Doctor John Johnstone

Abt 1658 - 1732  (74 years)

• Name	John Johnstone
  Title	Doctor
  Birth	Abt 1658	Lauder, Berwickshire, Scotland
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	9 Aug 1676	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [1, 2]
  	Apprentice to John Falconer, merchant
  	John Falconer had been made Burgess and Guildbrother earlier that year, on 2 February 1676, having been apprenticed to merchant James Stewart (deceased). Source: Boog Watson, p177
  Occupation	20 Jul 1681	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [3]
  	Burgess and Guildbrother of Edinburgh - date admitted following apprenticeship to John Falconer (deceased)
  Property	29 Jul 1681	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [4]
  	With brother James, borrowed £4,444 9s Scots from Patrick Hepburne, apothecary, Edinburgh
  Legal	4 Jan 1681/82	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [5]
  	Took on Andrew Bell, son to Adam Bell, portioner of Spotswood, as his apprentice
  Occupation	1684	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [6]
  	Apothecary or 'drogist', "at the sign of the Unicorn" - to where those interested in emigrating were asked to apply
  Property	27 Jan 1683/84	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [7]
  	Borrowed 1,000 merks from James Sekirk, merchant burgess, with brother James and brother-in-law William Reid as cautioners
  Residence	16 Sep 1684	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [8, 9]
  	Jailed in the Edinburgh Tolbooth, with others, and released on 25 Sep. Was required to live “regularlie and orderlie” (or face a fine of 1,000 merks). Cautioner: William Blackwood, merchant.
  	His arrest was reported by John Erskine of Carnock in his Journal, p83. Others he mentioned were John Melvill, Robert Chiesley, James Hamilton and Henry [Harie] Anderson. To this list the Privy Council also mentioned James Selkrig, John Park, Stephen Porteous and William Haxtoune. Erskine, John, Journal of the Hon. John Erskine of Carnock, 1683-1687, ed. by Walter Macleod (Edinburgh: Scottish History Society, 1893) <http://archive.org/details/journalofhonjohn14ersk> This may have been another John Johnstone, as there were several merchant burgesses of the same name in Edinburgh at the same time.
  Role	Abt Mar 1684/85	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [6, 10]
  	Emigration agent
  Property	12 Mar 1684/85	Monmouth, New Jersey, USA   [11]
  	Warrant for 450 acres along the Toponemus branch of the South River
  Property	19 Aug 1685	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   [12]
  	Deed obliging John Johnstone and his brother-in-law William Reid to replace 800 pounds of gunpowder borrowed from William Drummond of Cromlix, master general of HM ordnance in Scotland
  Departure	5 Sep 1685	Leith, Midlothian, Scotland   [13]
  	Aboard the Henry and Francis of Newcastle, shipping goods on which he paid duty of £3 4s on 5 Sep
  	10 score ells Lining cloath £2 3 dozen felts 12s 3 dozen stockings 12s
  Arrival	7 Dec 1685	Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA
  Property	13 Jan 1687	Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA
  	Put in possession of the land granted to his father-in-law in 1685 and wife in 1686
  Role	1688	East Jersey, New Jersey, USA
  	Fractioner
  Property	25 Mar 1690	East Jersey, New Jersey, USA   [14]
  	Purchased 1/4 of 1/24 of East Jersey from Proprietor Robert Turner
  Occupation	20 May 1690	Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA   [15]
  	Member of the Board of Proprietors. Post held until 27 Oct 1705
  Occupation	23 Sep 1691	Shrewsbury, Monmouth, New Jersey, USA   [16]
  	Presiding Judge, Monmouth Court of Sessions. The proceedings included the case of an enslaved man, Cesar, who was accused of murdering Mary Wright
  Property	1701	Peapack, Somerset, New Jersey, USA
  	With George Willocks obtained 3,100 acres at Peapack, Bedminster (probably closer to 11,000 acres)
  Property	7 Jun 1701	Monmouth, New Jersey, USA   [17]
  	Confirmation of right of headland for the servants imported by his father-in-law, Sir George Scot (Deed 255)
  Legal	15 Apr 1702  [18]
  	One of the East Jersey Proprietors who signed the Surrender of Government of East and West Jersey to the Crown
  	Witnessed by Gilbert Falconer and Daniel Wild
  Name	John Johnston
  Name	John Johnstoun  [6]
  Religion	20 Dec 1702	Navesink, Monmouth, New Jersey, USA   [19]
  	Anglican. Hosted George Keith on his travels
  Occupation	1714	New York, New York, USA
  	Mayor of New York (to 1716)
  Property	14 Sep 1714	East Jersey, New Jersey, USA   [20]
  	On list of debtors to John Bowne of Matawan, listed in the inventory of his estate
  Property	3 May 1715	Monmouth, New Jersey, USA   [21]
  	Sold 400 acres to Peter Watson, land adjoining Watson's own property
  Occupation	1719	New Jersey, USA
  	One of the Commissioners responsible for determining the boundary between New York and New Jersey
  Occupation	1720	New York, New York, USA
  	Member of the New York Provincial Council, to 1723
  Occupation	1721	Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA
  	Member of the New Jersey Provincial Assembly for Perth Amboy, to his death in 1732. Speaker 1721-22 and 1725-1729
  Will	29 Oct 1731	Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA   [22]
  	Executors wife Eupham, sons Andrew and Lewis, sons-in-law John Parker and Lawrence Smyth. Codicil dated 18 Aug 1732, executors Rev W. Skinner and James Alexander
  	Witnesses to will: Evan Drummond, John White, J. Stevens. Witnesses to the codicil: Evan Drummond, Danielll Donaalson Dunstar, Richard Fitzgerald
  Burial	1732	Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA
  	St Peter's churchyard
  Death	6 Sep 1732	Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA   [23]
  	By the time of his death he had amassed 30,511 acres
  Probate	17 Nov 1732	Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA   [22]
  Person ID	I22302	East Jersey Genealogies
  Last Modified	16 Apr 2026

  
  

  Father	Mr William Johnstone,   b. Abt 1621, Lanarkshire, Scotland d. Bef Feb 1670/71, Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland (Age < 50 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Isabel Maitland,   b. 24 Nov 1626, Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland d. 1686, Gladsmuir, East Lothian, Scotland (Age 59 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	Abt 1654
  Family ID	F19387	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Eupham Scot,   b. 1665, Strathmiglo, Fife, Scotland d. 6 Dec 1745 (Age 80 years)
  Marriage	18 Apr 1686	East Jersey, New Jersey, USA   [24]
  Children	1. Isabel Johnstone,   b. 10 Aug 1688, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 15 Aug 1688, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA (Age 0 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. Katherine Johnstone,   b. 16 Sep 1689, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 7 Jul 1690, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA (Age 0 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   3. John Johnstone,   b. 7 May 1691, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 6 Sep 1731, Monmouth, New Jersey, USA (Age 40 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   4. Margaret Johnstone,   b. 12 Feb 1693, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   5. Andrew Johnstone,   b. 20 Dec 1694, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 24 Jun 1762, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA (Age 67 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   6. William Johnstone,   b. 3 Oct 1696, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 7 Apr 1698, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA (Age 1 year)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   7. Janet Johnstone,   b. 7 Apr 1699, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. Abt Jan 1740/41, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA (Age 41 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   8. James Johnstone,   b. 3 Apr 1700, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 1729 (Age 28 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   9. George Johnston,   b. 3 Sep 1702, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 1732, New Jersey, USA (Age 29 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   10. Doctor Lewis Johnston,   b. 10 Oct 1704, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 22 Nov 1774, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA (Age 70 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   11. Isabel Johnstone,   b. 16 Jul 1707, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. Jul 1708, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA (Age 0 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   12. Mary Johnstone,   b. 12 Sep 1710, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. Died unmarried  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   13. Euphemia Johnstone,   b. 18 Jan 1686/87, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA d. 16 Sep 1724, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA (Age 37 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F29077	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	16 Apr 2026

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - Abt 1658 - Lauder, Berwickshire, Scotland Occupation - Apprentice to John Falconer, merchant - 9 Aug 1676 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Occupation - Burgess and Guildbrother of Edinburgh - date admitted following apprenticeship to John Falconer (deceased) - 20 Jul 1681 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Property - With brother James, borrowed £4,444 9s Scots from Patrick Hepburne, apothecary, Edinburgh - 29 Jul 1681 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Legal - Took on Andrew Bell, son to Adam Bell, portioner of Spotswood, as his apprentice - 4 Jan 1681/82 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Occupation - Apothecary or 'drogist', "at the sign of the Unicorn" - to where those interested in emigrating were asked to apply - 1684 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Property - Borrowed 1,000 merks from James Sekirk, merchant burgess, with brother James and brother-in-law William Reid as cautioners - 27 Jan 1683/84 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Residence - Jailed in the Edinburgh Tolbooth, with others, and released on 25 Sep. Was required to live “regularlie and orderlie” (or face a fine of 1,000 merks). Cautioner: William Blackwood, merchant. - 16 Sep 1684 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Role - Emigration agent - Abt Mar 1684/85 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Property - Warrant for 450 acres along the Toponemus branch of the South River - 12 Mar 1684/85 - Monmouth, New Jersey, USA Property - Deed obliging John Johnstone and his brother-in-law William Reid to replace 800 pounds of gunpowder borrowed from William Drummond of Cromlix, master general of HM ordnance in Scotland - 19 Aug 1685 - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Departure - Aboard the Henry and Francis of Newcastle, shipping goods on which he paid duty of £3 4s on 5 Sep - 5 Sep 1685 - Leith, Midlothian, Scotland Arrival - 7 Dec 1685 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA Property - Put in possession of the land granted to his father-in-law in 1685 and wife in 1686 - 13 Jan 1687 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA Occupation - Member of the Board of Proprietors. Post held until 27 Oct 1705 - 20 May 1690 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA Occupation - Presiding Judge, Monmouth Court of Sessions. The proceedings included the case of an enslaved man, Cesar, who was accused of murdering Mary Wright - 23 Sep 1691 - Shrewsbury, Monmouth, New Jersey, USA Property - With George Willocks obtained 3,100 acres at Peapack, Bedminster (probably closer to 11,000 acres) - 1701 - Peapack, Somerset, New Jersey, USA Property - Confirmation of right of headland for the servants imported by his father-in-law, Sir George Scot (Deed 255) - 7 Jun 1701 - Monmouth, New Jersey, USA Religion - Anglican. Hosted George Keith on his travels - 20 Dec 1702 - Navesink, Monmouth, New Jersey, USA Occupation - Mayor of New York (to 1716) - 1714 - New York, New York, USA Property - Sold 400 acres to Peter Watson, land adjoining Watson's own property - 3 May 1715 - Monmouth, New Jersey, USA Occupation - One of the Commissioners responsible for determining the boundary between New York and New Jersey - 1719 - New Jersey, USA Occupation - Member of the New York Provincial Council, to 1723 - 1720 - New York, New York, USA Occupation - Member of the New Jersey Provincial Assembly for Perth Amboy, to his death in 1732. Speaker 1721-22 and 1725-1729 - 1721 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA Will - Executors wife Eupham, sons Andrew and Lewis, sons-in-law John Parker and Lawrence Smyth. Codicil dated 18 Aug 1732, executors Rev W. Skinner and James Alexander - 29 Oct 1731 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA Burial - 1732 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA Death - 6 Sep 1732 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA Probate - 17 Nov 1732 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Note that John Johnstone was distantly connected to George Scot through the Melville family, by marriage rather than genetically. His grandfather Thomas's first wife was Margaret Melville who was the granddaughter of John Melville and Helen Napier, via Sir Andrew Melville of Garvock, while George Scot was the same generation as John, descended from Sir James Melville of Hallhill.

  
  

• Sources

  [S3595] Boog Watson, Charles B., Register of Edinburgh Apprentices, 1666-1700, p51. [S3594] Boog Watson, Charles B., Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses and Guild-Brethren, 1406-1700, p177. [S3594] Boog Watson, Charles B., Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses and Guild-Brethren, 1406-1700, p278. [S3526] National Records of Scotland, (Location: Edinburgh;), RD4/49/831. [S3595] Boog Watson, Charles B., Register of Edinburgh Apprentices, 1666-1700, p8. [S3550] Scot, George, The Model of the Government of the Province of East-New-Jersey in America, p272. [S3526] National Records of Scotland, (Location: Edinburgh;), RD4/56/473. [S3611] Privy Council of Scotland, The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, 3rd Series, X, pp406-407. [S3611] Privy Council of Scotland, The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, 3rd Series, IX, p180. [S3773] Scot, George, A Brief Advertisement Concerning East-New-Jersey, in America, p3. [S3652] "Early Land Records, 1650-1900s", State of New Jersey, Department of State, Early Land Records, 1650-1900s, L(EJ): Folio 66 (PEASJ003). [S3526] National Records of Scotland, (Location: Edinburgh;), RD3/64/538. [S3526] National Records of Scotland, (Location: Edinburgh;), E72/15/32/23. [S3652] "Early Land Records, 1650-1900s", State of New Jersey, Department of State, Early Land Records, 1650-1900s, D(EJ): Folio 311 (SSTSE023). [S3720] Miller, George J., The Minutes of the Board of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New Jersey from 1685 to 1705, p2. [S3824] Salter, Edwin, Old Times in Old Monmouth, p253. [S3652] "Early Land Records, 1650-1900s", State of New Jersey, Department of State, Early Land Records, 1650-1900s, G(EJ): Folio 252, 255, 262, 334 (SSTSE023). [S3591] Whitehead, William A., Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, pp452-461. [S3756] Keith, George, A Journal of Travels from New-Hampshire to Caratuck, on the Continent of North-America. p57 [S3607] Nelson, William, Calendar of Records in the Office of the Secretary of State, 1664-1703, p53. [S3652] "Early Land Records, 1650-1900s", State of New Jersey, Department of State, Early Land Records, 1650-1900s, Monmouth Co Deeds Volume E: Folio 131-132 (CMNCL001). [S3700] Honeyman, A. Van Doren, Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Volume 2, 1730-1750, pp269-270. [S3765] Colonial Dames of the State of New York, The, Genealogical Records, p175. [S3765] Colonial Dames of the State of New York, The, Genealogical Records, p174.