Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet

Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet (c.1715 – 11 July 1774) was an Irish pioneer and army officer in colonial New York, and the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1755 to 1774. He served on the Governor's Council in New York, earned the rank of Major General in the British forces during the French and Indian War. Sir William was a man of many accomplishments, and ultimately his estate in the Mohawk Valley covered over 400,000 acres (1,600 km²).

Irish Origins

He was born to Christopher Johnson - son of William MacShane and great, great grandson of Sir Turlough mac Henry Ó Néill - in County Meath, Ireland in 1715. The family were originally the O Neills of the Fews in Armagh and thus a branch of the Uí Néill, but had been dispossessed by the Irish Confederate Wars and the Williamite war in Ireland. William's father was originally known as William MacShane (Ó Néill) but changed his name to the English version of MacShane, Johnson.

His Years in America

William is thought to have originally planned a mercantile or legal career, but in 1738 he emigrated to America to manage the land granted to his uncle (Admiral Sir Peter Warren). He settled on the Mohawk River about 25 miles west of Schenectady, New York. He learned from and lived with the Mohawk Indians who adopted him, and later made him a civil chief (sachem). He also began to purchase land from the Indians in his own right.

His Intimates and their children

Many of these relationships were operated simultaneously.

In June 1739 William began a relationship with an immigrant of German Palatine extraction, Catherine Wisenberg (1723 – April, 1759). She originally came to America as an indentured servant, but had run away, apparently with the help of relatives, and became a servant to a family called Phillips. William purchased her contract, and the couple had three children before her death. Their son John Johnson, inherited his father's title and estates.

By the time of Catherine's death he had already begun a similarly unmarried relationship with Elizabeth Brant, by whom he had three children, Keghneghtago or Brant, born in 1742, Thomas and Christian, born in 1744 and 1745 — both of whom died in infancy.

About 1750 he had a son called Tagawirunta or William by a Mohawk woman, possibly Elizabeth Brant's younger sister, Margaret.

By Molly Brant, sister of Joseph Brant he had eight children and by Caroline Peters, niece of King Hendrick, about three.

Johnson is also known to have been intimate with the sisters Susannah and Elizabeth Wormwood (daughters of Henry Wormwood), an Irish woman called Mary McGrath (by whom he appears to have had a daughter, Mary), and several other Mohawk women.

French and Indian War

Commander-in-chief General Braddock commissioned Johnson a major general and tasked him to lead militia forces against Crown Point. In September, his expedition defeated Baron Dieskau at the Battle of Lake George. In recognition of this victory he was awarded £5,000 and made a baronet in November. In 1758 he was part of General Abercrombie's failed attempt to take Fort Ticonderoga.

Johnson led an Indian and militia force as part of General John Prideaux's siege of Fort Niagara in the summer of 1759. When Prideaux was killed, he took command of the force and captured the fort. He also accompanied General Amherst at the capture of Montreal in 1760. After the war, King George rewarded him with the grant of an additional tract of 100,000 acres (400 km²) north of the Mohawk River.

Death and Legacy

William Johnson died from a stroke at his home in Johnstown on July 11, 1774. His role as Superintendent of Indian Affairs was taken over by his nephew (and son-in-law) Guy Johnson. His manor house is now a New York Historic site and is open to the public.

Family Tree

Aodh (Hugh) O Neill, fl. 1505, younger son of King of Tir Eoghan; 1st O Neill of the Fews. | Henry mac Aodh O Neill | Sir Turlough mac Henry O Neill, fl. 1593-1602. | Sir Henry mac Turlough O Neill of the Fews, alive 1641. | Shane/John O Neill of the Fews | Tomas mac Shane O Neill, fl. 1648 | William MacShane (O Neill) | Christopher Johnson (MacShane) of Smithstown, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, 1684-1763. =Anne Warren |__________________________________________ | | | | | | John Warren Anne Catherine | \ / | \ / | ? | | | Guy Johnson, c.1740-88. | = | Sir William +Catherine +Elizabeth +Margaret +Mary +Molly +Caroline | | | | | | Ann (1) Keghneghtago(4) Tagawirunta Mary Peter (7) William(15) John (2) Thomas (5) (6) Elizabeth(8) daughter Mary (3) Christian Magdelene(9) daughter Margaret (10) George (11) Mary (12) Susanna(13) Anne (14) Note 1: aka Nancy //www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?Biold=35932&query=Claus Married to Indian Agent/Colonel Christian Daniel Claus Note 2: See Johnson Baronets of New York Note 3: Married to Guy Johnson Note 7: Died 1777 near Philadelphia while serving with 26th Regiment of Foot //www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?Biold=36113&Query=Brant Note 8: Married Dr Robert Kerr. Their son William Johnson Kerr married to Elizabeth-daugther of Chief Joseph Brandt and granddaugther of New York trader George Croghan. Note 11: Tekahiowake, aka George Jacob Johnson, 1758-1843; father of Smoke Johnson Note 15: William of Canajoharie-died 1807? {see reference below}

Johnson Baronets of New York

Christopher Johnson =Anne Warren (a sister of Sir. Peter Warren) | Sir William Johnson (c.1715-1774), 1st Baronet =Catherine Weisenberg | Sir John Johnson (1741-January 1830), 2nd Baronet =Mary Watts-descendant of Stephanus Van Cortlandt | Sir Adam Gordon Johnson (1781-1843), 3rd baronet = | Sir William George Johnson (1830-1908), 4th baronet = | Sir Edward Gordon Johnson (1867-1957), 5th baronet = | Sir John Paley Johnson (1907-1976), 6th Baronet =Carol Haas (m.1929) =Jasmine Bligh (m.1940) =Rosemary Cohen (m.1949) | Sir Peter Colpoys Paley Johnson (1930-May 2003), 7th Baronet =Clare Bruce (m.1956) = Caroline Hodsoll (m.1973) | | |_________________________________________________________ | | | | | Sir(Colpoys)Guy Johnson Marina Johnson Alison Johnson | (b.1965), 8th Baronet (b.1960) (b.1961) | =Marie-Louise Holroyd (m. 1990) | | | | Nicholas Johnson | (b.1977) |____________________________________________________ | | | William Johnson Rufus Johnson Benedict Johnson (b. 1993) (b. 1996) (b. 2000)

Sources

Fintan O'Toole, White Savage: William Johnson and the Invention of America, 2005.
http://www.clanmcshane.org/history.html
http://www.uelgovsimcoe.org/Loyalist-Trails/Loyalist-Trails-2004-19.php
http://www.thepeerage.com/p9454.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/a0826468.html

External links

William Johnson | William Johnson

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