John Johnstone (mayor)

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John Johnstone
32nd Mayor of New York City
In office
1714–1719
Preceded byCaleb Heathcote
Succeeded byJacobus Van Cortlandt
Member of the New York General Assembly
In office
1709–1710
New York Provincial Council
In office
1720–1723
Preceded bySamuel Staats
Succeeded byWilliam Provost
Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office
1721–1722
GovernorWilliam Burnet
Preceded by
Succeeded byWilliam Trent
Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office
1725–1729
GovernorWilliam Burnet, John Montgomerie
Preceded byWilliam Trent
Succeeded by
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the City of Perth Amboy district
In office
1710–1714
Serving with John Reid
Preceded byThomas Gordon
Succeeded byThomas Farmar
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the City of Perth Amboy district
In office
1721–1732
Serving with Andrew Redford, Samuel Leonard, Andrew Johnston
Preceded byJohn Harrison
Succeeded byAndrew Johnston
Personal details
Bornc. 1661
Ochiltree, Scotland
Died3 September 1732
Perth Amboy, Province of New Jersey, British America
NationalityScottish
Spouse(s)Euphame Scot
RelationsDavid Johnston (grandson)
Children13 including Andrew Johnston
ProfessionDruggist, physician

John Johnstone (c. 1661 – 3 September 1732) was the 32nd Mayor of New York City from 1714 to 1719.[1]

Career[]

An associate of George Scot of Pitlochie, he was a druggist from Edinburgh and emigrated to what has since become the United States in 1685 aboard the Henry and Francis. Scot himself died on board ship.[2]

In New Jersey, he was known as Dr. Johnstone.

In 1686, Johnstone was granted a tract of 500 acres by the East New Jersey Proprietors on account of his wife and another 30,000 acres in 1701. In spite of his investment in East New Jersey land, John Johnstone eventually settled in New York and was elected to the New York General Assembly, serving in 1709 and 1710. Between 1710 and 1714 Johnstone represented Perth Amboy in the New Jersey General Assembly.[3] By 1714 he was mayor of New York City, in which office he served until 1716.

He was first recommended to the Crown for the New York Provincial Council by Governor Robert Hunter in 1715 to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Dr. Samuel Staats.[4] Johnstone was finally appointed in 1720, but by 1722 Hunter's successor, William Burnet, complained that Dr. Johnstone had "without any leave obtained under the Hand and seal of any Governor or president, now resided for above two years last past in New Jersey", and asked for his removal from the Council.[5] In July 1723 he was replaced by William Provost.[6]

Governor Burnet had first-hand knowledge of Johnstone's New Jersey residency, as he served as governor of both New York and New Jersey simultaneously. John Johnstone had returned to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1721, again representing Perth Amboy.[7] He served as Speaker for most of that time, from 1721 through 1722, and again from 1725 through 1729, with the interim occupied by William Trent. He remained in the Assembly until his death on September 3, 1732.[8]

Personal life[]

In 1686, Johnstone was married to Euphame Scot, the daughter of George Scot of Pitlochie. Together, they were the parents of Euphemia Johnston, Isabel Johnstone, Katherine Johnstone, John Johnston, Jr., Margaret Johnston, Andrew Johnston, William Johnstone, Janet, James Johnstone, George Johnston, Lewis Johnston, Isabel Johnstone, and Mary Johnston.

Johnstone died on 3 September 1732 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

References[]

  1. ^ Severance, Frank Hayward (1917). An Old Frontier of France: The Niagara Region and Adjacent Lakes Under French Control. Dodd, Mead. p. 298. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  2. ^ Hidden Heritage - the Story of the Reverend James Murphy: Cast of Characters
  3. ^ Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, date: various (pre 1950)
  4. ^ Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York, Volume V; Edited by E. B. O'Callaghan, M. D.; Weed, Parsons and Company, Printers; Albany, New York, 1855; p. 437
  5. ^ Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York, Volume V; Edited by E. B. O'Callaghan, M. D.; Weed, Parsons and Company, Printers; Albany, New York, 1855; p. 649
  6. ^ Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York, Volume V; Edited by E. B. O'Callaghan, M. D.; Weed, Parsons and Company, Printers; Albany, New York, 1855; p. 697
  7. ^ Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, date: various (pre 1950)
  8. ^ New Jersey Colonial Documents, Archives of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. II; Daily Advertiser Publishing House, Newark, New Jersey, 1882. p. 119
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of New York City
1714–1719 		Succeeded by
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