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Madame Catherine (also Catharine) Montour, or Queen Catharine (17101804), was born in New France and became a prominent woman among the Iroquois during the end of the 18th century.

Montour was reportedly a half-breed Huron (and also claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of a French official). She had been captured by the Iroquois and married to a Seneca chief. After his death she was accepted into the matriarchate of the tribe and was influential in their dealings with white settlers and leaders. She was able to speak both English and French, as well as some native languages.

In spite of this, she took part in the Wyoming Massacre in 1778, tomahawking captured whites. The Senecas were the allies of the British during the American Revolution.

She died in Chemung County, New York.

Locations named after Catharine Montour



A fictional "Catherine Montour" was the subject of a 1917 silent film, The Spirit of '76, in which she was a mistress of King George and an adventuress in America.

1710 births | 1804 deaths | Women in war | Native American leaders | Women rulers | Seneca tribe | Native American women

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Catherine Montour".

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