Thomas Johnston was an American engraver, japanner, heraldic painter, and a church organ builder. He is noted for making the first historical print engraved in America and being the first person who manufactured church organs as a regular business in America.
Early life
Johnston was born in 1708 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was an engraver, an ornamental painter, a japanner, a coats of arms painter, a book publisher and a builder of organs. He decorated clocks and furniture with embossed or raised work representing Chinese images. He was a skillful engraver and heraldic painter. He sold London style looking glasses of all sorts and sizes in 1732 as a japanner at the Golden Lyon on Ann Street near the downtown Dock Square in Boston.
Mid life and career
Johnston lived in his house on the west side of Brattle Square that he purchased in 1742. It was across the street from the tower of the Brattle Street Church. He was a member of that church since June 5, 1726, and involved with various aspects of liturgical music. His workshop where he did painting, engraving, and organ construction was in the backyard of his home. He advertised himself as an engraver, painter, organ maker, and furniture merchant. He rented a small shop of the town near the Town Dock. With the business of painting he also combined the art of engraving copper plates. He is noted for his work in engraving views of Boston and Loutsburg and plates of a heraldic character. At his death, in 1787. in his inventory, was noted a book of heraldry valued at 48 shillings. James Turner, a contemporary of his, is also known to have done heraldic work. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has a portrait by Johnston and the Massachusetts Historical Society also has one attributed to him. Johnston was the first reported person who manufactured church organs as a regular business in Colonial America. The Old North Church in Boston had an imported organ in 1736 obtained originally by William Claggett. They made an agreement with Johnston in 1752 to build an American organ that would be as loud as that of the Boston Trinity Church that would replace Claggett's old worn out organ. He constructed the organ in 1758–1759. This organ made by Johnston was in use until 1886.
Engravings
Johnston was a self-taught engraver. He engraved copper event scenes, views, trade cards, certificates, currency, plans, buildings, maps, music, and book illustrations. His earliest known engraving work is his Plan of Boston of 1729, dedicated to Massachusetts governor William Burnet. His most famous apprentice was the artist John Greenwood. Johnston made the first historical print engraved in America, which consisted of a battle near Lake George in the north of the Province of New York. The battle scene was originally drawn out by Samuel Blodgett – A prospective plan of the battle fought near Lake George on the 8th of September 1755. He was a witness at the event. Blodgett persuaded Johnston, a well known Boston engraver, to engrave his sketch on copper so the printer Richard Draper would print it. The scene was printed and published in Boston. It was sold by Blodgett starting December 22, 1755. Johnston's engraving of the Lake George battle shows to the left a bird's eye view of the march of troops. To the right side of the engraving is a view of a camp and a battle. The map shows Hudson River and plans of Fort William Henry and Fort Edward. The engraving was 13 5/8 by 17 1/2 inches. It came with an eight-page pamphlet that explained all about the historical event. It was reprinted in London by Thomas Jefferys for publication in 1756 with the plan and the eight page pamphlet. Some of Johnston's other several dozen engravings include the following, with the engraving of the first view of Yale College as one he obtained fame for.
Trade card of Thomas Hancock, 1727
The fourth state of the Bonner map of Boston, 1732
Trade card of Samuel Grant, 1736
Manufactory notes issued in different values in the name of James Eveleth, 1741
A Plan of Cape Breton, & Fort Louisbourgh, 1745
Chart of Canada River from ye Island of Anticosty, 1746
Prospect of Yale College, 1749
A True Coppy from an Ancient Plan of E. Hutchinson’s, 1753
An “anchor and codfish” seal which he designed and engraved for the Plymouth Company in 1753.
Plan of the Kennebeck and Sagadahock Rivers, 1753
Plan of Hudson River from Albany to Fort Edward, 1756
John Gould junr a crown and sceptre advertisement on a signboard, 1765
Bayley's Grounds and Rules of Musick,'' 1766
Marriages and children
Johnston first married Rachel Thwing on June 22, 1730, and had eight children with her. His first wife died sometime in 1746. Johnston then married twenty-two-year-old Bathsheba Thwing on August 6, 1747. He had three children with her with one being Samuel Johnston, who was a master mariner that drowned at sea in 1794 on a return trip from the West Indies. Eight of his total of eleven children took on his skills in their careers.
Johnston died at the age of 59 in Boston of apoplexy on May 8, 1767. He is buried at the King's Chapel Burying Ground near King’s Chapel church in Boston. He had three sons that survived him.
