and only surv ...

) and Edward Fisher Sanderson, a prominent steel manufacturer from Sheffield, England. Frances' sister Mary was the mother of educationalist and socialist politician

Henry Sanderson Furniss, 1st Baron Sanderson Henry Sanderson Furniss, 1st Baron Sanderson (1 October 1868 – 25 March 1939), was an English educationalist and socialist politician. He was the third Principal of Ruskin College, an educational institution in Oxford, England, for adults lacki ...

, and her cousin was Edith Carow Roosevelt, the second wife of President Theodore Roosevelt. Together, Frances and Samuel were the parents of three children, two of whom died in infancy. Their surviving son was: * William Samuel Johnson (1859–), an attorney and author who married Carrie R. (née Gately) Beers, daughter of D.C. and Olive F. Gately, in 1894. He was a member of the Manhattan Club, the University Club, the

St. Nicholas Society The Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York is a charitable organization in New York City of men who are descended from early inhabitants of the State of New York. Charles R. Mackenzie is the current president. The organization preserves ...

. Johnson died at his home on Boston Post Road in

on November 25, 1895.

References

External links

Johnson, Samuel William, 1828-1895
at Yale University
Johnson family papers
at Yale University {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Samuel William 1828 births 1895 deaths Princeton University alumni Harvard Law School alumni New York (state) Democrats 19th-century American politicians