John Treworgie (born ca. 1618, date of death unknown) was the lastProprietary Governor ofNewfoundland. Treworgie had worked as an agent at aKittery, Mainetrading post from 1635 to 1650. In 1651 he was named as one of a party of six sent to Newfoundland to arrest SirDavid Kirke who had been accused of withholding taxes collected on behalf of the crown and otherwise violating theroyal charter which granted him the governorship of Newfoundland. His party was also ordered to administer the fishery and collect taxes on fish and oil from foreign fishermen. He remained after the arrest of Kirke and was named governor by theEnglish government and given authority over both migratory fisherman and colonists and ordered to fortify the colony. John Treworgie was the son of James Treworgie (or Treworgy), the son-in-law of Alexander Shapleigh, a Devonshire merchant and fisheries owner who founded Kittery, Maine. John Treworgie was the brother-in-law of Hon. John Gilman ofExeter, New Hampshire.[1][failed verification]
In 1654 Treworgie and two other commissioners were arrested for illegally taking possession of David Kirke's property and was found guilty.Oliver Cromwell ordered a second trial which cleared him and Treworgie continued as governor until 1660.
In 1660, he asked for another term as governor but the legal conflict betweenCecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore and the Kirke family over ownership of Newfoundland complicated matters and it is unlikely Treworgie ever returned to the island.
| Proprietary Governors (1610–1660) | |
|---|---|
| French Governors of Plaisance (1655–1713) | |
| Lieutenant-governors of Placentia (1713–1770) | |
| Commodore-Governors (1729–1825) | |
| Civil Governors (1825–1855) | |
| Colonial Governors (1855–1907) | |
| Dominion Governors (1907–1934) | |
| Commission Governors (1934–1949) | |
| Lieutenant Governors (1949–present) | |
