John Ritchie was a Scottish

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

-born merchant and politician in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented Annapolis County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...

 from 1783 to 1785.

He was born in or close to Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

 and came to Boston, Massachusetts in 1770, moving to Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Annapolis Royal is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. Known as Port Royal until the Conquest of Acadia in 1710 by Britain, the town is the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, north of St...

 several years later. Around 1775, he married Alicia Maria Le Cain. He joined the militia company formed at the start of the American Revolution

American Revolution

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

, becoming captain in 1779. In the same year, he was named justice of the peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

. He was taken hostage in 1781 during an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 attack and released some time later. He was elected to the provincial assembly in a 1783 by-election held after Phineas Lovett

Phineas Lovett

Phineas Lovett was a farmer, merchant, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Annapolis County from 1774 to 1783 and from 1808 to 1811 and Annapolis township from 1799 to 1806 in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.He was born in Massachusetts, the son of Phineas Lovett and Beulah...

 was unseated for non-attendance. When he ran for reelection in Annapolis township in 1785, he was defeated by Stephen De Lancey

Stephen De Lancey

Stephen De Lancey was a lawyer and political figure in New York state and Nova Scotia. He represented Annapolis township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1784 to 1786...

. In 1786, he was named a justice in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas. Ritchie died at Annapolis Royal.

His grandson William Johnstone Ritchie

William Johnstone Ritchie

Sir William Johnstone Ritchie was one of the first judges appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada and became the second Chief Justice of the court....

later served as chief justice of Canada.