▁Britain , ▁but ▁came ▁to ▁America ▁when ▁his ▁father ▁( Sam uel , ▁Sr .) ▁moved ▁to ▁On slow ▁County , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁in ▁ 1 7 3 6 . ▁Samuel ▁Sr . ▁became ▁survey or - general ▁of ▁the ▁col ony ▁where ▁his ▁uncle , ▁Gabriel ▁John ston , ▁was ▁Royal ▁Governor . ▁Young ▁Samuel ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁New ▁England , ▁then ▁read ▁law ▁in ▁Carolina . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Ch owan ▁County ▁and ▁started ▁his ▁own ▁plant ation , ▁known ▁as ▁Hay es ▁near ▁Ed ent on . ▁ ▁John ston ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁bar ▁and ▁began ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁law ▁in ▁Ed ent on . ▁In ▁ 1 7 5 9 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Province ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁House ▁of ▁Burg esses ▁and ▁would ▁serve ▁in ▁that ▁body ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁disp la ced ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 5 ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Revolution . ▁As ▁a ▁strong ▁supp orter ▁of ▁independence , ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁four ▁provincial ▁con gress es ▁and ▁pres ided ▁over ▁the ▁Third ▁and ▁Four th ▁con gress es ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 5 ▁and ▁ 1 7 7 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁time ▁after ▁the ▁Royal ▁Governor ▁Jos iah ▁Martin ▁ab dic ated ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁highest - ran king ▁official ▁in ▁the ▁state , ▁until ▁Richard ▁Cas well ▁was ▁elected ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Provin cial ▁Congress . ▁ ▁John ston ▁is