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S

ir William Johnson was the superintendent of northern Indians based in New York in the 1750's and 60's and was a significant military leader during the Seven Years' War. His particular strength was that he had the confidence of the Six Nations of the Iroquois. He was also a shrewd businessman and established one the greatest fortunes in the 13 Colonies prior to the creation of the United States. He brought his son John with him on his military campaigns and John became a respected military leader in his own right. Around 1752 Sir William took a young Mohawk teenager in as his consort. Her name was Konwatsi'tsiaiénni in the Mohawk language but history knows her as Mary, or Molly Brant, elder sister of Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) and head of the Society of Matrons of the Six Nations.

Sir William died leaving his very substantial estate to Sir John Johnson and he and the Brants remained close allies. When the American War of Independence began, they maintained their loyalty to the Crown, a decision that would cost them dearly.

Sir John married Mary Watts and lived peacefully in New York with a son and two daughters. When the war started, he was arrested and released on bail in an attempt to neutralize his influence in the Iroquois community. Shortly afterwards the bail was revoked and, with the help of his Iroquois allies he managed to flee to Canada. He arrived half-starved on the south shore of the St Lawrence, but he quickly recuperated and offered his service in the war against the rebels. Upon his disappearance, Mary Watts was advised that if she did not succeed in stopping her husband she and her children would pay the price.

The brave woman organised the burying of the family valuables including jewellery, silverware and documents and managed to escape the control of the rebels with the help of their black slave named Tony. They abandoned their carriage at a crossroads and made their way through the snow to eventually hire a boat and cross a river between ice floes. Tony carried alternately her son and daughter while Mary carried and nursed the baby. Upon reaching the British camp, the baby succumbed and her elder sister caught a fever and died some days later.

Despite the efforts of Sir John, Joseph Brant and others, eventually the Loyalists had to give up their land and homes in New York and settle in Canada, but during one of his incursions into New York, Johnson recovered the buried valuables of his estate and they were carried back to Canada in the knapsacks of 40 soldiers. From there, they were shipped to England but the ship was lost in the Gulf of St Lawrence.

The Iroquois, under the leadership of Molly and Joseph Brant, were given large land concessions on the Grand River in Upper Canada as a reward for their loyalty to the Crown. They opened up their holdings to white settlement and the town of Brantford remains to commemorate these Loyalists.

Sir John settled in Montreal where he and Mary were blessed with six more sons. Sir John was appointed to command the British Indian Department, a position he held for 46 years. He played a large role in the resettling of Loyalists and was appointed to the Legislative Council of Lower Canada. He fought once more against the Americans, commanding the Six Township Battalions in the War of 1812.

In 1814, he purchased the Seigneury of Argenteuil and Sir John's Lake was named in his honour upon his death in 1842.

Author's note concerning the article on Weir:
It has been brought to my attention that Basil S. Kerr of the Historical Society of Weir researched and compiled the history in the History of Weir while Bevan Jones compiled the book itself. Thanks to the sharp eyes of my readers for this correction. -JG

Joseph Graham has written a book that features a select number of stories of Laurentian places and how they got their names. To learn more, click here.

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This material may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the author. © Joseph Graham