Photo of 1753 portrait
1694-1758
This is a photograph of a portrait by Joseph Blackburn of John Harvey. It was painted about 1753, one of a series of prominent Bermudians painted by Blackburn and has remained in the Harvey family ever since although it is currently on loan to the Bermuda National Gallery. The cane is in the possession of his great-great-great-great-great-grandson Dr Eugene Harvey.
Sometimes known as Colonel John, Harvey grew up in Warwick but bought property in Paget in the 1720s. The source of his funds is not known but he seems to have been a shipowner or merchant rather than a mariner. He represented Paget in the House of Assembly from 1724 until he was appointed to the Governor’s Council in 1739.
He served on many committees, acted as an assistant judge and is on record first as lieutenant and captain in the local militia, then as a colonel. He owned property in the Turks and Caicos as well as Bermuda. The Darrell, Gilbert and Gosling families are among his descendants as well as the Harveys and his tomb is in Paget churchyard.