Gayusuta and Washington

Gayusuta and Washington

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Great Leader: Hendrick Theyanoguin of the Mohawk

This Hendrick (1691-1755), who was from the Bear Clan through his mother, is often confused with the earlier Wolf Clan Sachem Hendrick Theyoninhokawaran who was one of the "Four Mohawk Kings" to visit Queen Anne in 1710.  In fact, they are two separate people.  We'll focus on the later Hendrick here.

He was born in Westfield, Massachusetts to a Mohawk woman of the Bear Clan and a Mohegan man.  In both societies, the mother's line was the more important, which meant that he was raised by her family and groomed for a leadership role in Mohawk society.  As a baby, he would've been given a childhood name, but he was baptized Henry or Hendrick by a Dutch Reformed pastor when he was a year old and the name stuck.  He was also referred to by the English as Hendrick Peters or sometimes King Hendrick, which leads to further confusion.  The name Theyanoguin was a title name that referred to his role and position within his society.  He moved to Canajoharie, one of the Mohawk's main towns along the Mohawk River near modern-day Fort Plain, New York, and presided as leader of the Mohawk Bear Clan.  Although he wasn't one of the Fifty Sachems of the Iroquois League, he sat in Council and played a prominent role in it, eventually becoming its spokesman to the White world. 

He worked closely with the Superintendent for the British Indian Department, Sir William Johnson and, although the Iroquois hoped to remain neutral during the French and Indian War, Theyanoguin  led a contingent of Iroquois Warriors to aid Johnson in capturing Crown Point in 1755.  Despite their alliance, the Mohawk were already feeling pressure to cede their lads and move on, something Theyanoguin refused to consider, telling the governor of New York, "by and by you will expect to see the Nations down here," meaning that the Iroquois might expand their range further down into New York than they already were. 

Theyanoguin was killed at the Battle of Lake George on September 8, 1755, trying to stop the French army from advancing.  His horse was shot out from under him and he was stabbed by a bayonet.  In 1769, in part to honor his old friend, Sir William Johnson paid for the building of the Anglican Church at Canajoharie, on land donated by the Brant family.  The church still stands today, one of the only remnants of Canajoharie (the Mohawk village not the modern town) to remain standing

10 comments:

  1. Is there any information regarding wife and family members? I have been told that I am descended from a son named Daniel and I would like to verify this.

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    1. I am a descendent from his daughter Brown Eyes Mohawk

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  2. My 8th Great Grandmother was Elizabeth Buck Garlick then my 10th Great Grandfather in Heinrich Theyanoquin Mohawk Chief.
    My 11th Great Grandmother in Betsy Medicine Woman.

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    1. Willis, then you and I are distant cousins

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    2. Willis, my 7th great grandfather is Hendrick Theyanoguin Mohawk Chief. You and I are distant cousins.

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  3. Charlotte that's awesome I had a feeling I had Native American but I wasn't sure.
    But after finding My Great Grandmother Elizabeth Buck then found my 8th Great Grandfather Theyanoquin.
    I have been trying to find everything I can about him.
    At last I found someone related to him I am honored to have you as a Cousin.

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  4. Willis and others:
    My wife's lineage traces back to a Garlick, Stephen (1750-1826) in upstate NY. Two generation earlier there may be a blood link between Stephen's Palatine forebeater and Theyanoquin, but I haven't been able to verify that with trusted documentation/information. Have you or anyone else established the link between the Garlicks (Gerlach, Garlock) and this Mohawk. Theyanoquin apparently married a white settler; who was she? Please email me: koblitzes@gmail.com.

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    1. The Family Search website has Theyanoguin marrying a dutch woman named Marietje Behrens that was born in Albany in about 1690. You might want to check out Familysearch.org and do a search on Theyanoguin.

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  5. Gary my Lineage is 4th Grandmother Elizabeth Buck.
    5th Grandfather David Gaston Garlick.
    6th Grandfather Stephen Garlick.
    7th Grandmother Brown Eyes Mohawk.
    8th Grandfather Hendrick Theyanoguin.

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  6. I wish I could show you my family tree.
    Chef Hendrick married Mary Hendrick in July 18 1736
    Betsy the Medicine woman married Johann Christian Gerlach. They are on my grandmas side of the family.

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