George Johnston (ca. 1722-before 1767)

George Johnston was a prominent lawyer and politician in the Alexandria area. His country home was Belvale, which he built in the 1760s and his town home was in Alexandria. He married Sarah McCarty.

Reference: “1 Painting & frame Mr. Johnston Senr.” valued at £5 appears in George Johnston’s inventory, 1767, Gunston Hall Probate Inventory. (Original in Fairfax County Will Book C-1, p.1-6.) It is possible that “Johnston Senr.” refers to subject’s father, a James Johnston, but more likely it refers to the said subject, differentiating him from his surviving son, George Johnston, Jr.

Dimensions: 30 x 35 in. (76.2 x 63.5 cm.)

The subject wears a plain, dark jacket and wig. His left hand rests on an upright book and he appears inside a painted oval. He is turned towards his right. The portrait is inscribed: “AE43 1765″

See: MESDA Database, S-10302