Johnson, Guy (c.1740–88), American loyalist, was born in Ireland, son of John Johnson, landowner, and Catherine Johnson (née Nangle). His uncle Sir William Johnson (qv) was an influential figure in colonial America, and Guy decided to seek his fortune there; he sailed on HMS Prince in 1755, serving as a midshipman. Arriving in the colonies, he fought in the Seven Years War, commanding a company of rangers. With Sir William superintendent of Indian affairs, Guy was appointed a secretary to the northern Indian department, and in 1762 was made Sir William's deputy agent. A talented draughtsman, he made important drawings of the region for the British authorities. In 1763 he married his cousin Mary (‘Polly’) Johnson, youngest daughter of Sir William. Continuing to serve in the army, he became a colonel and adjutant-general of the New York militia and was elected to the New York assembly (1773–5).
The death of his uncle (July 1774) came at a volatile time in colonial relations with Britain. Guy was appointed acting superintendent of Indian affairs, and worked to secure the loyalty of the Native American tribes in the face of revolutionary disturbances. To clarify his jurisdiction, he went to England in November 1775 accompanied by his friend, the Mohawk leader known as Joseph Brant (1742–1807); he returned in summer 1776, having lost responsibility for the Canadian territory. Delegating authority for the Indian department to subordinates, he remained in New York, expecting the rebellion to be swiftly extinguished. From 1779 he directed Native American and loyalist raids against the rebels, destroying food supplies intended for the revolutionary army. His cousin and brother-in-law Sir John Johnson succeeded him in the Indian department in 1783, and Guy returned to London to press his claims for government compensation for lost property. His case dragged on, and he died, apparently in poverty, 5 March 1788. His wife predeceased him (11 July 1775); they had four children, but only two daughters survived to adulthood.
Frederick West, the artist famed for the ‘Death of Wolfe’ (1770), made a portrait of Johnson, probably during his 1775–6 visit to England. ‘Guy Johnson and David Hill’ holds an important position in Native American iconography: neither Johnson nor Hill (a Mohawk chief) indicate a position of superiority; both are seen to represent allied nations. Johnson is shown in a mixture of British and Native American clothing, emphasising his knowledge of Native American customs, and his respect for the various traditions he sought to defend.