John Anderson (1665 – March 28, 1736) was a Scottish

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

who served as acting governor of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

in 1736.

Biography

John Anderson was born in

Fortrose Fortrose (; gd, A' Chananaich, sco, Chainry) is a town and former royal burgh in Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is on the Moray Firth, about north-east of Inverness. The burgh is a popular location for trying to spot bottlenose dolp ...

, Scotland, in 1665. He was the son of James Anderson, who was born in the same town. James Anderson served for many years as alderman-magistrate. In 1675, he moved with his family to

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

and finally settled in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

. After the capture of Captain Robert Pinkerton by the Spanish, John Anderson became captain of the ''Unicorn'', which rescued the survivors of the

Darien scheme The Darien scheme was an unsuccessful attempt, backed largely by investors of the Kingdom of Scotland, to gain wealth and influence by establishing ''New Caledonia'', a colony on the Isthmus of Panama, in the late 1690s. The plan was for the co ...

, a Scottish attempt to colonize Central America in 1698. On the return voyage the ship stopped at the island of

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

with the goal of being repaired and to get supplies. However, after leaving the island, the ship encountered a storm, and limped its way to the port of

Perth Amboy, New Jersey Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 55,436. Perth Amboy has a Hispanic majority population. In the 2010 census, th ...

. After ''Unicorn'' landed and the survivors were put ashore, she was stripped down and eventually sank in the Arthur Kill, at the foot of Fayette Street. "The ''Unicorn'' reached New York, August 14th, 1699, after a tempestuous voyage; Captain John Anderson saving the ship by his skillful seamanship." Colonel Anderson was based in the

Matawan, New Jersey Matawan is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. A historic community located near the Raritan Bay in the much larger Raritan Valley region, the borough is a commuter town of New York City within the New York Metropol ...

area. From 1713 through 1736 he was of the

New Jersey Provincial Council The New Jersey Provincial Council was the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature under colonial rule until it was replaced by the New Jersey Legislative Council under the New Jersey Constitution of 1776. History The Provincial Council was est ...

. Later, Anderson was acting governor of New Jersey for 18 days. In 1713, when he was first placed on the council, an effort was made to discredit him in order to block his appointment, accusing him of being a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

, which would have invalidated his appointment. He is also accused of looting the ''Unicorn'' while she was incapacitated. Both accusations were proven false. In reality, he was a member of the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

. The senior councillor actually residing in New Jersey would, by virtue of his seniority, be President of Council. Anderson became president in 1735, succeeding Lewis Morris. Upon the March 10, 1736 death of Gov. Sir William Cosby; John Anderson became acting governor, and served for eighteen days; Anderson himself died on March 28. John Hamilton then became President of Council as well as acting governor, and served as the latter until Gov. Lewis Morris took office.Donald C. Lockhart, "The Scottish Origin of Colonel John Anderson: Commander of the Unicorn During the Darien Expedition and President of His Majesty's Council for the Province of New Jersey," ''

The American Genealogist ''The American Genealogist'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal which focuses on genealogy and family history. It was established by Donald Lines Jacobus in 1922 as the ''New Haven Genealogical Magazine''. In July 1932 it was renamed ...

'', 83 (2008), 1-12

Personal life

Anderson married Anna, daughter of John Reid on December 7, 1701 in Tintern Manor, in Shrewsbury Township. The day after his wedding John Reid granted Col. Anderson, his son-in-law, land in Manalapan. The Reids were also of Scottish origin. The children of John and Anna Reid Anderson were: John (b. ), James (b. July 7, 1708), Helena, Johnathan, Margaret, Anna, Elizabeth and Isabella Anderson.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, John Colonial governors of New Jersey Members of the New Jersey Provincial Council 1665 births 1736 deaths People from Monmouth County, New Jersey Scottish emigrants to the Thirteen Colonies Burials in New Jersey People from Highland (council area)