John Williams (March 14, 1731 – October 10, 1799), born in Surry County, North Carolina, was aFounding Father of the United States and signer of itsArticles of Confederation. He was one of the founders of theUniversity of North Carolina. During theAmerican Revolutionary War, Williams was a colonel in the North Carolina militia. In 1777 and 1778, he was a member of theNorth Carolina House of Commons and served asspeaker of the House. Williams was a member of theContinental Congress in 1778 and 1779.
Willams served as asuperior court judge both during the colonial era and after the new state ofNorth Carolina was established in 1776. Sitting alongside other superior court judges as part of a Court of Conference (forerunner to theNorth Carolina Supreme Court), Williams heard the landmark case,Bayard v. Singleton, which announced the principle ofjudicial review on the state level beforeMarbury v. Madison did so on the federal level.[1][2]
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 ofGeorge Washington, and Agatha who married Col.Robert Burton ofGranville County, North Carolina. Was also married to Agnes Bullock 12 Nov 1759 • Granville, North Carolina, USA
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 theBattle of Moore's Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776. Allminutemen regiments were disbanded on April 10, 1776.[3] He was a colonel and commandant of the9th North Carolina Regiment of theNorth Carolina Line from 1776 to 1778.[3]
Williams died on October 10, 1799. The town ofWilliamsboro, North Carolina, for which he donated the land, is named for Williams.[4] Williams was a first cousin and law partner of JudgeRichard Henderson.
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