Col. Philip Johnston

1741 - 1776  (35 years)

• Name	Philip Johnston
  Prefix	Col.
  Birth	27 Aug 1741	Lebanon Township, Hunterdon, New Jersey, British colonial America
  Gender	Male
  Death	27 Aug 1776	Battle of Long Island, New York, United States
  Person ID	I65554	Scudder
  Last Modified	15 Mar 2022

  
  

  Father	Judge Samuel Johnston,   b. 1706, Bethlehem, Township, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, British Colonial America d. 1785, Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, United States (Age 79 years)
  Mother	Mary Casier,   b. Abt 1708   d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	1740, New jersey, United States
  Family ID	F23777	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Rachel Martin,   b. Abt 1743, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, British Colonial America d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	13 Apr 1767	Hunterdon, New Jersey, British Colonial America
  Children	1. Maria Louise Johnston,   b. 15 Jun 1769, Lebanon, Hunterdon, New Jersey d. 21 Dec 1858, New York, New York, New York (Age 89 years)   2. Martha A. Johnston,   b. 1769, Hunterdon, New Jersey, British Colonial America d. Yes, date unknown   3. Elizabeth Johnston,   b. Abt 1770, Hunterdon, New Jersey, British Colonial America d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F23776	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2024

  
  

• Notes

  From: Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania:Genealogical and Personal Memoirs John W. Jordan, LL.D., editor Historical Society of Pennsylvania The Lewis Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1911 Volume III Pages 1676, 1677 Samuel Grandin, father of Sarah (Grandin) Wurts, was a son of Daniel Grandin,above mentioned. He was a lawyer at Freehold, New Jersey, and later removed to Flanders, Morris county, where he became a large landholder. He purchased from his father-in-law, SAMUEL JOHNSTON, the iron-works at Flanders, which eventually passed to his son-in-law, John Wurts, the title deeds showing the signatures of JUDGE JOHNSTON and Samuel Grandin, being in possession of John S.Wurts, Esq., of Philadelphia. Samuel Grandin was a member of the Church of England. He is said to have held office under the Colonial government. He died in August, 1776, just at the opening of the Revolutionary War. His wife SUSANNA was the eldest daughter of JUDGE SAMUEL JOHNSTON, and was born at “Sidney,” her father’s seat in Kingwood township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, July 8, 1729. She and her sister, Mary, wife of Colonel Charles Stewart, are said to have been the best read women in the Province. JUDGE SAMUEL JOHNSTON, “only son and heir to WILLIAM JOHNSTON, deceased, late of Trenton,” came of ancient family, the eldest male of which was for many generations steward of Stewards of the County Annandale, as shown by the grant of arms in which they are described as “an ancient, great and warlike family,who derive their name from the Barony of Johnston,” who “did great service in suppressing the thieves who during the war between the two nations, committed great depredations on the borders, and thereupon were granted the device of a Winged Spur to denote their diligence.” Their ancestry has been traced back to Sir John de Johnston, living in 1296. JUDGE SAMUEL JOHNSTON located in Kingwood prior to 1730, in which year he was one of the founders of Bethlehem Presbyterian Church. He was commissioned by the Council of State a Judge of the Quorum, March 28, 1749, and was recommissioned,April 21, 1768. His fine stone mansion “Sidney,” still standing (in 1911), is a fine specimen of Colonial architecture. Its thick stone walls and massive portals were not intended simply to beautify the structure but to protect the family from the inroads of the savage Indians, and is said to have been the place of refuge of the early settlers, for miles around during the Indian troubles. Here also JUDGE JOHNSTON held court on Monday of each week, to try local issues. It became the resort of culture and talent, and opened to a wide hospitality. JUDGE JOHNSTON was a gentleman of exalted virtues, much renowned for his unbounded hospitality and benevolence. He died in 1785. He was twice married; (first), in 1728, to SARAH OAKLY, born 1707, died June 1, 1739, by whom he had seven children. Mary, the second daughter, was the wife of Colonel Charles Stewart, of Washington’s staff, a member of Continental Congress, etc.,whose beautiful home, “Lansdowne,” adjoining the JOHNSTON home, was the place of entertainment of many officers of the American army during the revolution,even Washington and his wife being guests there. JUDGE JOHNSTON married (second) in 1740, MARY CAZIER, by whom he had nine children the eldest of whom, COLONEL PHILIP JOHNSTON, born August 27, 1741, left his class at Princeton to serve in the last French and Indian war, and was killed while leading his regiment at the battle of Fort Washington, during the Revolution. (note --Actually the Battle of Long Island, which took place on August 27, 1776; said to be Philip Johnston's 35th birthday. Both the History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, and the Wikipedia article on Philip, confirm this.