King Hendrick
Encyclopedia
Hendrick Theyanoguin whose name had several spelling variations, was an important Mohawk
leader and member of the Bear Clan who was located at Canajoharie
or the Upper Mohawk Castle in colonial New York
.. He was a speaker for the Mohawk Council. Hendrick formed a close alliance with Sir William Johnson, the administrator of Indian affairs for the British Empire
.
Until the late 20th century, Hendrick's biography was conflated with an older Mohawk leader given the same first name in baptism, Hendrick Tejonihokarawa
(also known as Hendrick Peters) (c. 1660 – c. 1735). The latter was a member of the Wolf Clan (an important difference, as shown by the historian Barbara Silvertsen), and he was one of the "four Indian kings
" who visited England and Queen Anne in 1710. He lived in the Lower Castle, closer to Albany
. Fort Hunter was built there in 1711 with a mission, and the Mohawk village became mostly Christianized early in the eighteenth century.
man in Westfield, Massachusetts
. He was born into his mother's Bear Clan; the Mohawk have a matrilineal system in which the mother's children belong to her clan
, and hereditary offices and property are passed through her line. He was baptized Hendrick by Godfridius Dellius
of the Dutch Reformed Church
in 1692 and was known as Hendrick Peters or King Hendrick by the English.
At some point, Theyanoguin resettled at Canajoharie
, a Mohawk town which Europeans called the "Upper Castle", in the Mohawk River valley. He became a chief of the Mohawk Bear clan and would have participated in Mohawk Council. He was not one of the fifty League sachem
s of the Iroquois Grand Council, made up of representatives of the five tribes (six, when the Tuscarora were admitted). No mission was established there until the Indian Castle Church
was built in 1769 by Sir William Johnson
, British Indian agent
, shortly before the American Revolutionary War
. Today it is part of the Mohawk Upper Castle Historic District
, a National Historic Landmark
.
During the French and Indian War
(also known as the Seven Years War), Theyanoguin led a group of Mohawk warriors accompanying William Johnson (1715-1774) through the Hudson Valley
in his expedition to Crown Point
. Theyanoguin was killed on September 8, 1755, on a mission to stop the southern advance of the French army at the Battle of Lake George
.
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
leader and member of the Bear Clan who was located at Canajoharie
Canajoharie
Canajoharie was the name of a Mohawk village.It may also refer to:* Canajoharie , New York* Canajoharie , New York* Canajoharie Central School District* Canajoharie and Catskill Railroad...
or the Upper Mohawk Castle in colonial New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.. He was a speaker for the Mohawk Council. Hendrick formed a close alliance with Sir William Johnson, the administrator of Indian affairs for the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
.
Until the late 20th century, Hendrick's biography was conflated with an older Mohawk leader given the same first name in baptism, Hendrick Tejonihokarawa
Hendrick Tejonihokarawa
Hendrick Tejonihokarawa, also known as Tee Yee Neen Ho Ga Row and Hendrick Peters was a pro-English leader of the Mohawk who was one of the "Four Mohawk Kings" who went to London in 1710 to meet with Queen Anne...
(also known as Hendrick Peters) (c. 1660 – c. 1735). The latter was a member of the Wolf Clan (an important difference, as shown by the historian Barbara Silvertsen), and he was one of the "four Indian kings
Four Mohawk Kings
The Four Mohawk Kings or Four Kings of the New World were three Mohawk chiefs of the Iroquois Confederacy and a Mahican of the Algonquian peoples...
" who visited England and Queen Anne in 1710. He lived in the Lower Castle, closer to Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. Fort Hunter was built there in 1711 with a mission, and the Mohawk village became mostly Christianized early in the eighteenth century.
Biography
Hendrick Theyanoguin was born to a Mohawk woman and a MoheganMohegan
The Mohegan tribe is an Algonquian-speaking tribe that lives in the eastern upper Thames River valley of Connecticut. Mohegan translates to "People of the Wolf". At the time of European contact, the Mohegan and Pequot were one people, historically living in the lower Connecticut region...
man in Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
. He was born into his mother's Bear Clan; the Mohawk have a matrilineal system in which the mother's children belong to her clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
, and hereditary offices and property are passed through her line. He was baptized Hendrick by Godfridius Dellius
Godfridius Dellius
Godfridius Dellius was a clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church active in and around New Holland during the late 17th century, and perhaps the early 18th century...
of the Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
in 1692 and was known as Hendrick Peters or King Hendrick by the English.
At some point, Theyanoguin resettled at Canajoharie
Canajoharie
Canajoharie was the name of a Mohawk village.It may also refer to:* Canajoharie , New York* Canajoharie , New York* Canajoharie Central School District* Canajoharie and Catskill Railroad...
, a Mohawk town which Europeans called the "Upper Castle", in the Mohawk River valley. He became a chief of the Mohawk Bear clan and would have participated in Mohawk Council. He was not one of the fifty League sachem
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
s of the Iroquois Grand Council, made up of representatives of the five tribes (six, when the Tuscarora were admitted). No mission was established there until the Indian Castle Church
Indian Castle Church
Indian Castle Church is a historic mission church at Indian Castle in Herkimer County, New York. The church is located on NYS Route 5S near Danube. It is a one-story, rectangular wood frame structure, clad in clapboard with a gable roof and steeple. To the rear of the church is a burial ground...
was built in 1769 by Sir William Johnson
William Johnson
William Johnson may refer to:Arts and Entertainment* William Allen Johnson , organ builder, Johnson Organs* William Gary Johnson , called Bunk Johnson, American jazz musician* William H...
, British Indian agent
Indian agent
In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with Native American tribes on behalf of the U.S. government.-Indian agents:*Leander Clark was agent for the Sac and Fox in Iowa beginning in 1866....
, shortly before the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Today it is part of the Mohawk Upper Castle Historic District
Mohawk Upper Castle Historic District
Mohawk Upper Castle Historic District is a historic district in Herkimer County, New York that was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993...
, a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
During the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
(also known as the Seven Years War), Theyanoguin led a group of Mohawk warriors accompanying William Johnson (1715-1774) through the Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
in his expedition to Crown Point
Crown Point
Crown Point is the name of several towns or cities, and geographic features:United States*Crown Point, Alaska*Crown Point, Indiana - Lake County*Crown Point, New York**Fort Crown Point, built in 1759 on Lake Champlain by the British...
. Theyanoguin was killed on September 8, 1755, on a mission to stop the southern advance of the French army at the Battle of Lake George
Battle of Lake George
The Battle of Lake George was fought on 8 September 1755, in the north of the Province of New York. The battle was part of a campaign by the British to expel the French from North America in the French and Indian War....
.
External links
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Like most biographies written until recently, this entry conflates the two Hendricks
- Taverns, Forts & Castles: Re-Discovering King Hendrick's Village by Philip Lord, Jr.