Ann Claus
Ann Claus | |||
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| Born | Ann Weisenberg May 26, 1745 Mount Johnson, Province of New York | ||
| Died | February 5, 1801 (aged 55) Niagara-on-the-Lake, Upper Canada | ||
| Nationality | American | ||
| Citizenship | United States of America | ||
| Spouse(s) | Daniel Claus (m. 1762; died 1787) | ||
| Children | William Claus | ||
Ann Claus (1745-1801), commonly called Nancy, was the daughter of Sir William Johnson and Catherine Weisenberg. Like her father, she played an important part in the early British Indian Department. She was the wife of Deputy Agent Daniel Claus, the mother of Deputy Superintendent General William Claus, and an influential figure among the Iroquois.
Family
As her parents were not married, Ann was baptized with her mother's name of Weisenberg. In 1762, she married Daniel Claus, a Deputy Agent in the British Indian Department.[1] They had one son, William Claus, who would serve as the head of the Indian Department in Upper Canada from 1799 to 1826. With the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War, the Claus and Johnson families lost their substantial land holdings in province of New York and were forced to relocate to Canada as United Empire Loyalist.[2]
Influence and Legacy
Like other members of the Johnson family, Ann Claus had a close relationship with the Iroquois, particularly the Mohawk people among whom she grew up. As a mark of respect for the services of her husband and father, the Six Nations of the Grand River gifted her a plot of land in Niagara-on-the-Lake on December 31, 1799.[3] It was on this land that the Claus family built their estate, known as the Wilderness, which still stands in Niagara-on-the-Lake today.[4] After her death, Ann Claus was mourned at a condolence ceremony by the the Six Nations where she was honoured as "the elder sister of the Mohawk."
While not herself an office holder, Ann Claus played an important part in eighteenth-century Indian Affairs. Not only did her marriage link two important Indian Department families, the respect paid to her by the Six Nations indicates that she held a similar diplomatic position as other prominent contemporary women, such as Molly Brant and Catharine Brant, as a link between Indigenous and British society.[5][6]
References
- ↑ "Daniel Claus; The Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ↑ "William Claus; The Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ↑ "The Wilderness; Ontario Heritage Trust". Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ↑ Harley, Richard. "Niagara Foundation to purchase half-interest in NOTL "Wilderness"". Retrieved September 10, 2021.
- ↑ "Molly Brant; The Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ↑ "Catharine Brant; The Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Retrieved September 15, 2021.
External links
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