Preceded by Caleb Heathcote Governor William Burnet Preceded by William Trent Role Mayor | Preceded by Samuel Staats Preceded by John Kinsey Name John Johnstone Succeeded by Jacobus Van Cortlandt | |
Governor William Burnet, John Montgomerie Died September 3, 1732, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, United States | ||
Dr. John Johnstone was the 32nd Mayor of New York City from 1714 to 1719.
Biography
An associate of George Scot of Pitlochie, he was a druggist from Edinburgh and emigrated to the United States in 1685 aboard the Henry and Francis. Johnstone married Scot's daughter, Euphame in 1686. Scot himself died on board ship.
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 Assembly, serving in 1709 and 1710. Between 1710 and 1714 Johnstone represented Perth Amboy in the New Jersey General Assembly. 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. 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. In July 1723 he was replaced by William Provost.
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. 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.