GOVERNOR THOMAS JOHNSON, son of Thomas Johnson and Dorcas Sedgwick, was the leading man in Maryland during the Revolution, if there could be a leader among so many able men who stood beside him in those trying times.

At the Convention of the Province of Maryland, held in Annapolis, 22d to 25th June 1774, he was elected to the Continental Congress, which assembled in Philadelphia the following September, and was re-elected at each successive election, by the Conventions of Maryland to Congress, until 13th Feb'y 1777, when he was chosen the first Chief Magistrate of the free and independent sovereign STATE OF MARYLAND.

At the meeting of the Deputies of the counties of the province of Maryland, held in Annapolis, on the 8th to the 12th of Dec. 1774, he was appointed one of the "committee of correspondence for this province."

At the meeting of the Delegates appointed by the several counties of the province of Maryland, which met in Annapolis, Wednesday, 28th July, and continued till 14th Aug. 1775, he was chosen one of the "council of safety for this province.'

He was a prominent member of the Convention of the Delegates which met at Annapolis, on the 7th of Dec. 1775, and on the 13th Dec., with Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, Smith Bishop, Nathaniel Ramsey, and Joseph Gilpin, was elected by ballot on a committe to "devise the best ways and means to promote the manufacture of salt-petre." On the 6th Jan'y 1776, he was elected by the Convention a Brigadier General, and afterwards displayed much military talent while in command of the Flying Camp. The people of Maryland had such implicit confidence in his judgment as a statesman, and relied so much upon his wisdom and discretion in council, that the Convention of Maryland, on the 4th July 1776, felt compelled to withdraw his military commission, for the following modest and complimentary reasons:

"Thereupon the convention considering that the said "Thomas Johnson, Esq., cannot discharge the duty of briga"dier of the forces to be raised in this province, in consequence "of the resolves of congress, of the third day of June last; "to which command the convention, from a confidence in his "capacity and abilities to fill the same with advantage to the public cause, and honor to himself, had appointed him, and "also execute the trust reposed in him as a deputy in congress "for this province; and being of opinion, that it is of very "great importance to the welfare of this province, that it "should not be deprived of the advice and assistance of the

"said Thomas Johnson in the public councils of the united colonies, and that his place can be supplied with less incon"venience in the military than in the civil department, therefore, "Resolved, That a brigadier general be elected by ballot in the "room of the said Thomas Johnson, esquire."

So important was his presence esteemed, that having refused to serve in the Convention, under the instructions of the people of Anne Arundel, that Col. Richardson, of Caroline, resigned his own seat, conveyed to him a farm in Caroline. County, went home and had Thomas Johnson returned in his place.

He was, with William Paca, George Plater and James Hollyday, of that celebrated committee, elected 24th May 1776, which politely invited "his Excellency, ROBERT EDEN, Esq., Governor of Maryland," to vacate.

Upon his motion, George Washington was elected, 15th June, 1775, Commander in Chief of all the Continental forces, raised, or to be raised for the defence of American liberty.

Thomas Johnson was an ardent patriot, never doubting or hesitating, and when on the 28th of June, 1776, he, with others, secured the passage by the Convention of the resolution authorizing the deputies from Maryland, in Congress, "to concur with the other united colonies, or a majority of them, in declaring the united colonies free and independent states," he felt, to quote the words of one of his family, that "his work was done." The rest was with GOD-who, always, "helpeth them to right who suffer wrong."

On the 4th of July the Declaration of Independence was passed by Congress, the deputies from Maryland, of which he was one, concurring. The instrument itself was not ready to be signed until the 2d of August 1776, on which day Thomas Johnson was necessarily absent on account of illness in his family, and this is the sole and proper reason that his signature was not affixed to that, the noblest roll of honor possessed by mankind.

On the 13th of February 1777, by the two houses of the Legislature of Maryland, he was, almost unanimously, elected the Chief Magistrate of the State, receiving forty out of fiftytwo votes. He was inaugurated 21st of March 1777, the FIRST GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

When his gubernatorial term expired he retired to private life, and so remained until General Washington prevailed upon him, 5th of August 1791, to accept a scat upon the bench, as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United

States, in place in of John Rutledge, resigned. This position he held, and discharged its duties with great ability, until his resignation in 1793. Afterwards General Washington pressed upon him the portfolio of Secretary of State, which he declined. He, with Dr. Stuart and Mr. Daniel Carroll, commissioners, laid off the City of Washington, and selected the sites of the Capitol, President's House, and other public buildings.

Governor Johnson died at Rose Hill, 26th Oct. 1819, aged 87. Take him all in all he was one of the most beautiful characters found upon the pages of American history. Gentle and lovable as a woman,-there was no one who drew a more eager sword, or whose clarion voice rang more musically in the headlong charge than his. Knowing no fear upon the battle field, he possessed also that honest moral courage which feels no misgivings in the performance of sacred duties however hazardous and uncertain the consequences might be. His intuitive perception of right was quick and keen as a damascene blade; in decision he was calm and deliberate, and his will was so firm that no vicissitude could shake his purpose when once resolved.

He was a lawyer of great ability aud learning, of conspicuous integrity and very successful in his practice. It is said that when John Adams was asked why so many Southern men occupied leading positions and possessed great influence during the struggle for independence he replied that "if it had not been for such men as Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Chase, and Thomas Johnson, there never would have been any revolution."

He m. 16th Feb'y 1766, Ann Jennings, of Annapolis, only dau. of Thomas Jennings, Justice, who d. 26th Aug. 1759; and had child., viz., Thomas Johnson,-Ann Johnson, who m. Major John Graham, of Calvert, and removed to Frederick County, Rebecca Johnson, who m. her cousin, Thomas Johnson, of Loudon Co., Va.,-Dorcas Johnson, who remained unmarried, and Joshua Johnson, who m. Miss Beall.

THOMAS JOHNSON, eldest son of Gov. Thomas Johnson and Ann Jennings, m. twice. His 1st wife was Miss Hessilius, of Annapolis, who d. sine prole. His 2d wife was Elizabeth Russell, dau. of William Russell, of Baltimore, and had child., viz., Mary Ann, who m. Hugh W. Evans, of Baltimore,— Eliza Johnson, who d. in 1860, unmarried,-and Fanny Russell Johnson.

FANNY RUSSELL JOHNSON, dau. of Thomas Johnson and Elizabeth Russell, m., in December 1823, Col. John McPher

son, of Frederick County, and, in 1873, had the blessed privilege of celebrating her golden-wedding. Her husband d. the March following, aged 78 years, after a long, useful and honorable life. They had child., who survived to maturity, viz., Ann Graham McPherson (who m., 22d Jan'y 1850, Worthington Ross, Attorney at Law, a leading member of the Frederick bar, son of William and Catharine Worthington Johnson Ross, who d., leaving a dau., Fanny McPherson Ross),—Alice McPherson (who m. Col. George R. Dennis, and d. young, leaving several children),-Fanny McPherson, who m. and is the 2d wife of Col. George R. Dennis, and has several children.

COL. JAMES JOHNSON, son of Thomas Johnson and Dorcas Sedgwick, was a large manufacturer of iron and a distinguished patriot. He m. Margaret Skinner, of Talbot County, and had child., viz., James, Thomas and Rebecca Johnson.

THOMAS JOHNSON, son of Col. James and Margaret Skinner Johnson, m. Rebecca, dau. of Gov. Thomas Johnson, and had child., viz., Ann Jennings,-Margaret, who m. James Graham, and Thomas James Johnson.

JAMES JOHNSON, son of Col. James and Margaret Skinner, m. Ann Richards, and had child., viz.; Margaretta, who m. Samuel Hough and had 3 child.,-Anne,-Mary, who m. Lambert Hopkins, John, who m. Mary Overstreet and had 6 child.,―Thomas, who m. Miss Spedon and had 6 child.,—and James A. Johnson, who m. in Mexico.

ANNE JOHNSON, dau. of James and Ann Richards Johnson, m. Maj. M. M. Clark, and had child., viz., James L.,-Duncan, -Thomas Johnson,-Juliet, and Anne J. Clarke.

SEC. 35, K. COL. BAKER JOHNSON, of Frederick County, son of Thomas Johnson and Dorcas Sedgwick, was a member of the Convention of Maryland which met in Annapolis, 21st June 1776, commanded a battalion in his brother's brigade, and distinguished himself at Paoli, near Philadelphia. He m. 9th Dec. 1784, Catharine Worthington, dau. of Col. Nicholas Worthington, of Summer Hill and Belvoir, Anne Arundel Co., and had child., who lived to maturity, viz., Baker Johnson,Catharine Worthington Johnson,-William Johnson,-Juliana Johnson, who m., and was the 1st wife of the Rt. Rev. Bishop Johns, D. D., of Virginia, and d. leaving several children, Matilda Chase Johnson,-Caroline Worthington Goldsborough Johnson,-Worthington Johnson, and Charles Worthington

Johnson.

CATHARINE WORTHINGTON JOHNSON, dau. of Col. Baker Johnson and Catharine Worthington, m. 4th March 1806,

William Ross, an eminent lawyer of Frederick, son of Major William Ross and Mary Hannah, and had child., viz., William J. Ross, a distinguished member of the Maryland bar (who m. twice, 1st in 1831, Maria Davis, who d. young, leaving two child., viz., John, d., and Charles W. Ross, who m. 12th Dec. 1861, Cornelia Ringgold Potts, dau. of George M. Potts and Cornelia Ringgold (see RINGGOLD). His 2nd wife, m. in 1841, was Eliza Hughes Stokes, whose mother was the dau. of Capt. John Hughes, who bandaged with his own uniform scarf, the eyes of Major Andrè, who also d. young, leaving a dau., Eliza Ross),-Baker Ross (who d. in 1830, at the residence of his uncle, Rev. John Johns, in Baltimore),Catharine Mary Ross (who m. in 1832, James Howard, son of Col. John Eager Howard and Margaret Chew, (see HOWARD), -Ann Elizabeth Ross (who m. in 1832, William G. Harrison, of Baltimore, and d. in 1833, aged 20 years, sine prole),—John W. Ross, now of Baltimore,-Juliana J. Ross (who m. in 1839, Rev. John F. Hoff, D. D., of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and has several children),-Matilda J. Ross, "a perfect woman, nobly planned," who d. 29th July 1866,-Worthington Ross (who m. 22d Jan'y 1850, Ann Graham McPherson, and left a dau., Fanny McPherson Ross)-Caroline Ross,and Charles Johnson Ross, d.

SEC. 35, L. MAJOR WILLIAM Ross came from Scotland, with his cousin John Ross, to America, with the 42d Highlanders, commanded by Sir Hugh Montgomery, "The Sodger Hugh of Burns," and was taken prisoner by the Indians at Grant's defeat, but succeeded in escaping and regained the British camp. After the term of their service expired, the cousins separated, never to meet again. At parting, with vows of lasting remembrance and affection, they exchanged "bonnets." John Ross went to Canada, married, settled and died there, leaving children, whose descendants are now living in Montreal and Quebec.

William Ross settled at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and m. Mary Hannah. When the Revolutionary war broke out he espoused the cause of the colonies, and entered the American army, and served with distinction as a major.

Major William Ross was b. 16th Dec. 1727, in Ross-shire, Scotland, and d. 4th Dec. 1797, leaving three child., viz., John, Ann, and William Ross, who m. Catharine Worthington Johnson.

More than seventy years after the cousins parted, Mr. Charles W. Ross, of Frederick, a descendant of Major William Ross,