Deserontyon, John

  • DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY ARTICLE: C. M. Johnston, “DESERONTYON (Odeserundiye), JOHN (Captain John),” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 5, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. https://uelvictoria.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=10111&action=edit
  • DCB profile notes:
    • Mohawk chief; b. in the 1740s, probably in the Mohawk valley of New York; d. 7 Jan. 1811 at the Mohawk settlement on the Bay of Quinte, Upper Canada.
    • At some time prior to the American revolution Deserontyon became a chief in the village at Fort Hunter (N.Y.). When the war erupted, the native people were courted by both the British and the Americans. Deserontyon openly sided with Britain and the interests of the Johnson family, as the majority of Mohawks ultimately did.
    • Throughout the conflict Deserontyon was actively engaged in raids into northern New York by way of Oswego (N.Y.) or the Richelieu valley, raids which were an indispensable source of intelligence to the British.
    • After the Revolution, Deserontyon, preferred the Bay of Quinte site to the Grand River plan on the strategic ground that it afforded a haven far removed from the Americans.
    • John Johnson openly ridiculed Deserontyon’s decision to stick by the Quinte location. So did Brant, who resented his fellow chief’s refusal to follow his lead and join his Mohawks and other Six Nations families on the banks of the Grand.
  • Proven Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory –https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=2281
  • Find a GRAVE: Cannot locate.