Monuments To Six Nation Indians Collections – Page 2 of 2

Monument To Aroniateka ‘Fiendich’ Lake George Village, New York

Aroniateka or Chief Hendrick was a Mohawk of the Village of Canajoharie in the Mohawk Valley. In 1618 the Mohawks and other nations of the Iroquois Confederacy made a treaty with the Dutch of Manhattan. When the English took over the Dutch Colony the Treaty of Friendship and Mutual Aid was carried on to these people. The Mohawks, for over three hundred years, held fast to this treaty of friendship, their people considering it a disgrace to ever violate a sacred covenant. In no so-called civilized country can one find a parallel steadfast faith. They fought fiercely and unwaveringly upon … Read more

Mohawk Monument, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Near Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, stands a monument erected in memory of a group of Mohawks who, in 1712 were enlisted by the English and taken to Annapolis Royal to secure the peace of the country. A company of Mohawks had served under Major Livingston at the capture of Annapolis and had done good service on the occasion. The English colony was in danger because of the French inhabitants who were stirring up trouble between the Mic-Mac Indians and the English and were threatening to take over the colony. The Mohawks upon arrival in Annapolis built a fort in the … Read more

Mohawk Church, Brantford, Ontario, Canada

When a young man Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant, a Mohawk Pine Tree Chief, perceived the importance of education and religion as aids in carrying forward the moral and social improvement of his nation. One of his first stipulations, on securing Grand River Territory for his people, was the building of a church, a school house and flour mill. The Mohawk Church still stands. On five different occasions different members of the Akwesasne Mohawk Counselor Organization have visited the grave of Joseph Brant and the church which he built for his Mohawks from funds collected in England by himself in 1786 … Read more

Logan Monument, Auburn, New York

From Syracuse, and the Monument to Onondaga Indians, the Mohawks once more headed down the Great Central Trail of the Iroquois to the City of Auburn. There, in the Fort Hill Cemetery, Fort Street, Auburn, the warriors saw the remains of a huge Indian mound in the center of which was a gigantic stone shaft monument erected to a great Cayuga Chief named Logan. Chief Logan, Tah-gah-jute christened Logan, 1725-1780, renowned Cayuga sachem, statesman, orator and warrior. He was born in the Indian village Wasco near here. His memory remains enshrined in the Finger Lakes Country as the friend of … Read more

Logan Elm And Monument, Circleville, Ohio

Logan, Chief of the Mingoes, was a Cayuga Indian, born at Auburn, New York in 1726. He was the son of Chief Shikellamy, deputy of the Six Nations over the Indians at a section of Pennsylvania. Like his father, Logan was a firm friend of the white man. Upon moving to Ohio, Logan was made chief of the mingoes. During the year 1774 a band of adventurers and “land grabbers” under the leadership of a Captain Michael Cresap and Daniel Greathouse, who were encouraged by a Dr. John Connolly, said to have been under the hire of Governor Dunmore, of … Read more

Kateri Tekakwitha, Mohawk Women, Auriesville, New York

This Indian girl has been called, the Indian saint. She was born in 1656 at Candaouga, a Mohawk Village located on the south bank of the Mohawk River near where Auriesville now stands. Later she moved with her parents to Caughnawaga, a village of the Turtle Clan, located on the north side of the Mohawk River. Through the influence of three Jesuit priests, who visited her father, she learned of the Christian religion. On Easter Sunday, 1675, she was Baptized by Father LamberviIle. As a young woman she was skilled in doing work as Indian girls were accustomed to do … Read more

Kaiiontwa-Ken, Cornplanter

Cornplanter known as John O’Bail, was born in the village of Conewaugus sometime around the year 1732. Because of the influence of this chief the Senecas did not join the western Indians as Wayne’s army marched against them. The Senecas, who flanked Wayne’s advance, were in a position to bring about his defeat. Had they thrown their great weight against Wayne, it is very doubtful whether he would have succeeded when he did. Historians say that because Cornplanter prevented his Senecas from falling upon Wayne he rendered the United States a great service. If this chief had been the enemy … Read more

Iroquois Trails in Pennsylvania

Leaving To-ri-wa-wa-kon and the grave of Shikellamy, the Mohawks traveled up the great river Susquehanna until they arrived at Lewisburg. Here they visited an ancient Indian village site which was an earlier residence of the noted Oneida chief Shikellamy. Continuing still north up the river the warriors arrived at still another of Shikellamy’s towns. Here the great chief also resided, just south of the Village of Milton, Pennsylvania. From this village site the Mohawks traveled over a road that was once called, The Sheshequin Path. This ancient Iroquois trail was used by Conrad Weiser and Shikellamy on trips through this … Read more

Grave Of Tenh-Wen-Nyos, Governor Blacksnake, Allegany Reserve

Leaving the monument of Pauline Johnson, the Mohawks headed for the nearby City of Brantford. There in one of the city parks they saw a gigantic monument, said to be the largest in Canada, erected to the Mohawk Chief, Thayendangea. The inscription on this monument was as follows: “The last resting place of Tenh-wen-nyos ‘Awl Breaker’ Governor Blacksnake, born 1737-died 1859-One of the greatest War-Chiefs of the Seneca Nation, warmly espoused the American Cause in struggle of 1776-Devoted his later years to work among his people-Absolutely honest and truthful and enjoying entire confidence of Indian and Paleface, Erected by Seneca … Read more

Emily Pauline Johnson, Mohawk Poetess, Six Nation Country

Mary Anderson Longboat, an Indian of the Six Nations Reservation, says the following of this remarkable woman: “We of the Six Nations Reserve, honour our Indian poetess, Emily Pauline Johnson. She is more than just a memory, for she lives today in her books which are read throughout the world. In her lifetime, her recitations were equally famous. We are especially proud that she boasted her nationality, and in her native buckskin costume was accepted, even by royalty. As a poetess, Miss Johnson was not great, not a Tennyson nor a Browning, but as Gilbert Parker writes, “Canadian Literature would … Read more

Ely S. Parker Homestead, Tonawanda Reservation

Ely Parker was a Seneca Indian of the Wolf Clan. He was born on the Tonawanda Seneca Reservation in 1832. His boyhood name was Hasanoanda ‘Coming to the Front’. Later he was made a chief of his clan and received the title, Do-ne-ho-ga-weh ‘He Holds The Door Open’. Ely Parker received an academic education and studied law and civil engineering. At Galena, Illinois, while he was employed as an engineer on a government project, he met Ulysses S. Grant. He became a close friend of Grant. This friendship continued till death. Ely Parker took part in the Civil War of … Read more

Conrad Weiser, Terachiawagon, Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania

Conrad Weiser was an adopted son of the Mohawk Nation. Says Hale Sipe, a historian of Pennsylvania of this remarkable man: “When he was seventeen years old, young Weiser went to live with Quagnant, a prominent Iroquois chief, who, taking a great fancy to Conrad, requested the father that the young man might dwell with him for a time. He remained with the Iroquois chief for eight months, learning the Indian language and customs thoroughly. It is said that while on a hunting trip he met the great Iroquois chief Shikellamy, the Vice-Gerent of the Six Nations, who was well … Read more