John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore

The Right Honourable The Earl of Dunmore PC
Portrait by Joshua Reynolds, 1765
Governor of New York
In office 1770–1771
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Sir Henry Moore
Succeeded by	William Tryon
Governor of Virginia
In office 1771–1775
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	William Nelson
Succeeded by	Patrick Henry
Governor of the Bahamas
In office 1787–1796
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	James Edward Powell
Succeeded by	John Forbes
Personal details
Born	1730 Taymouth, Fearnan
Died	25 February 1809 (aged 78–79) Ramsgate, Kent
Resting place	St Laurence's Church, Ramsgate
Signature

John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore PC (1730 – 25 February 1809) was a Scottish colonial administrator who served as the governor of Virginia from 1771 to 1775.^[1] Dunmore was named governor of New York in 1770. He succeeded to the same position in the colony of Virginia the following year after the death of Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt. As Virginia's governor, Dunmore directed a series of campaigns against the trans-Appalachian Indians, known as Lord Dunmore's War. He is noted for issuing a 1775 document, Dunmore's Proclamation, offering freedom to slaves who fought for the British Crown against Patriot rebels in Virginia. Dunmore fled to New York after the burning of Norfolk in 1776 and later returned to Britain. He was Governor of the Bahamas from 1787 to 1796.