New-York tribune., 1903-08-14
SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON.
II Neao Portrait of Famous
Colonial.

SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON BY Augustus C. Buell..
Illustrated Svo pp. Vii, 2SL D. Appleton & Co.
In his biography of Sir William johnson. Mr.
Buell. presents compact and clear statement
of the career Of this important colonial figure.
He is frank IN his admiration for the attain
nents and character Of the administrator Of
England's relations with the Indians and dis
putes some points, commonly accepted, with ad-
vantage to his subjects memory. Parkman, for
instance, ain writing Of Pontiac, and W. L.
Stone who wrote an earlier life Of Sir William,
were inclined to slight the worth of his educa-
ton. Mr.. Buell. takes issue here When a boy
OF seventeen in County Down Ireland, Johnson
was expelled from the ancient Academy of
Newry, mainly because his physical powers
proved too much for the moderator who had
cause for chastising him. Mr.. Buell. combats the
tradition that this shortening of his college days
left him permanently i'll educated.
He was particularly well versed in Latin, and
his library was well stocked with the classics of
that tongue, and also with more modern works
written in ii. He often received letters in Latin
from French priests in Canada, after the con-
quest, because they could not write English and
he could not read French. It was his habit to
make notes Of his own and attach them to all
important letters when he put them file;
and examination Of his manuscripts showed that
his notes on the letters in Latin were always in
mathematician, and could make and plot land
survey as well and as accurately as any profess
sional land surveyor
He had one Of the best private libraries in the
colonies At his death It numbered two thou
sand volumes, imported by himself from Eng
land piecemeaL But his correspondence with
the British and colonial governments should
have laid this ghost.
More attention is given here to his domestic
relations. The story Of an early love affair,
which inspired such opposition from his parents
as to change his plans entirely, is rejected with
out mention. He is described as studying law
until the opportunity of managing the estates
IN the Mohawk Valley for his uncle, Sir Peter
Warren, took him oversee. In his relations with
the Indian women. Caroline Hendrick and Mary
Brant, sister of the Mohawk chief. Joseph Brant
Mr.. Buell. is unable to any indication Of the
coarse tastes and loose morals which it has been
common to charge against Sir William. 1t was
about two years after the death of his wife,
Katherine Weisenberg, whom the author de-
fends spiritedly from the silly slur" in Park
mans 'Montcalm and Wolfe" that Sir William
took into his household the daughter Of the
Chief Abraham, sachem of the Lower Castle
Mohawks. She had been baptized as Caroline
and educated in the mission school at Fort
Hunter and in q private school at Schenectady
She bore him three children. After being the
efficient hostess Of Sir Williams somewhat ba-
ronial household for six years she died, and was
succeeded in a years time by Mary Brant
There were nine children by this union, which
lasted twenty years. until Sir Williams death in
1774 If these marriages were morganatic, they
argue as little as does the general character of
the man. the tale of various mistresses" which
has been constantly repeated even down TO the
recent life by William z. Grifhs. Mr. Buell.
holds. with w. Max Reid. that the element of
statecraft was largely responsible for these
singular alliances"
His fortunes depended upon his influence with
the Indians. Without that he could never have
been anything more than settler in the Mohawk
Valley; richer, perhaps, than his neighbors, but
still only settler. His command or the lro-
quois, just at the time when their adherence to
the British cause was vital to the objects OF
British policy, made him the most important
If not actually the greatest, man in the colony.
No white could have made Sir Williams
red henchmen feel at home in his house as Caro-
line Hendrick or Mary Brant could. If this was
one Of his motives it was creditable at least to
his ambition, If not to his sense OF proprlety
But the point of propriety must be measured by
the standard Of morality prevailing IN his day.
not
This influence over the Six Nations Sir Will
lam exercised even after his death. On July II,
1774 he addressed six hundred Indians who had
come 10 johnson Hall to invoke his help against
the invasion Of the Indian country along the
Ohio, known as "Dunmores War" General
Andrew Lewis, whose mark was left on the
map in Lewisburg the site of his fort. was con-
Quoting the expedition which was 10 crush the
turbulent Shawnee confederacy, and Sir Will
iam's redskin friends sought to intercede. After
speaking two hours in their native tongue, the
honorary sachem suffered a stroke Of cerebral
apoplexy and in two hours more was dead. His
last words. spoken to Brant, Joseph, control
your people-control your people! am going
away!" were interpreted as a choice of success
sor. Shortly after Brant was accordingly made
grand sachem.