Molly Brant

The Mohawk Tribe once occupied the entirety of the state of New York, as the Eastern sub tribe of the Iroquois Nation.[1] By the time of the American Revolution, the Mohawk Tribe was concentrated in the Mohawk Valley, which is located in between Syracuse and Albany. The social structure in the Mohawk Tribe could not have been more different than that of the British Empire, in that the Mohawk Tribe was a matrilineal society. Women handled all property and controlled all weapons and supplies, giving them the power to wage or curtail war.[2] In addition, a man moved into a woman’s house when they married, and he became a part of her family.[3] Despite the many differences between Mohawk and British society, the choice to support the British in the war was clear for many American Indian tribes. American colonists were a more direct enemy, known for raiding and pillaging in comparison to their British counterparts.

Molly Brant, sometimes known as Mary Brant, was the sister of prominent Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant.[4] Molly was fortunate enough to receive an education and was even able to travel to Philadelphia, which allowed her to understand the white man’s perspective.[5] Molly likely knew of her life partner, Sir William Johnson, all of her life as he was likely the only white man in the area who spoke the language of the Mohawk tribe.[6]

Johnson was the Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the Northern region, meaning he supervised relations with Native Americans from New England to Northern Virginia.[7] His wife passed away in the Summer of 1759, but based on the date of birth of Molly's first child, it is likely that these two started their relationship before his first wife died.[8]

Molly would go on to have eight children with Johnson, and while there is no record that the two formally wed, one of their sons George later claimed the two were married within Mohawk tradition.[9] Sir William Johnson and Mary Brant bridged the world between the British Empire and Mohawk nation through their union, as they were known for negotiating for one another to advance their interests.

Molly Brant worked to feed and protect colonists loyal to the British Empire, and assisted the loyalist militia by contributing supplies from the Mohawk stockpile.[10] Perhaps Brant’s greatest contribution was her organization of runners to inform the British Army of the American militias’ whereabouts.[11] Brant lost most of her possessions during the war and American Indian tribes in the New York area are still engaged in lawsuits with the U.S. Federal Government over lost land during the American Revolution. Brant acts as an example of someone who sacrificed and worked hard for the cause she believed in, but ultimately was negatively affected by the American Revolution. Brant passed away in Canada in 1796.[12]

[1] Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. Culture and History. (2020, July 19). Retrieved July 20, 2020, from https://www.srmt-nsn.gov/culture_and_history.[2] Bob Cudmore, “The Legacy of Molly Brant,” The Daily Gazette. Retrieved July 18, 2020, from https://dailygazette.com/article/2016/07/02/0702_cudmore.[3] Ibid.[4] Tom Villemaire, “One of the Most Devoted United Empire Loyalists,” The Whig, Retrieved July 15, 2020, from https://www.thewhig.com/2017/04/27/one-of-most-devoted-united-empire-loyalists/wcm/c8c46068-80ed-bcf6-4dbc-b6e3573b5b5c[5]Jane Wilcox, host, “Sir William Johnson, Molly Brant, and the Mohawk Valley during the Revolutionary War,” The Forget Me Not Hour (podcast), February 8, 2017, accessed August 2, 2020, https://podbay.fm/podcast/873702773/e/1486566000.[6] Ibid.[7] Ibid.[8] Ibid.[9] Ibid.[10] Villemaire, “One of the Most Devoted United Empire Loyalists,”[11] Ibid.[12] Ibid.