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

It is perhaps important to note that many genealogical studies do not probe to this depthwhen the evidence is acceptable as is. The present author has extended the reach moreout of the desire to be 100% sure. However when working in what amounts to “ethnicgenealogy”, at the time under consideration, “certainty” in relation to the identity of afemale ancestor is often unattainable.The evidence strongly suggests that Margaret Brant Kayadontyi and Mary HillKatehriunigh were sisters. This would also explain why Lt. John Young’s uncles wereresiding in homes owned by the Ft. Hunter Mohawks on the Mohawk Flats in 1780 – ifwhites were going to occupy the homes the occupants had deserted to fight for theBritish, it was better to seek tenants among those who had a family connection. Itenhances the likelihood that Margaret “the younger” was Kayadontyi (i.e., the “peggyyoung” from the 1789 Ft. Hunter deed). After the death of her husband (prior to 1768)and perhaps cohabiting with Captain Daniel, it would make sense that she would havereturned to her birthplace and the home of all her siblings, the Mohawk Flats at Ft.Hunter, and so would have been a signor to the 1789 Ft. Hunter deed. The onlyCatharine to file a claim for lands was a Katerine who was residing at Niagara 22 April1784. Her claim included a house worth 80 pounds (only one other Mohawk in eithervillage had a house worth this much), and 60 acres of land - only the three Hill brothersand their sister Mary of Ft. Hunter had more. The documents do not indicate whether thehouse and land were at Ft. Hunter or Canajoharie. It could have been property locatednear Ft. Hendrick, possibly inherited by Catharine Young from her father (see Faux,2002).If, as intimated above, John Young was related to both the Brants and the Hills via hiswife, a reasonable question is whether there is evidence of a continuing affiliation withthese families along the Grand River. The fact that Joseph Brant was a witness to the saleof John Young’s Loyalist grant at the Head of the Lake has already been noted, as hasJohn’s attendance and signature as witness to almost every Six Nations document fromthe first days of settlement until he death in 1812. Furthermore, the youngest son ofJoseph Brant, John Brant, was elected to the House of Assembly in 1832, with thesupport of settlers on the Six Nations’ lands, especially Warner Nelles, an electionofficial (Herring, 1998, p.57). Furthermore on 17 September 1791 in the William NellesAccount Book there is an entry, Aaron Hill Capt David Son to Wm Nelles. This debt wasdischarged by John Young at an unspecified date (Toronto Public Library, BaldwinRoom).In summary:1) The Beaver Tribe / Clan comes from the Wyandot “branch” of the UpperMohawks, from the descendants of the wife (Catharine) of BrantCanagaradunckwa, the mother of Nicholas Brant Canadiorha. The nameTahanata may have been that of John, the brother of Nicholas.47