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Peter Johnston
Peter Johnston
12th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
	In office; 1805–1807
Preceded by	Hugh Holmes
Succeeded by	Hugh Nelson
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Prince Edward County
	In office; December 6, 1803–December 4, 1808
Preceded by	Abraham B. Venable
Succeeded by	Tarlton Woodson
	In office; December 3, 1798–December 4, 1803
Preceded by	Richard N. Venable
Succeeded by	Abraham B. Venable
	In office; October 1, 1792–November 10, 1794
Preceded by	Tarlton Woodson
Succeeded by	Tarlton Woodson
Personal details
Born	January 6, 1763; Longwood Plantation, Prince Edward County, Virginia Colony, British America
Died	December 8, 1831 (aged 68); Abingdon, Washington County, Virginia
Resting place	Abingdon, Virginia
Spouse	Mary Wood
Children	Joseph E. Johnston
Profession	Politician, Lawyer, Farmer, judge
Military service
Branch/service	Continental Army, Virginia Militia
Rank	captain (Continental Army); Brigadier General (Virginia militia)
Unit	Lee's Legion

Peter Johnston Jr. (January 6, 1763 – December 8, 1831 or 1841) was a Virginia military officer, lawyer, politician and judge. He was raised in Prince Edward County, which he represented for many terms in the Virginia House of Delegates; he also served as that body's speaker between 1805 to 1807. During the last two decades of his life, Johnston served as judge of the southwest Virginia Circuit and resided in Abingdon.^[1]

Early life and education

His mother, the former Martha Butler, was a widow when she married his Scottish-born father, Peter Johnston (d. 1786). Johnson, a merchant, emigrated to Virginia and initially conducted business at Osborne's on the James River before moving to Prince Edward County. He established a plantation known as "Longwood," became one of the burgesses for that county, and also donated the land which ultimately became Hampden–Sydney College.^[2] This man, his son, attended Hampden-Sydney College, until he volunteered for military service in 1780.^[3]

Military career

Johnston volunteered to join Lee's Legion at age 17, and first held the rank of Lieutenant. He resigned that position in 1782, and joined the light corps formed by General Greene, as an adjutant with the rank of Captain. After being mustered out at the end of the Revolutionary War, Johnston served with the Virginia militia, rising to the rank of brigadier general of militia.^[3]

Personal life

Johnston married Mary Wood, the daughter of Valentine Wood and Lucy Henry (a sister of Patrick Henry). One of their sons became Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston.^[3]

Career

Johnston's father operated his Prince Edward county plantation using enslaved labor, as is indicated by the 1787 Virginia tax inventory, which showed the estate owning 11 enslaved adults and 16 enslaved children, as well as seven horses and 42 other livestock.^[4] In the last census before his death, he owned more than 30 slaves in Washington County, Virginia.^[5]

Prince Edward County voters first elected Johnston as one of their representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1792, and re-elected him until 1794. His last term ended in 1811.^[6] He succeeded Hugh Holmes, who was elected to become a judge, and served as that body's Speaker from 1805 until 1807.^[7] His speech concerning the celebrated resolutions of 1798-1799 was published in the "Register", then a leading paper in the new county.^[3]

In 1811, legislators elected Johnston as judge on the general and superior court for the 13th district, which included Prince Edward County. He exchanged the district for the District of Southwest Virginia held by Judge William Brockenbrough. The reason for the exchange is said to have been that Prince Edward was becoming so thickly settled that Judge Johnston thought hunting would be better in the far southwest.^[7] In 1813 Johnston purchased 500 acres of land in Washington County and, with his older sons and slaves purchased in Georgia, proceeded to build a two story log home called Panicello with oak logs harvested on the property. Johnston eventually owned about 1,300 acres of land in the area.

Death and legacy

On December 8, 1831, Johnston died at his "Panicello" home and was buried at the Johnston family graveyard on an adjoining summit.^[7] Descendants included John W. Johnston, Peter Carr Johnston, Beverley Randolph Johnston, Charles C. Johnston, Benjamin Johnston, Mrs. Jane C. Mitchell and Algernon Sidney Johnston.^[3]

References

^ Lyon Gardiner Tyler, "Johnston, Peter" in Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography (1915) vol. 2, p. 227
^ Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography (1915) vol. 1 p. 266
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Tyler, vol. 2, p. 227
^ Netti Schriener-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love, The 1787 Census of Virginia (Springfield, Virginia: Genealogical Books in Print 1987) p. 1291.
^ 1830 U.S. Federal Census for Washington County, Virginia pp 67-68 of 150
^ Cynthia Miller Leonard, The Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond: Virginia State Library 1978) pp.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Peter Johnston Jr., Member From: 1792 - 1811". history.house.virginia.gov.