Gabriel Johnston

Gabriel Johnston (1699 – 17 July 1752) was a British colonial official who served as the sixth governor of North Carolina from 1734 until his death in 1752.

[1] Johnston was greatly disturbed by the conditions he found in the province and deplored what he considered the moral laxity, the disregard for law, the inadequate educational facilities, and the oppression of the poor.

Another group emigrating in large numbers, and with especial appeal for the governor, were the Scots, who settled in the Cape Fear region.

The union with England and a breakup in the clan system, as well as a pardon to all Scottish rebels who would emigrate, greatly stimulated their settlement in America.

[1] Some years later the General Assembly of North Carolina provided for the erection of a fort on the south bank of Cape Fear and named it in honor of Johnston.