Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Oliver, John (1616-1701)
OLIVER, JOHN (1616–1701), glass-painter and master-mason, born in 1616, has been without ground supposed to have been related to Isaac and Peter Oliver [q. v.], the celebrated miniature-painters. He was mors probably related to John Oliver, who was master-mason in the reign of James I. He appears to be identical with John Oliver,who was city surveyor and one of the three commissioners for the rebuilding of London after the great fire in 1066. Oliver appears to have executed many small glass-paint-i ings for windows. One of these remains in Northill Church, Bedfordshire, in a window originally put up by the Grocers' Company, but no longer in its original position; it is signed and dated 1664, and represents the royal arms and other heraldry connected with the company. Another window at . Christ Church, Oxford, signed and dated 1700, and presented by Oliver himself, portrays 'St. Peter delivered out of prison.' In Lambeth Palace there were formerly paintings in a window {now removed), erected by Archbishop Sheldon, representing a sundial with the archbishop's arms and a view of the Sheldonian theatre at Oxford. He is probably also He is probably also identical with John Oliver who engraved a few portraits in mezzotint. including a curious one of Lord-chief-justice Jeffreys, as earl of Flint (this he published himself at the 'Eagle and Child' on Ludgate Hill), and who also etched some views of Tangier after Hollar. Oliver died in 1701, aged 85. In his will (P. C. C., 157, Dyer), dated 19 March 1699, and proved 18 Nov. 1701, he describes himself as master-mason to the king, directs that he shall be buried in St. Pauls Cathe- dral, and gives legacies to his wife Susanna, his daughter Grace Shaw, his son-in-law George Seagood, and also to the Company of Glaziers. William Faithorne the elder [q. v.] drew his portrait.
[Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting, ed. Wornum; Chaloner Smith's British Mezzotinto Portraits.]