90 THE FRENCH, ENGLISH, AND INDIANS. [1734-1755. 



alliance ; and this influence was wielded by a man 

 so remarkable in his character, and so conspicuous 

 an actor in the scenes of the ensuing history, as to 

 demand at least some passing notice. 



About the year 1734, in consequence it is said 

 of the hapless issue of a love affair, William John- 

 son, a young Irishman, came over to America at 

 the age of nineteen, where he assumed the charge 

 of an extensive tract of wild land in the province 

 of New York, belonging to his uncle. Admiral Sir 

 Peter Warren. Settling in the valley of the Mo- 

 hawk, he carried on a prosperous traffic with the 

 Indians ; and while he rapidly rose to wealth, he 

 gained, at the same time, an extraordinary influence 

 over the neighboring Iroquois. As his resources 

 increased, he built two mansions in the valley, 

 known respectively by the names of Johnson Castle 

 and Johnson Hall, the latter of which, a well-con- 

 structed building of wood and stone, is still standing 

 in the village of Johnstown. Johnson Castle was 

 situated at some distance higher up the river. Both 

 were fortified against attack, and the latter was 

 surrounded with cabins built for the reception of 

 the Indians, who often came in crowds to visit the 

 proprietor, invading his dwelling at all unseasonable 

 hours, loitering in the doorways, spreading their 

 blankets in the passages, and infecting the air with 

 the fumes of stale tobacco. 



Johnson supplied the place of his former love 

 by a young Dutch damsel, who bore him several 

 children ; and, in justice to them, he married 

 her upon her death-bed. Soon afterwards he 



