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sir william johnson
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Greenhorn
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Does anyone know whether Johnson, sort of a sneaky villain in Kenneth Roberts' Northwest Passage, was as bad as portrayed? Can't seem to find much about him. graybeard
 
Posts: 31 | Location: west michigan | Registered: 15 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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You might want to check out Montcalm and Wolfe by Parkman.
Johnson was a very important and influential person during The French & Indian War...this book also has some writings on Stark's and Rogers Rangers...
Andy


Follow me I am the Infantry
 
Posts: 668 | Location: Everson, Washington | Registered: 27 June 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Pilgrim
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"Mohawk Baronet: A Biography of Sir William Johnson" by James Thomas Flexner might be another source of good information. I say might be only because I myself have yet to read this book but would certainly like to. An interesting and complex character.
 
Posts: 69 | Registered: 12 September 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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An interesting and complex character is right. Probably walked the line between loyalty to Brittan and also to the Iroquois confederation as well as possible. Pulled off a couple important victories during the seven year war. Probably did resent any intrusion by Rogers into what he considered his realm. Whether he was the conniving villain portrayed by Kenneth Roberts, Don't know. Northwest Passage is the only book I've ever read that in, and it's a novel. But there are a lot of history books I haven't read. He's supposed to have pulled some dirty deals on the Ohio country tribes. Like most all people he was probably neither all good nor all bad.
 
Posts: 507 | Registered: 14 August 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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You might want to read Wilderness Empire by Alan Eckert. A historic novel, he uses journal entries to form a framework for his story lines.

Basically Sir William Johnson was not only the British Indian Agent, but also a member of the Iroquois Nations..., so yes he probably favored the Iroquois over other Nations and the British when the Iroquois were not involved.

LD
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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When Sir William died in '73, perhaps as a result of venereal disease, there was a large hole in the diplomatic relationship between Britain and the Iroquois League that was only partially filled by his successor. On the other hand, good old Willie acquired a lot of land from the Iroquois for his estate, and was said to have fathered a few children out of wedlock, too. I'd say he was a mixed bag, looking out for himself as well as his "family," the Iroquois.

Dick


"Est Deus in Nobis"
 
Posts: 2902 | Location: Helena, Montana | Registered: 10 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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