Life tfnd Times of Sir WiHi am Johnson^ etc. He was commissioned to fill the va cancy in September, but performed the duties of superintendent in the interim by virtue of his appointment as deputy.

OF HUDSON'S RWER. tionship to his predecessors inspired,

of Sir John Johnson, estate,

brother

combined with the support

who succeeded to his fathers's title and

and that of Molly Brant, and Thayendanegea, her then a pro the Joseph Brant of the Revolution

minent chief pf the upper

Mohawk castle, who was made his

secretary.

Against these controlling influences the colonists could not only array that which had been acquired by individuals through personal intercourse with the Indians, and that which had been gained by the labors of the Rev. Samuel Kirkland and the Rev.

James Dean, missionaries to the Oneidas and Tuscaroras.* The extent of these influences was considerable especially that ex ercised by the missionaries named but nevertheless was en tirely inadequate to compensate for that which was wielded by

JAMES DEAN.

The history

of this

individual, and his agency in many of the

events transpiring previous to and during the revolutionary war, would form a vo lume of deeply interesting and most thrill He was a native of New ing incidents. England and educated with special refer ence to missionary labor among the Indians,with whom he lived many years from his youth. At the outbreak of the war he was stationed at Oghkwaga, where he made no attempt to conceal his views from the Indians. In 1774, he was em ployed by the Continental congress to visit the New York and Canada tribes to ascertain the part they would probably For this purpose he take in the contest. assumed the disguise of an Indian trader and, supplied with goods, accomplished the object of his mission.