John Williams (March 14, 1731 – October 10, 1799), born in Surry County, North Carolina, was a Founding Father of the United States and signer of its

Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation, officially the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement and early body of law in the Thirteen Colonies, which served as the nation's first Constitution, frame of government during the Ameri ...

. He was one of the founders of the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

. During the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, Williams was a colonel in the North Carolina militia. In 1777 and 1778, he was a member of the North Carolina House of Commons and served as speaker of the House. Williams was a member of the Continental Congress in 1778 and 1779. Willams served as a superior court judge both during the colonial era and after the new state of

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

was established in 1776. Sitting alongside other superior court judges as part of a Court of Conference (forerunner to the North Carolina Supreme Court), Williams heard the landmark case, '' Bayard v. Singleton'', which announced the principle of

judicial review Judicial review is a process under which a government's executive, legislative, or administrative actions are subject to review by the judiciary. In a judicial review, a court may invalidate laws, acts, or governmental actions that are in ...

on the state level before '' Marbury v. Madison'' did so on the federal level.

Family and political career

Williams was born on March 14, 1731, in Surry County, North Carolina, the son of John Williams Sr and Mary Keeling. He married Mary Womack. They had 6 children, John Williams III, William Williams and Mary (Williams) Farra, Charles, William, Nathaniel who married Elizabeth Keeling, half-sister to the mother of

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

, and Agatha who married Col. Robert Burton of Granville County, North Carolina. Was also married to Agnes Bullock 12 Nov 1759 • Granville, North Carolina, USA

Revolutionary War

Williams was commissioned on September 9, 1775, as a lieutenant colonel under Col. James Thackston in the Orange County Minutemen Regiment. Both men participated in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776. All minutemen regiments were disbanded on April 10, 1776. He was a colonel and commandant of the 9th North Carolina Regiment of the North Carolina Line from 1776 to 1778.

Death and legacy

Williams died on October 10, 1799. The town of Williamsboro, North Carolina, for which he donated the land, is named for Williams. Williams was a first cousin and law partner of Judge Richard Henderson.

Notes

External links

* * Samuel A. Ashe, ed., Biographical History of North Carolina, vol. 3 (1905). * 1731 births 1799 deaths Continental Congressmen from North Carolina Signers of the Articles of Confederation Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives North Carolina state court judges People from Vance County, North Carolina Continental Army officers from North Carolina Founding Fathers of the United States {{NorthCarolina-politician-stub