Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys

History of Montgomery and Fulton Counties, NY
F. W. Beers & Co. 36 Vesey Street, 1878

THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

CHAPTER VIII.

THE SIX NATIONS ALIENATED FROM THE COLONIES BY GUY JOHNSON- HOSTILE ATTITUDE OF SIR JOHN JOHNSON.

The county committee was again convened on the 11th of June, and having received a letter from the congress of the province recommending the appointment of delegates to that body, chose Christopher P. Yates and John Marlett as such delegates. The committee also adopted a resolution recommending that the sub-committee of each district should make a list of the freeholders and inhabitants of their respective districts, in order that the article of association should be presented to those who had not signed it and a list prepared of those who refused to sign.

The meeting at which this action was taken was held at the house of Gose Van Alstine, which was a common place of assembling with the committee. This house-a stone building-since known as the J. H. Moyer place, is still standing on the east side of the creek in Canajoharie. Philip and Martin G., or one of them, sons of Gose Van Alstine, owned it after the Revolution. The name Gose has also been written Goose, Gosen, and latterly Goshen. The patriot here mentioned was a grand juror at the first " Court of General Quarter Sessions " held in the Johnstown court house.

The supporters of the colonial cause in the Mohawk valley, concluding that Guy Johnson had determined to incite the Indians against them, labored to win the favor of the savages, or at least secure their neutrality. Nor were they entirely unsuccessful, for though most of the Iroquois finally took up the hatchet against them, the majority of the Oneidas and Tuscaroras remained neutral as the result of a conference with them at the German Flats, June 28, arranged by their missionary, the Rev. Mr. Kirkland, and participated in by a deputation from Albany. They also promised to communicate any important news they could obtain. The county committee on the 3d of July granted the petition of certain settlers for permission to form themselves into militia companies. Learning that the mayor of Albany, who was a Tory, had left that city for the west with considerable baggage, and suspecting he was conveying military stores to the Indians, the committee ordered Capt. George Herkimer with a sufficient force to stop him and search his effects. Nothing contraband was found in his batteau, and he was allowed to proceed. The committee also took measures to garrison Fort Stanwix at the request of the exposed settlers at that post.

Guy Johnson remained but a short time at Fort Stanwix, and pushing forward to Ontario, far beyond the verge of civilization, held a council with a large number of Indians there, where, he said, their action might be independent and unembarrassed by the interference of the colonists. At this place Johnson received the letter of the congress of New York, disclaiming any intention of injuring him or the Indians. He replied under date of July 8, 1775, in a more hostile tone than he had previously used toward the insurgents. He reiterated his assertion of conspiracies to kidnap him, and complained that his mail and other articles on the way to him for himself and the Indians were intercepted, producing a resentment among the latter that boded ill to the whites. The following is the concluding paragraph of his letter:

" I should be much obliged by your promises of discountenancing any attempts against myself, etc., did they not appear to be made on conditions of compliance with continental or provincial congresses, or even committees formed or to be formed, many of whose resolves may neither consist with my conscience, duty or loyalty. I trust I shall always manifest more humanity than to promote the destruction of the innocent inhabitants of a colony to which I have been always warmly attached, a declaration that must appear perfectly suitable to the character of a man of honor and principle, who can on no account neglect those duties that are consistent therewith, however they may differ from sentiments now adopted in so many parts of America."

The belief,, however, gained ground among the patriots that Col. Johnson was collecting an army of Indians to invade the Mohawk valley from the west, while Sir John Johnson, who was a general of militia, would sweep down with a body of his Tory neighbors and tenantry from the Hall, which he had fortified and garrisoned. In this emergency the patriots had but an inadequate supply of ammunition for the three hundred men they could rally, and sent urgent appeals to Schenectady and Albany for assistance. Fortunately, the expected invasion was deferred.

Guy Johnson did not return to the valley after completing his business at Ontario, but proceeding to Oswego convened another council and succeeded in further estranging the Iroquois warriors from the colonies. From Oswego he went to Montreal, accompanied by many warriors of the Six Nations. There they met Sir Guy Carleton and Sir Frederick Haldimand, and were induced to engage in the military service of the king. It needed no uncommon sagacity to penetrate the motives of Guy Johnson, and his removal to Canada was only a fresh justification of the suspicions against him which had been continually strengthening. Having, by his undisturbed councils with the savages in the depths of the wilderness, secured their attachment to the cause of the crown, he remained in Canada, continuing to act as their superintendent and distributing liberal rewards for " the destruction of the innocent inhabitants of a colony to which " he had " been always warmly attached."

The Continental Congress, aware of the importance of preserving peace and friendship with the Indians, appointed commissioners to treat with them. For this purpose the Six Nations were invited to a council at Albany. Its result was very promising, as the Indians expressed themselves in favor of neutrality. Soon after, however, a malignant fever, previously unknown, made great havoc among them. The Schoharie canton of the Mohawks suffered severely, and the survivors concluding in their superstition that the Great Spirit was angry with them for not taking sides with the king, followed their brethren who had left the valley with Guy Johnson. In subsequent savage incursions they were among the most forward and cruel.

By the Iroquois' stipulations of peace and neutrality the people of Tryon county were considerably relieved from apprehensions of immediate danger, but the Committee of Safety were not inactive, and now directed their attention to a more efficient organization for the defence of the settlements and the civil government of the county. Taking upon themselves both military and civil functions they exercised them with diligence and vigor. They arrested and tried suspicious persons, fined, imprisoned and executed when in their judgment the offence required it. They deposed the sheriff, Alexander White, an overbearing Tory, and appointed Col. John Frey, an ardent Whig, in his place. White had rendered himself odious to-the patriots from the first. Accompanied by a band of Tories he had cut down the liberty pole erected at the German Flats, the first planted in the Mohawk valley. Having arbitrarily arrested a prominent Whig, named Fonda, the sheriff put him in jail at Johnstown, but Fonda's neighbors promptly liberated him, and would have captured White had they not been interrupted by the gathering of a superior force of Tories at Johnson Hall. Retiring to Caughnawaga they sent a deputation to Sir John Johnson, demanding White's surrender. This was of course refused, whereupon the committee proceeded as stated.

The patriot authorities found it necessary to keep a vigilant watch upon the movements of Sir John, who, surrounded by a numerous body of Tories, left no means untried to annoy and embarrass them; laboring to destroy popular confidence in the committee; calling public meetings and choosing counter committees; endeavoring to cover the Whig leaders with ridicule, and anon charging them with illegal and tyrannical conduct. Mutual exasperation was the necessary consequence. It was not to be expected that matters would improve under such circumstances, and the Tryon county committee finally determined to discover, if possible, Sir John's intentions. To this end the following letter was addressed to him:

"TRYON COUNTY COMMITTEE CHAMBER, Oct. 26, 1775.
"HONORABLE SIR:
" As we find particular reason to be convinced of your opinion in the questions hereafter expressed, we require you that you'll please to oblige us with your sentiments thereupon in a few lines by our messengers, the bearers hereof, Messrs. Ebenezer Cox, James McMaster and John James Klock, members of our committee.

" We want to know whether you will allow that the inhabitants of Johnstown and Kingsborough may form themselves into companies according to the regulations of our Continental Congress, for the defence of our country's cause; and whether your honor would be ready himself to give his personal assistance to the same purpose.

" Also, whether you pretend a prerogative to our county court house and gaol, and would hinder or interrupt the committee to make use of the same. public houses to our want and service in the common cause.

" We don't doubt you will comply with our reasonable requests and thereby oblige, honorable sir,
" Your obedient and humble servants,
" By order of the Committee,
" NICHOLAS HERKIMER, Chairman."

Sir John's reply left no doubt resting upon his sentiments at least. It was thus reported to the committee by their messengers :

" 1. By perusing our letter Sir John replied that he thinks our requests very unreasonable, as he never had denied the use either of the court house or gaol to anybody nor would yet deny it for the use which these houses have been built for, but he looks upon it that the court house and gaol are his property till he is paid 700 pounds, the amount of which being out of his pocket for the building of the same.

" 2. In regard of embodying his tenants into companies, he never did forbid them, neither should do it, as they may use their pleasure ; but we might save ourselves the trouble, he being sure they would not.

" 3. Concerning himself, he said that before he would sign any association or would lift his hand up against his king, he would rather suffer that his head shall be cut off.

" Further he replied that if we should make any unlawful use of the gaol, he would oppose it, and also he mentions, that there have many unfair means been used for increasing the association, and uniting the people ; for he was informed by credible gentlemen in New York that they were obliged to unite, otherwise they could not live there ; and that he was informed by good authority that likewise two-thirds of the Canajoharie and German Flats people have been forced to sign the articles ; and in his opinion the Boston people are open rebels, and the other colonies have joined them."

On receiving the answer of the Baronet it was "moved and resolved by the majority of votes that our prisoners Lewis Clement and Peter Bown, sentenced to be confined in gaol for three months, having been returned by the Albany committee, shall be sent to our county gaol at Johnstown, to find out whether Sir John shall judge this use of our gaol as unlawful, and will oppose the same." Accordingly, a guard of eight men under command of Captain Jacob Seeber, escorted the prisoners to the jail. Sir John refused the committee the use of the jail, and they had to fit up a private house for that purpose.

The county committee having reported to the congress of New York their action in relation to Sir John, received the following reply :

" DEC. 9TH.-The Congress have this day entered into the consideration of your letter of the 28th of October, and are of opinion that your application to Sir John Johnson requesting an answer from him whether he would allow his tenants to form themselves into companies and associate with their brethren of your county according to the resolves of the Continental Congress for the defence of our liberties, was improper with respect to him, and too condescending on your part, as it was a matter that came properly within your province, and to which we doubt not but you are competent, as you have a line of conduct prescribed to you by Congress. With respect to your second question, whether he would take any active part in the controversy at present existing between Great Britain and her colonies, we conceive it to be very proper, and thank you for information on that head.

" As to the third question, we conceive that he has no claim nor title to the court house and goal in the county, as we are credibly told that his father, Sir William Johnson, did in his life time convey the same to two gentlemen in trust for the use of your county. However, as an attempt to use the same for the purpose of confining persons inimical to our county may be productive of bad consequences, we beg leave to recommend to you to procure some other place which may answer the end of a goal; and give our advice not to molest Sir John as long as he shall continue inactive, and not impede the measures necessary to be carried into execution from being completed."

Some of the Mohawk Indians having already taken up the hatchet in behalf of the British in Canada, the committee of Tryon county questioned the sachems of the Canajoharie castle in regard to the return and sojourn among them of several of these warriors. The men of the castle met the committee, and gave a rather non-committal reply ; they admitted that some of the Mohawk braves were in Canada, and said that if they were killed there the castle would not resent it. They were glad that others had returned, for they had done wrong in going away contrary to the persuasions of the sachems. " We have made a very strong agreement of friendship together," said the speaker, " and we beg you will not break it for the sake of some wrong done by some who have been debauched. You will drop it, we hope, for the present."

The committee in reply complained that the returned warriors, instead of coming penitently to them, as became them, had kept out of the way, and at least one of them, named William Johnson, had been boasting of his course and talking loudly against the Americans.

Copyright © 1998, -- 2003. Berry Enterprises. All rights reserved. All items on the site are copyrighted. While we welcome you to use the information provided on this web site by copying it, or downloading it; this information is copyrighted and not to be reproduced for distribution, sale, or profit.

Contents Introduction Links Home