USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. I > Part 47
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war, he could not have well avoided. Great Britain had lavished on him the highest honors, and he was held in the highest respect by the Indians. His position, therefore, to say the least, would have been embarrassing.
Sir William Johnson was certainly not the least picturesque figure of the French and Indian War period of our Colonial history-that period which has been called the training-school of the Revolution. He was, by all odds, the most remarkable of Colonial New Yorkers, and was a powerful factor at a crucial period of American history. He was just the man the English Government required in the contest they were waging with the French. "The gifts of his Sovereign, and the facilities he enjoyed for purchasing Indian lands, made him the possessor of great wealth, which, with his military honors, the partiality of his countrymen and his great influence with the Indians, rendered him as near a Prince as anything the backwoods of America have witnessed."
We have already noted the fact (on page 278) that, after the death of Sir William Johnson's wife Katharine, Caroline Peters lived with him as his common-law wife for some six years. About a year after her death-or, in 1754-a successor to hier in the affections of Sir William and as "mistress of his household" came from Canajoharie Castle to Mount Johnson in the person of Mary-or, as she is better know11, "Molly"-Brant. She was then nineteen years old, was the daughter of Nicklaus Brant (111e11- tioned on pages 264 and 277) and the granddaughter of Abraham Peters, and, therefore, the niece of Car- oline Peters, her predecessor at Mount Johnson.
That Molly Brant and Sir William were never married is shown conclusively by the latter's will, wherein bequests are made to six girls and two boys described by the testator as "my natural children by my housekeeper, Mary Brant." It has been generally understood that certain Indian customs in mar- riage had been observed by Sir William and Molly. Also, it is true that the latter was often called "the Indian Lady Johnson," "the Brown Lady Johnson" and "Lady Molly" ; but these were matters of com- pliment or courtesy only. However, according to a statement made by Col. Daniel Clans a few years after Sir William's death, Molly Brant was "considered and esteemed as his [Sir William's] relict" by the Indians, and "one word from her would go farther than one thousand from any white man whatever." (See Buell's "Sir William Johnson," page 268.) In 1779 Sir Frederick Haldimand was Captain General and Governor-in-chief of the Province of Quebec. (See sketch of his life in Chapter XIV.) In 1760, as Colonel Haldimand, he had served under Amherst in the campaign against Montreal, and was well acquainted with Sir William Johnson. Under date of August 30, 1779, Colonel Claus wrote to General Haldimand, giving an account of "Molly Brant's adventures and misfortunes in the King's service," and stating that she had "lived with Sir William Johnson as his wife, and was always so regarded by the In- dians." Two days later General Haldimand wrote Colonel Claus that he would "see Miss Molly shortly and provide for her wants."
Molly Brant was undoubtedly a woman of ability, and with her Sir William lived happily. After his death she removed to Canajoharie (now Dannbe), where she lived with her children until the flight of the Mohawks to Canada. After the Revolution the British Government, while it did not recognize the legiti- macy of Sir William Johnson's half-breed children born to him by Molly Brant, did recognize her and their right to be beneficiaries under his last will; and so provision was made for her and for them by the Government, as a satisfactory equivalent for the losses they had sustained through the action of the State of New York in sequestrating the Johnson estate.
Molly Brant was the elder sister of the famous Mohawk warrior Joseph Brant, or Thayendanegea (born 1742), whose name has been previously mentioned. He early became a protégé of Sir William John- son, and thenceforward until the death of the latter spent much time in his service and near his person. Sir William's dying words were spoken to Brant. Although only thirteen years old at the time of the battle of Lake George (mentioned on page 264), Joseph Brant carried a small fowling-piece presented to him by Sir William, and, with the Mohawks under "King" Hendrick-his great-uncle -- took part in the battle. In the campaign of 1759, ending with the capture of Fort Niagara, Brant, then seventeen years of age, served as Lieutenant in the Canajoharie company of Mohawks, and, according to Stone, conducted himself with "distinguished bravery." Later Brant was sent by Sir William Johnson to the Rev. Eleazar Wheelock's school at Lebanon, where he received a good education for the times. It is said that inore than one missionary on the New York frontier learned the Mohawk tongue from Joseph Brant ; and it was he who made the first translation of the Gospel of St. Mark into his native language. As an inter- preter Brant had special qualifications, and during the last few years of Sir William Johnson's life, and for a year or two following his death, Brant was in receipt of a salary as a Government interpreter at- tached to the office of the Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
In 1776 Brant visited London, where he entered into an agreement with Lord George Germaine, British Colonial Secretary, to organize the Six Nation Indians in support of the British cause. In view of this promised service Brant was given the rank and pay of Captain. Under date of April 16, 1779, Lord Germaine wrote to Governor General Haldimand, previously mentioned, that "Brant's activity and suc- cess give him a claim to every mark of regard. He has been appointed a Colonel of Indians." (See the "Haldimand Papers," British Museum, London.) After the Revolutionary War Brant was in receipt of a pension from the British Government until his death at Brantford, Ontario, in November, 1807.
Francis W. Halsey denominates Joseph Brant "the most interesting Indian who, in that eventful eighteenth century, forever linked his name with the history of central New York." John Fiske declares that he "was the most remarkable Indian known to history." To quote further from Halsey ("The Old New York Frontier," page 327) : "He [Brant] was better than the Tories under whose guidance he served, and far better than most Indian chiefs of his time. There was much in the man that was kindly and humane. If he loved war, this was because he loved his friends and his home still more. He fought in battle with the vigor and skill of a savage, but we are to remember that he fought where honor called hin1. To the story of his life peculiar fascination must long be attached, a large part of which springs from the potent charm of an open personality. In Brant's character were joined strength and humanity, genius for war and that unfamiliar quality in a Mohawk savage, bonhomie." Of Brant's humanity in the Pennsylvania-New York border warfare inany well-authenticated stories have been recorded. He was a Free Mason, and upon more than one occasion saved the life of an enemy who, in difficulty and danger, threw him the sign of distress.
Anne, or Nancy, Johnson (born 1740), Sir William's eldest child by his white wife, Katharine, was married about 1759 or '60, at Mount Johnson, to Col. Daniel Clans (mentioned on page 287), who was con- siderably older than she.
John (born 1742), Sir William's only son by his wife Katharine, was knighted in the lifetime of his father, as a special compliment to the latter. Shortly before Sir William's death Sir John made a visit to England, where "he was most graciously received by His Majesty and all the royal family." J. R. Simmis says "Sir John was not the amiable-tempered, social and companionable inan his father was, and hence was not the welcome guest in all society that his father had been." Early in 1776 Sir John Johnson was arrested at Johnson Hall by the Revolutionary authorities and then released on parole. But a few months later he broke his parole and fled precipitately to Canada, accompanied by a large number of his depend- ents and tenants. He was made a Colonel in the British army, and soon organized a corps (consisting of two battalions) called the "Royal Greens," composed mainly of refugee Loyalists, or Tories, from the Johnson estate in the Mohawk Valley. From the time of organizing this corps he became one of the most active and one of the bitterest foes that the patriots encountered during the Revolution. Soon after the close of the war Sir John went to England, but returned in 1785 and established his residence in Canada. He was appointed Superintendent General and Inspector General of Indian Affairs in British North
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"I have been honored with yours of the 15th ultimo by Mr. Daniel Claus, whom I immediately sent to call Hendrick to my house. Upon his arrival I delivered and inter- preted your honor's letter of invitation to him, and urged his waiting on you immedi- ately ; which when he agreed to, I spoke to him concerning the affair as far as I judged necessary, and I flatter myself it will have a good effect-he having faithfully promised me to exert himself and use his utmost endeavors for the interest of the Proprietaries against the Connecticut attempt. After my expatiating some time on the injustice of their proceedings, more especially so after what passed at Albany last June in public, Hendrick then with some warmth disapproved of them as well as the weakness of those of his brethren who were seduced by Lydius, and promised to do all he could to make them revoke or retract what they had so shamefully done, provided I would assist him and countenance his proceedings with the Five Nations-which I assured him I would with all my interest."
In the meantime Governor Morris and Secretary Peters had been kept pretty busy receiving communications from, and writing to, various people on the important subject of the projected inroads of The Susque- hanna Company into the territory coveted by the Penns. Under date of November 13, 1754, Daniel Brodhead, Sr. (mentioned on page 258), wrote from Lower Smithfield, in Northampton County, to Secretary Peters, as follows* :
"I thought it incumbent on me to inform you to what a crisis the New Englanders have raised most of the people of our neighborhood in relation to their selling the lands of Wyomink. Letters came here announcing the fact that thirteen of the sachems had signed the deed, and desiring all persons here who were interested to meet at Hartford [Connecticut] on the 20th inst.t This occasioned a meeting in our parts to the number of thirty, who had already become adventurers and lodged their money in the hands of one Robert Parkes, to be taken to Connecticut. * * * This appears to be a sort of anarchy, which, if not soon stopped, will, I am afraid, prove very detriniental to the peace of the Province."
Justice Brodhead further informed Secretary Peters that he had issued a warrant for the arrest of Parkes, who, just as he was setting out for Connecticut, was apprehended by the local constable and brought before the Justice. The latter, after a brief examination of the defend- ant, "left him in care of the constable to get security for his personal appearance at the next Court," according to directions received from Chief Justice Allen at Philadelphia ; but the constable let Parkes go, who thereupon departed for Connecticut in company with John Atkins, Esq., a Pennsylvania magistrate and a member of The Susquehanna Company. On the following day J. McMichael of Lower Smithfield wrote to Sec- retary Peters that most of the people in that locality were "concerned with the New Englanders, and not one magistrate on this side the moun- tain, except Daniel Brodhead, but what joins them."
Under date of November 20th Governor Morris wrote a long letter to Thomas Fitch, Governor of Connecticut, relative to the situation of
America, and for several years he was also a member of the Legislative Council of Canada. His death occurred at Montreal in 1830.
Mary Johnson (born 1744), the youngest of Sir William's legitimate children, was married in the Spring of 1763 to her cousin Guy Johnson. The latter-who was a native of Ireland-had then, for some years, made his home with his uncle Sir William. In the campaign against Montreal he served as a Lien- tenant, and in 1761 Sir William appointed him one of his Deputy Superintendents of Indian Affairs, with the rank of Colonel. In 1766 Sir William built for his daughter and son-in-law a mansion on an estate now known as Guy Park, in the western part of the present city of Amsterdam. This they occupied until their flight to Canada early in 1776. Col. Guy Johnson succeeded Sir William in the office of Superin- tendent of Indian Affairs. Both he and his brothers-in-law. Sir John Johnson and Col. Daniel Claus, were led by their inclination, as well as by some irritation against the leaders of the patriots, to exert them- selves, successfully, to induce the Six Nations to embrace the British cause. The task was rendered easier by the circumstance that the British Government did not spare the presents which were the most effectual means of securing the fidelity of the Indians. The Americans, on the other hand, were too poor to purchase aid.
In due time Fort Niagara, previously mentioned, became the headquarters of the Indian Superintend- ency under the British, and the rendezvous for scalping and marauding parties. In August, 1779, Gov- ernor General Haldimand notified Lieutenant Colonel Bolton, the commandant of Fort Niagara, that "Mr. Johnson, Colonel of the Six Nations, is going to take charge of his civil duties." At the same time Colonel Bolton was informed as to Colonel Johnson's position, and the regard that must be paid him be- fore the Indians. Col Guy Johnson died March 5, 1788, in London, England, whither he had gone ill straitened circumstances.
* See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VI : 253.
+ See the reference to this meeting on page 292.
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affairs. This letter having been entrusted to John Armstrong, Esq. (mentioned on page 259), for delivery to Governor Fitch, the latter, upon its receipt, replied as follows* :
"I should be glad it was in my power to do more service than I am at present able to afford, to prevent the ill consequences you have so well pointed out as proceeding from the purchase of those lands on Susquehanna in the manner in which some people of this Colony have presumed to act. I am very sensible that to take any steps to disaffect the Indians in our alliance, or to raise contests between the Governments at this critical coll- juncture, must be prejudicial to His Majesty's interest, and greatly detrimental to the safety and peace of these Governments, and therefore ought to be opposed by all. * *
"I must confess myself to be unacquainted with the scheme proposed by those per- sons, and know but very little about the steps they have taken, as they never made any application to the Government about the matter. And who the persons concerned be, or where they live, I know not, but only in general I have been informed some live in this Government-and, I suppose, the greatest number-some in England, some in New York, the Jerseys and elsewhere. * I know of no better way with us at present than to * represent the state of the case in some public manner, by which all persons concerned may see the consequences of such a procedure. * * I shall, therefore, lay this matter before our Assembly for their consideration."
During his stay in Connecticut Governor Morris' private ines- senger (Armstrong) gathered up all the information concerning The Susquehanna Company it was possible for him to procure fromn sources outside the Company ; and upon his return to Philadelphia he made a report of the same (under date of December 11th) to the Pro- vincial authorities. This report is printed in full in "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VI: 259. The following paragraphs have been extracted from it :
"Received information of Mr. John Lloyd, merchant at Stamford, Connecticut, that Mr. [Jedidiah] Elderkin said, [as] he understood the matter, that an Indian deed was already obtained from several of the Six Nation chiefs ; that he the said Elderkin was concerned in the lands ; that the purchasers had the countenance of their Govern- ment in what they had done, and would settle 400 persons early in the Spring. If the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania had any objections he would be glad how soon the matter had a fair trial and was brought to issue.
"Was informed at New Haven * by Capt. David Wooster, Lieut. Nathaniel Whiting and Mr. Thomas Darling that the purchase was entirely of a private nature, con- trary to their own as well as our laws; that the Government (as such) had nothing to do with it, and that Mr. Elderkin was certainly mistaken if he so much as insinuated any license to have been given by the Governor for that purpose. To the same import spoke the Governor, the President of New Haven College and sundry other gentlemen. * * * The gentlemen of the committee are Maj. Phineas Lyman, Maj. Roger Wolcott, Col. Samuel Talcott, Maj. Eliphalet Dyer, Mr. Edwards and Mr. George Wyllys. The latter is Secretary of the Colony and Treasurer to the Company. * * 'Tis said the
Committee are men of great natural understanding, as well as considerable acquirements. "There were formerly 500 subscribers at seven dollars each, to which are added 300 at nine dollars each. There are two of the sachems who have refused to sign the deed until they are paid 1,000 dollars more than the other sachems are content with. The generality of the more knowing people despise the scheme as wild and preposterous ; but some others mightily cry up the antiquity and extent of their Charter, whereon their claims are chiefly built. * * When the Governor's letters are laid before the Upper and Lower Houses they will doubtless put a stop to any considerable number coming in the Spring to settle on the Susquehanna lands ; yet it is highly probable that as matters are carried to so great a length some number will come."
Under date of December 2, 1754, James Alexander, Esq. (mentioned on page 266), wrote from the city of New York to the Governor of Pennsylvania as followst:
"I am heartily sorry to hear that the Connecticut people have so far prevailed as to corrupt some of the Northampton [County] people to join them. I believe more vigorous measures will be wanting to nip this affair in the bud than writing to Governors and magistrates, or employing a few rangers as I before proposed. I question if less will do than a superior number to Connecticut men, to apprehend men, women and children that come, and bring them to Philadelphia-the women and children to be shipped off to
* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 208.
+ See folio 37 of the "Penn Manuscripts," mentioned on page 30.
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Governor Fitch, the men to be imprisoned till they enter bail or list for Ohio. This done twice or thrice will terrify others from coming, and £1,000 or £2,000 laid out now in this service may save scores of thousands that it may afterwards cost. I doubt not Connecti- cut will amuse and give good words till a great number be settled, and then bid defiance."
On December 24th Governor Morris wrote the Hon. Thomas Penn -then the head of the Proprietary family, and residing in England- as follows* :
"The Connecticut affair, notwithstanding what passed at Albany, has taken a very bad turn, and a purchase is actually made from the Indians for the 41º of Latitude, beginning ten miles to the eastward of the East Branch of the Susquehanna, and ex- tending westward two degrees of Longitude. Soon after I returned from New Castle I wrote to Colonel Johnson and sent for Hendrick down to this place, but thought it proper not to write to the Governor of Connecticut till Hendrick had taken some measures with the Six Nations ; but, upon being informed that some of the purchasers who had been over to Wyomack to take a view of the lands, had drawn in some of the inhabitants of this Province to join them-who were returned with them to a grand meeting to be held November 20, 1754, at Hartford-I thought it right to state the whole matter in a letter to the Governor of Connecticut, whereupon I wrote a long letter, of which you will have a copy in your box. * * Numbers in this Province are ready to join the Connecti- cut people and take titles under them."
About this time John Shikellimy (Tachnechdorus)t complained to Governor Morris that "some foreigners and strangers who live on the other side of New York, and have nothing to do in these parts, are coming like flocks of birds to disturb us in our possession of them." Furthermore, Conrad Weiser wrote the Governor that Shikellimy had come over to Heidelberg from Shamokin to see him, and, said Weiser,} "he told me that the Indians about Shamokin had been informed that a lot of people from New England had formed themselves into a body to settle the lands on the Susquehanna, and especially Scahantowano [Wyoming], and that against the advice of their superiors. And the said chief [Shikellimy] desired to make it known that whosoever of the whites should venture to settle any land at Wyomock, or there- about, belonging hitherto to the Indians, will have his creatures killed first, and then if they do not desist they themselves would be killed, without distinction-let the consequence be what it would. I found he had intelligence from the Indians up the river that some of the New England people had been there spying the lands."
Under the convoy of Daniel Claus "King" Hendrick arrived in Philadelphia January 8, 1755, accompanied by the following Mohawk chiefs: Brant ( Conagaratuchqua), § Seth ( Otchenuchyata), Joseph, Johan- nes (Tecarryoghan), his brother Nicholas (Sagotenyuchta), Jacob, and Brant's son Nicholas (Canadyora). According to Watson ("Annals of Philadelphia," II : 163) these Indians, during their stay in the city, occupied the shed in the State House yard mentioned on page 232.
A few days later twelve Cherokee Indians reached Philadelphia on their way southward. Two years previously, while a war was being waged against their nation in their own country by the French Indians, these warriors had been captured by the latter and conveyed to Canada. Having escaped from captivity they were now homeward-bound-being provided with a pass furnished them by the Commissioners of Indian Affairs at Albany, under date of December 9, 1754. The fugitives were kindly received in Philadelphia by both the Mohawks and the Govern- ment authorities, and were furnished accommodations in the State House
* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 224.
t See pages 184 and 267.
Į See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 259.
¿ He was from Schoharie, and had been at the Albany conference of 1754.
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yard. The day following their arrival, at a meeting of the Provincial Council with the Indians in the State House, "King" Hendrick, "on behalf of the Cherokees, thanked the Government for their kind recep- tion and generous entertainment ; * and then, in behalf of the Six Nations-as they were in alliance with the Cherokees-made an elegant compliment to the Government for their brotherly and compassionate usage of these distressed Indians, and commended the Proprietaries, Governor and people of this Province as having, more than any other of the Colonies, manifested on all occasions a particular tenderness and affection for the Indians" !*
In view of these fulsome phrases it seems unnecessary to state that the Mohawk chieftans were being well taken care of by Governor Mor- ris and his right-hand man Richard Peters. In the language of to-day the "City of Brotherly Love" was, to a degree, thrown "wide open" to the visitors. The brief extracts from the letters of Governor Morris which we have given show that he was a shrewd and politic manager of the Proprietary interests, and knew how to go about the accomplish- inent of his desires with respect to the "untutored savage." But, on the other hand, Hendrick was in equal measure wily and crafty (Sir William Johnson referred to him only a short time before this as "the politician, Hendrick"), and he was prompted by more than one reason to compli- ment and flatter the Pennsylvanians at this time.
Governor Morris and members of the Provincial Council held various conferences with "King" Hendrick and his Mohawks, in the course of which Hendrick did all the talking on the part of the Indians. The old "King" complained that the Government of New York did not use the Six Nations well, particularly in land matters. He also stated that the nations of the Confederacy were "divided amongst themselves-some of every tribe being for the English, and some for the French ; but we, the Mohawks, boast that we are of the English side." Hendrick was asked to undertake, along with Colonel Johnson, the breaking of The Susquehanna Company's deed. In reply he saidt:
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