John Hartstonge of Hartstongue (1 December 1654 – 30 January 1717) was an English-born prelate of the Church of Ireland who became Bishop of Ossory and then Bishop of Derry.
He was born at Catton, Norfolk, on 1 December 1654, third son of Sir Standish Hartstonge, 1st Baronet and his first wife Elizabeth Jermyn. His father, who inherited substantial property in Limerick, moved to Ireland in 1659, built up a successful legal practice and became a Baron of the Court of Exchequer.[1]
John went to school at Charleville and Kilkenny and entered the University of Dublin in 1672: he took his Bachelor's degree in 1677. He then entered Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and took a Master's degree in 1680.[2] He spent a year at the University of Glasgow, then travelled abroad for a time before becoming a fellow of Gonville and Caius.[3]
He had a family connection with John Bramhall, Archbishop of Armagh, whose daughter was his stepmother;[4] but the main influence on his career was his friendship with the Dukes of Ormonde.[3] He was family chaplain to James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, and after his death was reappointed to the same position by the second Duke, whom he even accompanied on military campaigns. He became Archdeacon of Limerick in 1684.
He was sufficiently prominent in 1689 to be attainted for treason by James II's Dublin Parliament. After William III's victory he was made, through Ormonde's influence Bishop of Ossory in 1693. In 1714 he became Bishop of Derry. He died in Dublin on 30 January 1717 and was buried in St. Andrew's Church, Dublin. By his wife, Isabella Danvers, he had one daughter, Ann.