Andrew Montour (abt. 1720 - 1772)

Born about 1720 in Otstonwakin Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Jan 1772 at about age 52 in Pennsylvania

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Biography

Andrew Montour served during the French and Indian War.

Andrew Montour is Notable.

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1720 Andrew Montour also to be known as Sattelihu (SAT-tel-ee-hyoo), Eghnisara and Henry was born in the Lenape Indian village of Otstawonkin in Lycoming County. His mother was Madame Montour, and his father was an Oneida chief named Carondawanna

PERSONALITY

• He spoke French, English, Delaware, Shawnee, and at least one of the Iroquois *languages. He made his living helping the colonists and the American Indians *communicate the French offered a bounty of money to have him killed

• He had a drinking problem. Richard Peter's called him, "a dull stupid creature" *"untractable" and a "fellow who kept low company of which he was more than *likely to be the dupe." [1]

• A superb statesman when sober, he was, however, a difficult man to get on with when drunk Page 20 [2]

• "Andrew's cast of counternace is decidedly European, and had not his face been encircled with a broad band of paint, applied with bear's fat, I would certainly have taken him for one." [3]

C1740 At some point he first married Madelina, a Delaware woman, granddaughter of Sassoonan, a Lenape chief. One source claims she died after birth of John Page 5 [4] AND [5]

1742, in October Andrew was tasked with acting as guide and interpreter for Count Zinzendorf, a Moravian missionary [6]. Pawnee Chief Kakowatcheky had Andrew translate an important speech for the Count,

• Paraphrased: the Chief believed in God, who created the Indians as well as the Europeans, only there was this Difference, that the former were created Brown the latter White, the latter prayed with Words, the former in their Hearts, which God saw and was very kind to the Indians. He thanked the Count for his good intentions, but firmly declined his proposals though in the most courteous manner Page 17 [7]

1745 Montour, living on the island of Shumoken Creek accompanied Conrad Weiser and Shikellamy to Onondaga, the central meeting place of the Iroquois confederation.

1748 Weiser recommended Montour as a person especially qualified to act as an interpreter or messenger and Montour was presented to the Pennsylvania Council of the Proprietary Government

1750 The Pennsylvania Gazette: James Hamilton, Governor of Pennsylvania said when Mr. Weiser left Ohio, he committed several Matters of Consequence to Andrew Montour, finding that the Indians esteemed him, and placed great Confidence in him. Hamilton recommended Andrew as a "discreet Person, who, by his Influence, may be able to regulate their (Indian) Conduct, and keep them firmly attached to the British Interest [8]

1752 his home was on Montour Creek near its junction with Sherman Creek, about twelve miles northwest of Carlisle.

1754 July 4th he was made a Captain [9] to lead a company of 18 Indian Scouts (he actually used white friends) [10] and fought under George Washington (who had the highest esteem for him) at Battle of Fort Necessity, also known as the Battle of the Great Meadows. It was the beginning of the French and Indian War. [11]

1755 July 9th he was with General Edward Braddock at the disastrous Battle of the Monongahela also known as the Battle of Braddock's Field and the Battle of the Wilderness [12]

1757 He married an Oneida woman, Sally Ainse (c. 1728–1823, (also known as Sally Montour), when she was a teenager. Montour left her in 1757 or 1758, apparently because of his increasing public duties drinking problems and debt Page 48 [13] Their children were sent to live with people in Pennsylvania, except Nicholas, staying with Ainse in an Oneida settlement near the Mohawk River.

Children with Sally

• Debby or Polly Montour 1750– • last documented living in Pennsylvania 1766 [14]
• Andrew Montour Jr 1752–1772 • last documented in Pennsylvania 1782 [15]
• Nicholas Jean Montour 1756–1808 • Male

Children with other wives (including Madelina?)

• John Montour 1744–1830 • Male reference Page 5 [16]
• Thomas Montour 1745–Deceased •
• Mary Magdalene Montour 1760–1818 • reference Page 5 [17]
• Montour 1762–Deceased •
• Kayodaghscroony Madelina Montour 1763–Deceased •

1763 During Pontiac's Rebellion, Montour captained several raiding parties So strong was his influence with tribes in the Ohio River Valley that the French put a bounty on his head of 100 pounds

1764 under Sir William Johnson's Indian Department he captained one of the Raiding Parties in Ohio

1768 married a third time to Catherine, for which no further data is found [18]

1772 January 22, Major Isaac Hamilton from Fort Pitt reporting that "Captain Montour the Indian interpreter was killed at his own House the Day before Yesterday by a Seneca Indian who had been intertained by him at his House for some Days he was buried this Day near the Fort."

Quality Sources

10 historic documents related to Andrew [19]

One of the best bios on him [20]

Well researched biography on Andrew and his family [21]

Very extensive research paper on Andrew' famous history * [22]

Letter from George Washington to Montour asking for his assistance * [23]

Andrew Montour (Q4758052 [24]

Between Indian and white worlds : the cultural broker [25]

Military Wiki, biography [26]

another good bio [27]