Sir William Johnstone, 2nd Baronet facts for kids

Sir William Johnstone, 2nd Baronet was an important Scottish leader. He owned land and was a politician. He served in the Scottish Parliament from 1698 to 1707. After Scotland joined with England, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) in the British House of Commons, serving from 1707 to 1722. A Baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family.

Early Life

William Johnstone was born into an important family. His father was Sir James Johnstone of Westerhall. His mother was Margaret Bannatyne. William was the second son in his family.

Before 1698, William married Henrietta Johnston. She was the daughter of James Johnston of Sciennes, a place in Edinburgh. William's older brother, John, also became a Baronet.

Political Journey

William Johnstone was a close political friend of the Earl of Annandale. The Earl was a distant relative. William served in the Scottish Parliament for the town of Annan. The Earl of Annandale had a lot of influence in Annan.

At first, William supported the idea of Scotland joining with England. This was called the Act of Union. But sometimes, when his friend the Earl of Annandale changed his mind and opposed the Union, William would also change his stance.

After the Union

After Scotland and England officially joined in 1707, William continued to have the Earl of Annandale's support. In 1708, William was elected as an MP for Dumfries Burghs. He didn't speak much in Parliament. He voted against removing a person named Dr. Sacheverell from his position. William did not run for election in 1710.

In 1711, his brother died. William then became the 2nd Baronet and inherited the Westerhall estate. In 1712, he became a council member for the town of Lochmaben.

Returning to Parliament

William was elected again as an MP for Dumfries Burghs in 1713. He was elected without anyone running against him. He was also elected for Dumfriesshire at the same time. It was unusual for one person to represent two areas in Parliament. Even so, he still didn't speak much.

In 1714, he voted against removing Richard Steele from Parliament. He also supported a law to stop Catholic schools. William supported the Hanoverian family becoming the new rulers of Britain. But he also worked with people who supported the old royal family (Jacobites) on Scottish issues.

Jacobite Rebellion and Later Years

In 1715, William was elected as MP for Dumfriesshire only. He seemed to support the government at this time. He helped prepare the town of Dumfries during the Jacobite rebellion. Because of his efforts, the rebels did not attack the town. He also reported on the rebels' movements for the Earl of Annandale.

The Earl of Annandale died in 1721. William did not get along well with the new Earl. The new Earl had William removed from the council in Lochmaben. William fought this decision and was put back on the council. However, he did not run for Parliament in the 1722 election.

Family and Legacy

William Johnstone's younger son, John, married the new Earl of Annandale's stepmother. This made the bad feelings between the two families even worse. In 1726, the Marquess of Annandale tried to stop his titles and lands from going to the Johnstone family of Westerhall.

Sir William Johnstone passed away on October 8, 1727. He had two sons. His son, James, became the 3rd Baronet. James later became an MP for Dumfries Burghs from 1743 to 1754.