August Johnston

Augustus Johnston (ca. 1730-1790) was an Attorney General in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations from 1758 to 1766 and is the namesake of Johnston, Rhode Island. He also served briefly as a stamp distributor during the controversial Stamp Act and fled Rhode Island after the Revolutionary War to New York due to his Tory sympathies.^[1]

Early life and career

Johnston was born in Amboy, New Jersey and educated in New York before moving to Newport, Rhode Island, where he became a voter on April 30, 1751. Johnston studied law with his step-father, Matthew Robinson, a prominent, well-read lawyer with a large private library. Johnston's maternal grandfather, Lucas, a Huguenot who lived for a time in Newport. After building a successful reputation as an attorney, Johnston was appointed in 1754 and again in 1756 to assist in drafting legislation for General Assembly. In October 1756 Johnston became a first lieutenant in a military regiment to be sent against Fort Crown Point during the French and Indian War. In June 1757 he was acting as attorney-general because the candidate elected died, and he then reelected each year until May 1766. As Attorney General he helped to revise the colony's laws and worked to encourage a smallpox hospital. When the town of Johnston separated from Providence in 1759, is was purportedly named for the attorney-general.^[2]

Stamp Act and American Revolution

In 1765, Johnston served as a stamp-distributor under the Stamp Act. On August 27, 1765 Johnston and two others who had supported the rights of the British Parliament were hanged in effigy and the next day a mob damaged their homes. The three individuals fled to a military ship, the Cygnet, in the bay until Johnston came ashore the next day and signed a document agreeing not to act as stamp distributor without the colonists' consent. The other two refugees fled to England and requested compensation for their damages and informed the British government of their losses. Johnston also requested compensation, and all three were accused of inflating their claimed losses. The British Treasury requested that the Rhode Island General Assembly pay the claims, but the Rhode Island government refused until the British Treasury reimbursed Rhode Island for their expenditures during the French and Indian War in 1756, which had never been repaid. Negotiations over the claims took place until 1773 but were never settled.^[3]

Augustus Johnston remained in Newport until July 18, 1776, but when he refused the Patriots' oath of allegiance he was ordered interned at South Kingstown for a time. During the British occupation of Newport, he was appointed to various civil positions, but he moved to New York when the British left Newport in 1779. Johnston's property was eventually confiscated. Although he had a pension from the British government, Johnston died insolvent in 1790 leaving a widow and four children. Despite his advanced age, Johnston's step-father, who had been Johnston's surety, had to defend various suits which were brought against him.^[4]^[5]^[6]

References

^ "The Dictionary of American Biography" pp. 128-129.[1] citing (Wilkins Updike, Memoirs of the Rhode Island Bar (1842); Records of the Colony of R.I. and Providence Plantations, ed. by J. R. Bartlett, vols. V, VI, VII, 1860-62; Supplement to the R.I. Colonial Records (1875); S. G. Arnold, Hist. of the State of R.I., and Providence Plantations, vol. II (1860).] E.M.S.B." (Elsie M. S. Bronson (full name for initials, handwritten on page copy))
^ "The Dictionary of American Biography" pp. 128-129.[2] citing (Wilkins Updike, Memoirs of the Rhode Island Bar (1842); Records of the Colony of R.I. and Providence Plantations, ed. by J. R. Bartlett, vols. V, VI, VII, 1860-62; Supplement to the R.I. Colonial Records (1875); S. G. Arnold, Hist. of the State of R.I., and Providence Plantations, vol. II (1860).] E.M.S.B." (Elsie M. S. Bronson (full name for initials, handwritten on page copy))
^ "The Dictionary of American Biography" pp. 128-129.[3] citing (Wilkins Updike, Memoirs of the Rhode Island Bar (1842); Records of the Colony of R.I. and Providence Plantations, ed. by J. R. Bartlett, vols. V, VI, VII, 1860-62; Supplement to the R.I. Colonial Records (1875); S. G. Arnold, Hist. of the State of R.I., and Providence Plantations, vol. II (1860).] E.M.S.B." (Elsie M. S. Bronson (full name for initials, handwritten on page copy))
^ Johnston Historical Society: Johnston History
^ History of the State of Rhode Island with Illustrations, Albert J. Wright, Printer No. 79 Mille Street, corner of Federal, Boston. Hong, Wade & Co., Philadelphia 1878., pg. 154-158 [4]
^ "The Dictionary of American Biography" pp. 128-129.[5] citing (Wilkins Updike, Memoirs of the Rhode Island Bar (1842); Records of the Colony of R.I. and Providence Plantations, ed. by J. R. Bartlett, vols. V, VI, VII, 1860-62; Supplement to the R.I. Colonial Records (1875); S. G. Arnold, Hist. of the State of R.I., and Providence Plantations, vol. II (1860).] E.M.S.B." (Elsie M. S. Bronson (full name for initials, handwritten on page copy))

[1] "The Dictionary of American Biography" pp. 128-129.[1] citing (Wilkins Updike, Memoirs of the Rhode Island Bar (1842); Records of the Colony of R.I. and Providence Plantations, ed. by J. R. Bartlett, vols. V, VI, VII, 1860-62; Supplement to the R.I. Colonial Records (1875); S. G. Arnold, Hist. of the State of R.I., and Providence Plantations, vol. II (1860).] E.M.S.B." (Elsie M. S. Bronson (full name for initials, handwritten on page copy))

[2] "The Dictionary of American Biography" pp. 128-129.[2] citing (Wilkins Updike, Memoirs of the Rhode Island Bar (1842); Records of the Colony of R.I. and Providence Plantations, ed. by J. R. Bartlett, vols. V, VI, VII, 1860-62; Supplement to the R.I. Colonial Records (1875); S. G. Arnold, Hist. of the State of R.I., and Providence Plantations, vol. II (1860).] E.M.S.B." (Elsie M. S. Bronson (full name for initials, handwritten on page copy))

[3] "The Dictionary of American Biography" pp. 128-129.[3] citing (Wilkins Updike, Memoirs of the Rhode Island Bar (1842); Records of the Colony of R.I. and Providence Plantations, ed. by J. R. Bartlett, vols. V, VI, VII, 1860-62; Supplement to the R.I. Colonial Records (1875); S. G. Arnold, Hist. of the State of R.I., and Providence Plantations, vol. II (1860).] E.M.S.B." (Elsie M. S. Bronson (full name for initials, handwritten on page copy))

[4] Johnston Historical Society: Johnston History

[5] History of the State of Rhode Island with Illustrations, Albert J. Wright, Printer No. 79 Mille Street, corner of Federal, Boston. Hong, Wade & Co., Philadelphia 1878., pg. 154-158 [4]

[6] "The Dictionary of American Biography" pp. 128-129.[5] citing (Wilkins Updike, Memoirs of the Rhode Island Bar (1842); Records of the Colony of R.I. and Providence Plantations, ed. by J. R. Bartlett, vols. V, VI, VII, 1860-62; Supplement to the R.I. Colonial Records (1875); S. G. Arnold, Hist. of the State of R.I., and Providence Plantations, vol. II (1860).] E.M.S.B." (Elsie M. S. Bronson (full name for initials, handwritten on page copy))

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]