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From: Howard Ray Lawrence <>
Subject: [MIXED-BLOODS] Brant.
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 09:50:26 -0700


Subject: [BRANT] Warner and Beers History of Brant County 1883

Part of Page 133

In the account of the battle of the Cedars, mention has been made of the
capture of Captain McKinstry; the subjoined account was reserved for
this section. Among the prisoners captured at the battle of the Cedars
was Captain John McKinstry, who commanded a company on that occasion.
His command was sharply engaged with a body of Indians, before whom his
troops were several times compelled to retire. Rallying, however, with
spirit, the Indians were frequently driven back in turn. The Americans
were finally overpowered and compelled to surrender. Captain McKinstry,
being wounded, fell by the side of a tree and was there taken prisoner.
He afterwards learned that he had been marked as a victim by the
Indians, who had actually made the usual preparations for putting him to
death by the torture of fire; and that he was rescued by the personal
exertions of Captain Brant who in connection with some humane English
officers made up a purse and purchased an ox, which the Indians roasted
for their carousal, instead of the gallant prisoner. Captain McKinstry
was treated with kindness while a prisoner, and contracted an intimacy
with Brant which continued until the chieftain's death. Brant never
visited the Hudson after the Revolution without spending a few days with
Colonel McKinstry at Livingstone Manor; and at the time of his last
visit, about 1805, he with his friend attended a lodge of freemasons
which met in the city of Hudson. Brant's presence at this meeting of the
fraternity attracted great attention. Tradition has it that Brant was
buried with Masonic honors, but there is no very reliable evidence that
such was the case. Masonic lodges were not common in Upper Canada in
1807, and the few which were in existence were far distant from the
Mohawk church, and would hardly have undertaken a long journey over bad
roads unless for some great occasion, which would surely have left a
record which some one of the many writers about Brant would have found
long ere this.

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