VII.

REMINISCENCES OF EARLIER YEARS IN BRANT.

BY MISS AUGUSTA I. GRANT GILKISON, Brantford

The Brant Historical Society, which was organized at the Conservatory of Music on Nelson Street, May 11, 1908, welcomes you to this historical city of Brantford, renowned as being named after the great warrior, Thayendanagea, Capt. Joseph Brant, who was a captain in the British army. This part of the country was first inhabited by the Ojibways or Mississagas, the government buying part of their land for the Six Nations, through which the River Ouse, now the Grand River,

ran.

When Brant arrived here in 1783, he settled at the bend of the river where the old Mohawk Church now stands, which was to be the Indian Village and his home for the future; and there he built his double log house, known as "Mohawk Castle," on the south side of the church. While living there he became an influential British subject, much honored and admired by all classes.

His portrait was painted by Romney, the English artist, in London, in 1776. Brant had neither the aquiline nose nor the copper complexion, nor the coarse jet black hair of the Indian race. His only Indian feature was the prominent cheek bone. This is true of the whole family of Brants, from Joseph Brant's grandfather, who visited England with Peter Schuyler early in the reign of Queen Anne. In the London Magazine for July, 1776, there is a sketch of Capt. Joseph Brant, in which it is stated that he was the grandson of one of the five Sachems who had visited England in 1710. Three of the latter were Mohawks, one of whom was Joseph Brant, Chief of the Canajoharie clan. These Sachems, or Indian "Kings," as they were called, had been taken to England by Col. Schuyler, and they created a great sensation, people following them wherever they went. The chiefs were dressed in black clothes after English manner, and instead of a blanket they each had a scarlet ingrain cloth mantle edged with gold lace, thrown over their other clothes. These court dresses were given them by Queen Anne, a more than ordinary solemnity having attended the audience they had of Her Majesty.

They were conducted to St. James' Palace in two royal coaches, and introduced into the royal presence by the Duke of Shrewsbury, Lord Chamberlain. The speech delivered by them was preserved by Oldmixon, the historian. Sir Richard Steele mentions these chiefs in the Tattler of March 13th, 1710, and Addison in the Spectator of the same week devotes a special article to the five Indian "kings" from North America.

Capt. Joseph Brant was a great letter-writer-wrote many letters on business, and on private or domestic concerns. His fame was coextensive with England and the United States. In one of his letters to Thos. Eddy he says: "I was born of Indian parents, lived while a child among those whom you please to call savages. I was afterwards sent to live among the white people and educated at one of your schools, since which period I have been honored much beyond my deserts."

The saintly Rev. Robt. Addison of Niagara visited the Mohawks and baptized about a hundred and fifty of them. He and other missionaries were greatly assisted by Capt. Brant. When Lieut. Gov. Simcoe arrived at Niagara in 1792 he brought a letter from the Duke of Northumberland to the Mohawk Chief, Thayendanagea. This Duke had served in the Revolutionary War as Lord Percy and had been adopted by the Mohawks with the name Toughwegeri, or the "Evergreen Brake." Lieut.-Governor Simcoe delivered a brace of pistols to Brant from the Duke, and in a letter his Grace added: "I preserve with great care your picture which is hung up in the Duchess' own room. A close intimacy was thereupon formed between Lieut.-Gov. Simcoe and Capt. Brant.

George Washington also recognized the great influence of Capt. Brant over all the Indian tribes. He invited Brant to attend the great Council held at Philadelphia, the seat of Government, in the winter of 1792, and on May 23rd of that year the newspapers announced: "On Monday last arrived in this city from the settlement on the Grand River, Capt. Joseph Brant of the British Army, the famous Mohawk Chief who so eminently distinguished himself during the late war as military leader of the Six Nation Indians. We are informed that he will pay his respects to the President of the United States." The United States offered him a thousand guineas down and half pay pension, the reward he received from the British Government doubled, if he would endeavor to bring about peace with the tribes, but Brant refused as he thought it would be detrimental to the British interests, as also to the advantage and credit of the Indian Nations until the Americans should make the necessary concessions.

Brant sailed for England in 1786. He was well received and his society courted by gentlemen of rank and station, statesmen, scholars and divines. He was dressed in European clothes, but had a splendid Indian dress of his own nation. He was a great favorite with the Royal family. He proudly refused to kiss the King's hand, but he remarked with gallantry and address that he would gladly kiss the hand of the Queen. King George III. smiled, as he loved his Queen too well to be offended. Brant was accompanied about England by two negro

servants.

Thayendanagea is described as having been a man of animal courage and as having the noble qualities of a brave soldier. He was tall, erect and majestic, with the air of one born to command, and his name was a tower of strength among the warriors of North America. He translated the gospels, prayers and psalms into the Mohawk language. His last words were: "Have pity on the poor Indian if you can get any influence with the great, endeavor to do them all the good you can. Oh, my Father, my Father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof."

No people are more painstaking in paying honor to their dead than the Indians. The funerals are marked with deep and affectionate solemnity. When Brant's remains were removed in 1850 from Wellington Square to the Mohawk Church, the old bell (the first bell that was rung to call the people to the house of God in Upper Canada), tolled for 24 hours, until the body, which had been carried on the shoulders of relays of six warriors at a time, walking through the forest until they reached the old Mohawk Church, was laid, with that of his son, Capt. John Brant, in the tomb erected to their memory. The removal of their remains and the erection of the beautiful monument is due to the untiring energies of Mr. Allen Cleghorn, who was an honored and beloved friend of the Six Nations.

Among the many persons who knew Brant from 1792 to the day of his death, Nov. 24th, 1807, were the first Gov.-Gen. Lord Dorchester, Gen. Amherst, Commodore Alex. Grant of Grosse Pointe near Detroit, Father Macdonell (who afterward was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Kingston), Col. Thos. Talbot, Sir Isaac Brock, Capt. William Jarvis (Provincial Secretary), Wm. Osgoode, Jas. Baby, Chief-Justice Powell, Duparon Baby, Alex McKee, Wm. Robertson, Major John Richardson, Peter Burpree, Bishop Strachan, Tecumseh, and many others.

In 1884 there were only three warriors living who had fought with Brant: John Smoke Johnson, 94 years; Jacob Warner, 93; John Tutela,

92. John Smoke Johnson's last appearance in public was at the laying of the corner-stone of Brant's monument; he died shortly afterwards.

Mohawk Village, also known as Brant's Ford, was, in the earliest years of this province, the only inhabited place between the village of Niagara and Detroit. Gov. Simcoe, after having settled in Niagara, thought it was his duty to know the land over which he had been made governor, so he started with Capt. Wm. Jarvis and suite in Feb., 1792, marching through forests where towns and cities are now built, including Hamilton and others, until he came to the Mohawk Village, extending to where Cainsville stands and around the Mohawk Church. Brant received Gov. Simcoe and suite, entertained them for three days, accompanied them on their journey to Detroit many miles through the forest, and supplied them with food and horses. On arriving at Detroit he was received by Commodore Grant, who was then in command of the British fleet on the Upper Lakes. Gov. Simcoe returned in March, 1793, and was again the guest of Brant at the Indian Village, and was entertained with the usual dances, the calumet, buffalo, feather and war dances, the visitors being also given Indian names. On the 13th Feb., 1793, Mrs. Wm. Jarvis entertained Brant at dinner in her log house at Niagara.

Among the first persons who settled in Brantford were John Stealts, Enos Burnnell, Arnah Huntington, John A. Wilkes and others. Wm. Richardson was the first post-master and also Indian Superintendent after the death of Capt. John Brant. He was also Lieut.-Col. of the 10th Gore Regiment in 1837-38, had married Jane Cameron Grant, 11th daughter of Commodore Grant, in 1824, at Chippewa, and resided in Brantford until his death in the fifties.

Brantford is known as the "Telephone City," the telephone having been invented by Dr. Graham Bell at his residence on Tutela Heights. It once had a palisade in the early days; this passed the corner of Market and Colborne streets of the present time, with a high embankment, surmounted by fifteen-foot pickets. This place was divided into town lots in 1830, and it was then that it was called Brantford. An interesting account is given by Adam Ferguson, of Wood-Hill, Scotland, who visited Brantford with Mr. Wm. Dickson from Galt. They rode on horseback from Galt, May 15th, 1831. (Mr. Ferguson's Notes of his tour are reprinted in the Transactions of the Brant Historical Society.)

Mrs. Joseph Brant returned to her old log house next to the Mohawk Church after Brant died, and was seen every Sunday in the Church, dressed in a black velvet skirt, black silk over-dress, a black cloth blank

et and black velvet cap with a fur band. Her two daughters lived with her, Mrs. John and Mrs. Powless. Brant was married three times. His first wife, Margaret, left issue, Isaac and Christina. Christina married Chief Joseph Sawyer of the Mississagas, a venerable chief. The second wife, Susannah, died shortly after they were married. His third wife, Katharine, had issue, Joseph, Jacob, John, Margaret, Katharine, Mary and Elizabeth. Margaret married Powless and had several children. Katharine married Peter John and had three children. Mary married Seth Hill and had one child. Elizabeth married Wm. Johnson Kerr and had four children.

The corner-stone of the Brant Memorial was laid Aug. 11th, 1886, by Chief Clench, and unveiled the 13th Oct., 1886, by the Hon. J. B. Robinson, Lieut.-Gov. of Ontario. There were present at the unveiling seven North-West Indian Chiefs, Blackfeet and Crees-Red-crow, Chief of the Blood Blackfeet; North-Axe, Chief of the Piegan Blackfeet; One Spot, pipe-bearer of Crowfoot, who was too ill to be present; Ah-tah-tacoop, or Star Blanket, Cree Chief; Mist-ta-was-sis, or Big Child; Kahkee-wis-ta-haw, or Flying in a Circle, Cree Chief from Crooked Lake; Osoap, or Back Fat, from Crooked Lake, a great grandson of Thayendanagea. He said he was glad to come and see his great-grandfather, Thayandagea, with his braves around him. He got short notice and could not dress himself like the other chiefs. He was ploughing when he was told to come. He at once handed the plough to his son and told him to go on, and started off. Had he notice he might have brought a dress which he could have left with his friends.

I must refer to Brant's enemy, Red-jacket, Sa-go-ye-wat-ha, Keeper Awake, a Seneca Chief, whose remains were reinterred by the Buffalo Historical Society in Forest Lawn Cemetery on October 9th, 1884, with those of five other Seneca chiefs, and Capt. Pollard. At this re-interment were thirteen chiefs of the Six Nations Indians of the Grand River, accompanied by their superintendent, Col. Gilkison. These chiefs, with Chief John Buck, the hereditary keeper of the Wampum Belts and also Fire-keeper, performed the funeral Indian dirge over the graves of Redjacket and the other chiefs. Among those present were Miss Jessie Osborne, great-grand-daughter of Capt. Brant, Misses Evelyn H. and Pauline Johnson, daughters of Chief Geo. H. M. Johnson; the present writer, and many delegates from the Indian Reserves of the United States. Red-jacket was most intellectual, and well posted in Indian affairs. His word was bond; he was a great orator and the faithful friend of the missionaries. His last words, with his loving family around his bed, were: "Where is the missionary?"-and clasping his