Mohawk – Wyandot Ancestry of Lt. John Young's ... - Davidkfaux.org

John Norton reported in his diary that Joseph Brant's ancestors on both the mother andfather's side were Wyandot (Huron) captives adopted by the Mohawk. Joseph, although astep – son of Brant Canagaradunckwa, adopted Brant’s first name as a surname. TheOnondaga adopted many Huron after the raids of the 1640s, as did the Mohawk. JosephBrant's son Joseph also reported to William Allen that his father's step - father was a chiefwho was denominated an Onondaga Indian (Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol. V,“Thanendanegea”). The names Canagaradunckwa (the Indian name of Joseph Brant’sstep – father) and Canadiorha appear to have disappeared with the deaths of Brant andNicholas, despite the prominence of both individuals, possibly because both wereWyandot in origin.In exploring the Wyandot – Onondaga – Mohawk connection, the following observationsmay or may not be relevant. Among the Onondaga the head chief is Atotarho. Alsosachems, but linked as “cousins” and holding a special relationship to Atotarho, areEnneserarenh and Dehatkahthos or Tchatkatons of the Beaver Clan (Hale, 1881). Thefirst “cousin” has a name that resembles the Mohawk Astawenserontha; and the second“cousin” is remotely similar to Tahatonne or Tahanata. This “cousin” relationship beingsomewhat similar to the relationship between the Mohawk titles being highlighted by thebracket used by George Martin to join them (in 1815).Nicholas Brant Canadiorha (son of Brant Canagaradunckwa and step – brother to JosephBrant) had ties at Schoharie (a very multicultural Mohawk settlement led by those fromCaughnawaga and likely Huron, as well as Oneidas, River Indians, Tuscaroras, andparticularly those from Onaquaga on the Susquehanna River). Here he had one of hischildren baptised in 1758, and was also a sponsor for a child of his sister Rosina, wife ofAront in the same year, it being noted in the record that Nicholas and Margaret were fromCanajoharie (Sievertsen, 1996).Ultimately the “Beaver Tribe” likely represented a very powerful sub - group among theMohawk Bear Clan, and may have attained considerable status in the new community –but not forgetting their roots, nor severing their connections to the homeland in Canada,or their distant kin among the Wyandot. Since they were fully adopted Mohawks (andthere being relatively few “true” Mohawks), the Huron Bear Tribe may have furnishedthe lineage for the Astawenserontha sachemship, as well as the closely associatedTahatonne / Tahanata sachemship which is outside the original Mohawk three from thedays of the founding of the League (the Five Nations Confederacy) and may haveWyandot - Onondaga roots. Among the Huron / Wyandot, over the course of time, theBear phratry (Bear and Deer clans) was linked to the Turtle phratry (Turtle and Beaverclans) via the division into moieties (halves). These terms roughly meaning “side” usedby anthropologists to signal divisions or groupings between clans each of which hadreciprocal duties (e.g., to condole members of the other “side”). Hence the Bear andBeaver clans were associated from early days (Sioui, 1999, p.115).There is also archaeological evidence of a link between families of Upper Mohawks, anda group who appeared to place a special emphasis (symbolic or otherwise). First it40