Alliance between William Johnson and Mohawk Indians



Alliance between William Johnson and Mohawk Indians

Introduction

In 1735, William Johnson from Ireland entered into the Mohawk valley of America. It is due to arrival of William Johnson arrival to the Mohawk valley that the North America is included in English speaking continent. The Mohawk leader Hendrick and the colonist William Johnson formed a partnership; this partnership provided dominance to the relationship of Indian and European people. This paper addresses the good and bad that happened while alliances were taking place between the Mohawk Indians and William Johnson.

William Johnson Arrival to the Mohawk Valley

William Johnson arrived from Ireland to America in 1735. The major aim for William to visit America was to settle the matters associated with land which was granted to his uncle. In 1739, he started buying lands for himself. First of all he bought the lands which were located on the north shore of the Mohawk valley. The section where he bought initial lands are now included in Fort Johnson village. In 1742, Mount Johnson, a stone house is built by Johnson on the same considerable tract; the Mount Johnson began to be called as Fort Johnson when the Indian and French war broke. The young Irish man also built a saw mill and a grist mill to the west of creek. In addition, barns and storehouse were also built. At first, Mount Johnson was situated about a half mile east, where the Fort Johnson is present today.

William Johnson opened a personal account in 1744. This account was opened with the most important firm of London of those times. Sir Wm. Baker & Co. was the firm, which clearly showed that the stay at Mohawk Valley had made William Johnson prosperous enough. Started from this point, 1744 till the death of William Johnson is year 1774, the history of Mohawk valley remains associated with William.

Since 1736, when Governor William Cosby of New York died, Lieutenant-Governor Sir George Clarke served as the acting governor. In 1744, when Clarke was superseded by the arrival of Governor George Clinton, William Cosby was the Mohawk valley's resident. Johnson and Clinton very soon turned into close friends because Colonial affairs were under the influence of Johnson.

After observing the situations for 5 continuous years, finally in 1740, he settled 16 families from Ireland on the warren lands; these lands are today included in Florida. However, these people moved out from the place a few years later, because they were afraid of being attacked in King George's war.

The Mohawks were the local Indians of the place, where William Johnson got settled, bought lands and built a house and farm for himself. These people originally belonged from upstate of New York; the Mohawk valley. By the time when William arrived the place, the population of this tribe had reduced to 580 only. William continued to live with them, and they paid mutual respect and honor to each other. Extremely inspired by the character of Johnson, in 1742, ...