essential to their happiness. Hence they exerted a very great influence
over them.

This was especially true of Sir William Johnson, who died at Johnson Hall
in the month of June, 1774.

Mr. Johnson was a native of Ireland, of a good family and fitted by nature
and education, to adorn the walks of civilized life. He came to this
country not far from 1738, as land agent of his uncle, Sir Peter Warren,
an admiral in the English navy, who had acquired a considerable tract of
land upon the Mohawk, in the present county of Montgomery.

Possessing a romantic disposition, he readily adapted himself to the rude
customs that prevailed in the wilds of America.

The _Gentleman's Magazine_ of London said of him in 1755,--"Besides
his skill and experience as an officer, he is particularly happy in making
himself beloved by all sorts of people, and can conform to all companies
and to all conversations. He is very much of a gentleman in genteel
company, but as the inhabitants next to him are mostly Dutch, he sits down
with them and smokes his tobacco, drinks flip, and talks of improvements,
bear and beaver skins. Being surrounded with Indians, he speaks several of
their languages well, and has always some of them with him. He takes care
of their wives, and old Indians, when they go out on parties; and even
wears their dress. In short, by his honest dealings with them in trade,
and his courage, which has often been successfully tried with them, he has
so endeared himself to them, that they chose him as one of their chief
sachems, or princes, and esteem him as their father."

Not far from the year 1755, while the French and English were at war, he