JOHNSTONE, EDVARD [SSNE 2734]

Surname
JOHNSTONE, JOHNSTOWN, JOHNSTON
First name
EDVARD, EDWARD
Title/rank
LIEUTENANT COLONEL
Nationality
SCOT
Social status
OFFICER

Text source

Edward Johnstone started his service as non-commissioned officer in 1623 in captain William Johnstone's [SSNE 570] company (William was very probably a relative). Edward then became an ensign with the Nyland regiment in 1624. In 1630 he became a captain for a company of infantry and by 1635 he was the regimental quartermaster. His first wife was Elin Salomonsdotter, whom he married in 1630 and through whom he gained land near Porvoo, Finland. However he divorced her in 1642 due to her illness. In 1638 he gained promotion to major. In 1639/1640 he was lieutenant colonel of a Nyland regiment. At some point here he married his second wife, Katherine Guthrie [SSNE 6264], daughter of major Robert Guthrie [SSNE 4679], and widow of lieutenant colonel John Lichton [SSNE 4360]. In 1645 he comanded his own distinct regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Despite a letter from the authorities stating he would be granted the next vacant colonelcy of a Finnish regiment in 1647, he appears to have died before he could take on his own command.  He received inheritance rights to land in Finland: firstly through his first marriage (Seitlaks) and secondly through donation (Tervik). He died on 15 October 1649 in Riga, after appointing his relative, Colonel Francis Johnstone [SSNE 2736], as his son's guardian. His wife Katherine died in 1650.

 

Swedish Riksarkiv, P. Sondén, Militärachefer i svenska arméen och deras skrivelser; Swedish Krigsarkiv, Muster Roll, 1624/5; 1625/4; 1626/4; 1630/21; 1631/9-11; 1632/8,9; 1635/1; 1636/12; 1638/3,16,19,24-27; 1639/13-15; 1640/10; 1641/13; 1642/11; 1643/13; 1644/13,15; 1645/18; 1646/11; 1647/11,14; 1648/13; 1649/8 DEAD 6.8.49; Several letters can be found in 'Krigskollegium Kancelliet; Adressatregistratur till Krigskollegiets Registratur 1631-1654' dated between 15/3/1638 to 29/5/1647; J. Ramsay, Frälsesläkter i Finland intill stora ofreden (Helsingfors, 1909), p.209.

 

Some correspondence pertaining to his affairs post-mortem can be found in: Riksarkivets ämnessamlingar. Personhistoria https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0069764_00151#?c=&m=&s=&cv=150&xywh=2304%2C2516%2C3409%2C1966

Service record

SWEDEN, NYLAND REGIMENT, FRANCIS JOHNSTOUN'S, FINLAND
Arrived 1624-01-01, as ENSIGN
Departed 1645-08-06, as LT. COLONEL
Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SWEDEN, FRANS KNORRING'S NYLAND, FINLAND
Arrived 1645-01-01, as LIEUTENANT COLONEL
Departed 1649-08-06, as LIEUTENANT COLONEL
Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY