John Johnstone (mayor)

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

John Johnstone
32nd Mayor of New York City
In office 1714–1719
Preceded by	Caleb Heathcote
Succeeded by	Jacobus Van Cortlandt
Member of the New York General Assembly
In office 1709–1710
New York Provincial Council
In office 1720–1723
Preceded by	Samuel Staats
Succeeded by	William Provost
Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office 1721–1722
Governor	William Burnet
Preceded by	John Kinsey
Succeeded by	William Trent
Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office 1725–1729
Governor	William Burnet, John Montgomerie
Preceded by	William Trent
Succeeded by	John Kinsey, Jr.
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the City of Perth Amboy district
In office 1710–1714 Serving with John Reid
Preceded by	Thomas Gordon
Succeeded by	Thomas 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 by	John Harrison
Succeeded by	Andrew Johnston
Personal details
Born	c. 1661 Ochiltree, Scotland
Died	3 September 1732 Perth Amboy, Province of New Jersey, British America
Nationality	Scottish
Spouse(s)	Euphame Scot
Relations	David Johnston (grandson)
Children	Euphemia Johnston, Isabel Johnstone, Katherine Johnstone, John Johnston, Jr., Margaret Johnston, Andrew Johnston, William Johnstone, Janet, James Johnstone, George Johnston, Lewis Johnston, Isabel Johnstone, Mary Johnston
Profession	Druggist, physician

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