Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation

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Six Nations of the Grand River is the name applied to two contiguous Indian reserves southeast of Brantford, Ontario, Canada – Six Nations reserve no. 40 and Glebe Farm reserve no. 40B.

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[edit] History

The original reserve was granted by Frederick Haldimand under the Haldimand Proclamation of October 1784 to Joseph Brant and his Iroquois followers in appreciation of their support for the Crown during the American Revolution. In 1785 a census showed that 1,843 Natives lived there which included 448 Mohawk, 381 Cayuga, 245 Onondaga, 162 Oneida 129 Tuscarora, 78 Seneca. There were also 400 from other tribes including Delawares, Nanticokes, Tutelos, and even some Creeks and Cherokees.[1] Joseph Brant also invited several white families to live on the grant, particularly former members of Brant's Volunteers and Butler's Rangers. To encourage his white friends to settle he gave them larger grants than the government gave other loyalists. Some of the Indians objected to Brant giving land grants to whites.

The Indians received provisions from the Indian department including such items as saws, axes, grindstones, and chisels. They received from the government help in the establishing of schools and churches and in securing farm equipment and other necessaries. In 1785, the government built the first Protestant church in Upper Canada (Ontario), Her Majesty's Chapel of the Mohawks, on this land. It is now one of twelve Royal Chapels supported by the Crown throughout the world.

The main town was at what is near Brantford and was called Brant's town where Joseph Brant lived. In 1798 it was described as a large and sprawling settlement and Joseph's house as a handsome two-story house, built like the houses of white people. Brant's house was described as a palace compared with the other dwellings. Brant bought a large amount of liquor for himself and his guests,[citation needed] but he prohibited the sale of alcohol any other Indians. In 1797, Brant founded one of the earliest Masonic lodges in Upper Canada with himself as its Worshipful Master.

In the early 1790s the population started decreasing as Indians left the Grand River for native communities in New York. The communities in New York were richer because these Indians had been selling off their land.[citation needed] After Brant's land sales the population began to increase again.

The Grant was confirmed with a limited deed by Governor Simcoe, January 14, 1793. This grant did not extend to the source of the Grand River[[fact}} which the Indians they were entitled to. Also, this grant forbid them to sell the land to anyone but themselves and the king. Led by Joseph Brant, the chiefs rejected the deed.

In 1795, the Grand River chiefs empowered Joseph Brant to sell large blocks of land in the northern section which the Indians were not using. The terms desired where for no money down because they wanted to take their payment entirely in future years as annual interest.

The original tract of land stretched from the mouth of the Grand River on the shores of Lake Erie to the river's head, and for 10 km (6 mi) from either bank. Between 1795 and 1797 Joseph Brant sold 381,480 acres to land speculators comprising the northern half of the reserve for £85,332. This was the highest price ever paid to Indians, up to this time, for wild undeveloped land. Simcoe opposed this sale. The interest on the annuity promised an income of £5,119 per year, far more than any other Iroquois people had received. The land speculators were unable to sell farm size lots to settlers fast enough and by 1801, all of the land speculators had fallen behind in their payments. Because of the lack of payments Brant was determined to sell more land to make up for the missing payments.

In 1796, Lord Dorchester gave another deed for the land in which the Indians were given the authority to lease or sell their land provided they offered it for sale to the government first. Brant rejected this deed partly because the deed named the Six Nations as owners of the land when he though the deed should not be for the current persons living on the land.

In 1800, two thirds of the Indians were still not acquainted with agriculture and living near to whites had not helped them as much as Brant expected.

In 1828, John Brant (Mohawk chief) was appointed resident superintendent for the Six Nations of the Grand River.

The current reserves encompass 184.7 km² (71 mi²), all but 0.4 km² in Six Nations reserve no. 40.

[edit] Communities

Named communities within the Six Nations reserve include Beavers Corner, Longboat Corners, Medina Corners, Ohsweken, St. Johns, Sixty-Nine Corners, Smith Corners, Smoothtown, Sour Spring and Stoneridge.

[edit] Members

They later welcomed a group of Delawares to the reserve.

Six Nations of the Grand River is the most populous reserve in Canada, with a population in 2001 of 21,474. The reserve is home to members of the following nations:

The reserve has both a traditional Iroquois council of chiefs and an elected band council conforming to Canadian government requirements.

[edit] Notable people

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Kelsay pg. 370

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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