Brant, Joseph.

Mohawk, Iroquois Indian Chief, Indian name, Thayendanegea, born in Ohio about 1742, and died Nov. 24, 1807. He was the son of Nickus (Nicholas), a full blooded Mohawk of the Wolfe family. Joseph’s sister, Molly, was married to Sir William Johnson, formerly Provincial Grand Master of New York and commander of the King’s forces in western New York during the Revolution.

Joseph Brant went to school in Connecticut, embraced the Chr*stian faith and joined the Episcopal Ch*rch. He taught Chr*stianity to the Mohawks and translated the Gospel of St. Mark and the Prayer-book into their language. He went to England about the time of the outbreak of the Revolution and was made much of by the British, who possibly saw in him an agent for inciting the Indians against the Colonists. Brant received the degrees of Masonry in, some say, Falcon Lodge in Princess Street, Leicester Fields, London, April 26, 1776, and some say, Hiram’s Cliftonian Lodge No. 417 (Modern) at the same time and place. His Masonic apron was presented to him by King George III. Brant affiliated with the Lodge No 11 at the Mohawk village about a mile and a half from Brantford, Conn. of which he was the first Master, and also with Barton Lodge No. 10 (now No. 6) at Hamilton, Canada.

Joseph Brant was always associated with Sir William Johnson or Guy Johnson, so that, when the American Revolution broke out, he remained loyal to the British and incited the Indians against the Colonists, as did the British in many places. He took part in at least one m*ssacre of white Colonists, that at Cherry Valley. He opposed the confederation of the Indians, which being consummated anyway, led to the expedition of General Wayne against them. Brant did all he could to prevent peace between the Indians and the whites and was zealously devoted to his people. He was a brave warrior and merciful to captives. During the R*volutionary W*r, Captain John McKinstry was captured by the Indians and was tied to a tree in preparation for t*rture, when he made his Masonic standing known to Brant, who thereupon rescued his American brother, taking him to Canada and turning him over to some English Freemasons, who returned the prisoner to the American Army. Brant also tried to save Lieutenant Boyd and Sergeant Parker in 1779, but they were afterwards m*rdered.

After the W*r, Brant again went to England, where he was received with honors during his tour of the country in 1786. He was given some military appointment under Sir Guy Carlton in Canada, probably by way of pension for services rendered. Brant’s body was buried in a Mohawk village and, in 1850, Freemasons restored the tomb and placed an inscription on it. His portrait hangs on the wall of the Lodge at Hudson, New York.

Illustrative of the manner in which some Masonic writers get their Masonry, their patriotism, and their heroes mixed, we find that many of them regard Brant as deserving of the highest Masonic honors and approbation, and they even publish his full length portrait, all in costume and in colors, as an example of Masonic humility and humanity. On the other hand, they try to make it appear that all R*volutionary patriots were Freemasons and all Tories were profane, but the very story that elevates Brant to Masonic eminence indicates that he would have t*rtured McKinstry had the latter not been a Freemason and Brant’s record for urging the Indians against the Colonists was unbroken and unquestioned. He f*ught all during the W*r on the British side, aided in Indian forays and at least one m*ssacre, which, so far as we know, may have taken unnamed Freemasons to their d*aths. A m*rderer is not a good Mason.