Joseph
Brant/Thayendanegea (1742-1807)
Joseph
Brant was born in the forests of the upper Ohio River,
near pesent day Pittsburgh, in 1742. The Indian name
he was given is Thayendanegea which means "two sticks
of wood bound together." He grew up in eastern Ohio
and as a young boy, was aware of the pressures of
white traders and settlers moving into Ohio.
On
a visit to the Mohawk ancestral
homeland in western New York, Brant's half sister
married Sir William Johnson. Johnson was a highly
successful trader and agent for the British. The young
Brant was impressed by the wealth of Johnson's home.
Twelve year old Brant stayed with his half sister
and Johnson. He learned English.
When
Brant was 19, Johnson sent him to Moor's Indian Charity
School where he converted to Christianity and became
an aide to missionaries, translating the scriptures
into the Mohawk language.
He
returned to New York after Pontiac's
Rebellion and found Indians were being forced
to make difficult decisions about who they should
align themselves with: the British, French, Americans,
or no one. Brant, although comfortable in the opulent
world of the British, never forgot his heritage. However,
he urged the Indians to align with the British. After
the American Revolution and the British loss, Brant
urged Indians to work together to fight against the
Americans. He traveled into Ohio to encourage Ohio
Indians to support him. The Ohio Indians did not listen
to Brant and so he returned to new York and traveled
into Canada.
In
1794, word reached the Mohawks that a large American
army, under the leadership of General Wayne had met
Little Turtle in battle
and forced a retreat of the Indians. Once again, Brant
traveled to Ohio to urge the Indians to work together
to negotiate for peace with Congress as a united nation
and once again he was rebuffed.
Brant
returned to his family who was now living in Ontario
and died in 1807, surrounded by his family.
Text
from the Ohio
Historical Society Site
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