The Greatest Highway in the World: Historical, Industrial and Descriptive Information of the Towns, Cities and Country Passed Through Between New York and Chicago Via the New York Central Lines. Based on the Encyclopaedia Britannica.New York Central Railroad Company
History
The Greatest Highway in the World: Historical, Industrial and Descriptive Information of the Towns, Cities and Country Passed Through Between New York and Chicago Via the New York Central Lines. Based on the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
New York Central Railroad Company
New York (State) -- Guidebooks; Ohio -- Guidebooks
[Illustration: Joseph Brant, "Thayendanegea" (1742-1807)
(_From original painting by Romney in collection of Earl of
Warwick_)
Chief Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) of the Mohawk tribe was an
unusual character, combining the savage traits of an Indian
Warrior and the more civilized qualities of a politician and
diplomat. Born on the banks of the Ohio River, he was sent to an
Indian charity school (now Dartmouth College) at Lebanon, Conn.,
by Sir William Johnson. He fought with the English in the French
and Indian War and with the Iroquois against Pontiac in 1763.
Subsequently he became a devout churchman and settled at
Canajoharie or Upper Mohawk castle, where he devoted himself to
missionary work and translated the Prayer Book and St. Mark's
Gospel into the Mohawk tongue. In the Revolutionary War he led the
Mohawks and other Indians friendly to the British against the
settlements on the N.Y. frontier, even taking part, despite his
religion, in the Cherry Valley Massacre. After the war he aided
the U.S. in securing treaties of peace with the Miamis and other
western tribes. Subsequently he went to Canada as a missionary,
and in 1786 visited England, where he raised funds with which was
erected the first Episcopal Church in Upper Canada. Brant sat for
his picture several times in England, once in 1776, at the request
of Boswell (the author of the "Life of Johnson"), and during the
same visit for the Romney portrait, at Warwick's request. In 1786
he was painted for the Duke of Northumberland and for a miniature
to present to his daughter.]
After 1763 the fort was occupied by his son Sir John, who, during the
War of Independence organized a loyalist regiment known as the "Queen's
Royal Greens," which he led at the battle of Oriskany, and in raids on
Cherry Valley (1778-1780) and on the Mohawk Valley. The house, once used
as a fort, is described by an early writer thus: "Col. Johnson's mansion
is situated on the border of the north bank of the River Moack. It is
three stories high (two with an attic) built of stone, with port-holes
and a parapet, and flanked with four bastions on which are some small
guns. In the yard, on both sides of the mansion, are two small houses;
that on the right of the entrance is a store, and that on the left is
designed for workmen, negroes and other domestics. The yard gate is a
heavy swing-gate, well ironed; it is on the Moack River side; from this
gate to the river is about two hundred paces of level ground. The high
road passes there." The place, now somewhat remodeled, is owned by the
Montgomery County Historical Society and many curious historic relics
are on exhibition here. It is open to the public daily.
181 M. TRIBES HILL, Pop. 900. (Train 51 passes 12:21p; No. 3, 1:18p; No.
41, 5:27p; No. 25, 6:36p; No. 19, 10:00p. Eastbound: No. 6 passes 5:00a;
No. 26, 5:33a; No. 16, 11:00a; No. 22, 12:56p.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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