George Johnston (burgess)

George Johnston, Esquire, was a lawyer in Fairfax County, Virginia while it was a British colony. He was born in 1700, and died August 29, 1766. He was twice elected to the House of Burgesses, in the assemblies of 1758-61, and 1761-65. He seconded in a powerful and logical speech Patrick Henry's resolutions of May 30, 1765, against the Stamp Act. He lived in Alexandria. He was reelected to a seat in the assembly which convened November 4, 1766, but died in the summer of 1766.^[1] His death was reported in the Virginia Gazette on September 19, 1766.

Johnston married Sarah McCarty (b 1724, d 1785), daughter of Major Dennis McCarty, from Westmoreland County, Virginia. He had three children by Sarah: George, William, and Mary Massey. His son George, was a Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Campe to General George Washington, and his confidential military secretary from December, 1776, until his death at Morristown, June, 1777.

As a Burgess, Johnston made a motion to resolve the House into a committee of the whole, seconded by Patrick Henry, at which time their coalition brought forth a shocking series of resolutions now known as the Stamp Act Resolutions. The House of Burgesses was an aristocratic company of wealthy plantation owners and gentlemen, having long operated under a relaxed quorum rule of 24 percent constituting a quorum. With only 39 members in attendance, Johnston's motion passed, and in the absence of the House's regular leadership, all five of the offered resolutions were adopted. The first four were adopted more quickly than the fifth, which required several hours of heated debate, and even after that, passed by only one vote.

George Johnston served as George Washington's attorney, and a trustee of the town of Alexandria. At the time of his death, Washington succeeded Johnston to both positions. His son, William Johnston, served in the 5th Company, 15th Regiment of Virginia as a Captain.

See also

1. Fairfax County's Forgotten Patriot