The Oxford-Educated Mohawk Chief Who Came to Seattle

Dr. Oronhyatekha, the great Mohawk chief of Toronto, Canada, who was in Seattle the early part of last week in connection with the Independent Foresters, of which he is supreme chief ranger, has a most interesting history connected with the six Indian nations over which he presides as one of the chief counsellors. The six nations are the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas and Tuscaroras.

"These six nations," said the learned doctor to a reporter for the Post-Intelligencer on the day of his visit here, "are the most advanced in point of civilization of any of the many Indians of this country; especially is this the case with my own nation, the Mohawks, who lead the others and whose language or dialect is the only one spoken in council, so that it is recognized by all the nations as the 'court language,' for it is necessary for a representative to the general council from any of the other tribes to know the Mohawk dialect before he can sit. The six nations are located on the Grand River, near Brantford, Ontario, while a part of the Mohawks, about 1,000 strong, is located near Kingston, on the Bay of Quinte. These six nations all follow agricultural pursuits. The men and women are all hardy and thrifty; many of the men have trades and all are apt mechanics, especially as carpenters."

"The Mohawks at my home support four schools from their own funds and earnings, and two English churches under the charge of one rector. We are all Protestants and we support our own missionary."

"It may be of interest to your readers," continued the doctor, "to know that the first Protestant church ever built in Upper Canada—now the province of Ontario—was the Mohawk church, erected early in the century. We have with us a set presented to our tribal ancestors by Queen Anne while they were still living in the wilds of New York state in the year 1712. My wife's mother, who is the granddaughter of the celebrated Mohawk chief Joseph Brant, of revolutionary fame and captain of the British army, is today the custodian of this communion set. Great store was set on these gifts of the good queen, so much so that for fear of these sacred vessels being captured or stolen during the revolutionary war they were buried in New York state and the secret of their hiding place entrusted to but a chosen few. When peace was restored and when this first church was erected in Canada, a party was sent back to unearth the treasures and bring them back, which they did safely."

"Yes, the Indian has a voice in the government of the dominion. Some four or five years ago the government enfranchised every Indian, so that today he is a voter, and as such of political importance in that country. To show you how conscientiously the Indians felt the importance of the ballot, it is a noted fact that at the first election not one of their ballots was spoiled, showing the exceeding care exercised by each before going into the booth to understand where his crosses were to be put. At the second election money was tried to bribe them, but their understanding of the law caused such a rebuke that no money could induce them to violate their obligation, so that now it has become an axiom that the Indian cannot be bribed, and they are the only ones."

Dr. Oronhyatekha is 52 years of age, born on the Grand River reservation, his father being a chief also, as were his ancestors, so that he is a full-blooded Mohawk chief. He is a splendid specimen of physical manhood, standing full six feet in height and built in proportion. He received a primary education in the schools of the Grand River reservation; from there he went to the Wesleyan academy at Wilbraham, Mass., where he remained two years. He next went to Kenyon College at Gambier, O., after that to the Toronto University, and latterly, at the special instance of the Prince of Wales, he was sent to Oxford University in England, where he finished his education. The incident that brought him to the attention of the Prince of Wales is equally interesting. In 1860 the then young prince made his first visit to the United States. When he reached Ontario and the Indian reservations, Chief Oronhyatekha was selected by a council of chiefs to present the address of welcome to him at Brantford, and the young prince of the Mohawks made such an impression on the equally young prince of England that he at once interested himself in his behalf and invited him to go to Oxford to finish his education.