JOHNSON, Sir Wil.m.tat (1713-74). A Brit ish soldier and superintendent of Indian affairs in America, born in • County Meath, Ireland. He was educated for mercantile pursuits, but in 1738 assumed the management of the landed estates of his uncle. Sir Peter Warren. in the Col ony of New York. In that year he settled on a tract of land in the Mohawk Valley, about 25 miles from the present town of Schenectady, and at once undertook the improvement and coloniza tion of his uncle's lauds. His relations with the Indians, with whom he was soon engaged in trade, were characterized by honesty and fair dealing. He soon acquired a knowledge of their language, familiarized himself with their customs, and cul tivated their friendship. In 1744 the Governor of New York appointed him colonel of the Six Na tions; and two years later upon the resignation of Colonel Schuyler, lie became Commissary of New York for Indian Affairs. He was later charged by the Government with the defense of the New York frontier, and on one occasion by his tact and personal influence was able to effect the settle ment of a difficulty between the Indians and the colonists. In the meantime he had received a royal commission as a member of the Governor's council, and in 1754 was one of the commissioners to the Albany Convention (q.v.) called to treat with the Indians, and at the same time to prepare a plan of union for the Colonies. Upon the out break of the French and Indian War (q.v.) lie was given sole charge of Indian affairs in New York. was commissioned a of colo nial forces. and was charged with the conduct of the expedition against Crown Point. In this capacity he performed valuable service to the colonial cause by defeating and capturing Baron Dieskau at Lake George. It was largely through his influence that the Six Nations were kept from joining the French in this struggle. For this service he received the thanks of Parliament, ac companied by a grant of f5000. and at the same
time was created a• baronet, and in the following year was made superintendent of all affairs of the Six Nations and other Northern Indians. He subsequently took part in the futile attempts to relieve Oswego and Fort William Henry. and was present at the baftles of Ticonderoga and Fort Niagara. In the latter engagement, after the death of General Prideaux, he assumed the chief command, cut to pieces the French army. and compelled the surrender of the fort. Later he led the Indians in an expedition to Canada, and was present at the surrender of Montreal. Through his influence the Six Nations, as a whole, were prevented from joining the Pontiac conspiracy, although he was unable to secure the absolute neutrality of the Senecas. In addition to the reward which he had already received, the King granted him a tract of nearly 100.000 acres of land in the Mohawk Valley. where he built 'Johnson Hall,' which is still standing, and which became the nucleus of Johnstown, N. Y. Here Sir William lived for the remainder of his life in baronial fashion. His last public service was the conclusion of the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768. (See FORT STANAVIX. ) He died July 11, 1774, in his fifty-ninth year. In 1739 Johnson mar ried the daughter of a neighboring German set tler, and by her had three children. After her death he had several mistresses, both Indian and white, one of whom was 'Molly' Brant, a sister of the Mohawk chief, Joseph Brant or Thayen danegea. By her he had eight children. Sir Wil liam prepared a paper of some value on The Lan guage, Customs, and Manners of the Nix Nations, published in the Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Philadelphia for November. 1772. Consult Stone, Life of Sir William Johnson (2 vols., Albany. I865).