Iroquois Indians, Caughnawaga, Que.

A Mohawk couple from Caughnawaga on the South Shore of the St-Lawrence River near Montreal, Quebec. Caughnawaga borders the city of Chateauguay and is now called Kahnawake.

iroquois-couple-detail

I’m from the same family tree. His son Paul Kelly was my great grandfather. I also have photos of scar face. My mother has the bear necklace in this photo here in Kahnawake (formerly known as Caughnawaga).

Towanna Miller

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OMG that photo you have here is of my Great great Grandmother and grandfather.. I have another Photo of them with their Names.. This is AN AWESOME find!!! The man is “Thomas J. Williams.” his wife,- “Wealthy ArmindaS. Williams.” My Mothers Great grand parents from her mothers side!!

Skennen ko:wa kenh.

Onen ki wahi.

William-(Billy “Snakehawk” Johnson.) Haudenosaunee -Kanien’kehaka.

March 10, 2010 - Posted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault | . | Kahnawa:ke Caughnawaga, Kelly, Williams

20 Comments »

What an amazing image. His stance is powerful, strong and proud. I find myself memorizing the details.. his necklace, shoes, the wrinkles of his sun weathered face… beautiful!

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Comment by Marie | March 6, 2009 | Reply
Most of my postcards are of Caughnawaga/Kahnawake landscapes. I chose to publish this one first because it does in fact portray my general impression of the Mohawk as a people – and it is a photograph not just a painting.
I have noticed that the French have a strong tradition of postcards with the ethnic dress of the different areas of France.
Next year I will begin collecting those of the areas that my French-Canadian and Acadian ancestors came from.
Evelyn

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Comment by evelynyvonnetheriault | March 6, 2009 | Reply
- Hello: My name is Jim Stritzel. Am trying to research my maternal Grandmother, Eunice Mabel (nee Ahearn/Jones/Burke?) Walsh. Family oral history says she was at least 1/2 or full Mohawk from near Montreal. Also says she and Grandfather John Thomas Walsh were in Indian Medicine shows. But no written records. As you see above we are not sure what Grandmother’s maiden name was.
  
  In reaching those shows came across the wonderful photo of Thomas Williams on your website. He was the head of an Indian Medicine Show Family. I bear a remarkable resemblance to the photo of him on your website. My brother says he could be my twin. I sense I’m related to he and his wife.
  
  I was wondering if it would be possible to purchase a quality copy of his and his wife’s photo? Would be wiling to pay whatever you like and for shipping etc. Most likely not but If you ever wish to sell the original, please let me know.
  
  Thanks so much, Jim Stritzel stritzel@telebyte.net
  
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  Comment by Jim Stritzel | October 18, 2013 | Reply
I’ve rarely seen Mohawk prtrayed like this – mostly they are involved in bloody battles in movie.

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Comment by Muse Swings | March 6, 2009 | Reply
You’re absolutely right, Muse.
In a sense it is fair to say that the Mohawk (and others of the Iroquois Confederacy)were well-known for their warrior tradition long before my European ancestors arrived and they are proud of it to this day.
I have a connection to this because my European ancestor Andre Mignier dit Lagace arrived in New France to protect settlers from what some European writers have called “marauding Iroquois”. I also have Native ancestors (hundreds of years back) who belonged to tribes who were vanquished by the Iroqouis.
This history is long past and I don’t seek to rewrite/justify/glorify either side or look at anything through rose-coloured glasses but the fact is that numerous Amerindian peoples were here first. We(meaning Europeans) came second.
We wanted the land.
We took it.
In 2008 we all have to to what we can to make it good for all the peoples who live in Quebec.
Evelyn in Montreal

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Comment by evelynyvonnetheriault | March 6, 2009 | Reply
I have a number of similar cards, featuring Navajo from the American Southwest and Seminoles from Florida. They are usually in traditional dress, either posing or doing traditional activities. I guess that portraying Native Americans as bloodthirsty savages didn’t appeal to the postcard-buying tourists.

Here’s an Acadian card you might find of interest: http://www.wildpostcards.com/2008/09/acadian-memorial-park-grand-pre-nova-scotia/

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Comment by Chris Overstreet | March 6, 2009 | Reply
So amazing ~~ i can see clearly their costume & accessories.

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Comment by Lay Hoon | March 6, 2009 | Reply
I have made a few wedding regalia’s in Kahnawake. The headdress is called a Kustowa. Three feathers up indicates the person is Mohawk.

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Comment by Towanna Miller | September 5, 2009 | Reply
Very interesting. My Mom was born on the Caughnawaga Indian Reservation.

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Comment by Elaine | October 13, 2009 | Reply
OMG that photo you have here is of my Great great Grandmother and grandfather.. I have another Photo of them with there Names.. This is A AWESOME find!!!
the man is “Thomas J. Williams.” his wife,- “Wealthy ArmindaS. Williams.”My Mothers Great grand parents from her mothers side!!

Skennen ko:wa kenh..

Onen ki wahi.

William-(Billy “Snakehawk” Johnson.) Haudenosaunee -Kanien’kehaka.

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Comment by William Snakehawk Johnson | January 24, 2010 | Reply
- I have a photo showing the same man who is my great,great Grandfather ( Scar face Bear). My father was born and raised in Kahnawake. Mybe we can help each other.
  
  Responded privately.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Comment by Joseph Kelly | October 16, 2010 | Reply
- I have just recently found out that my Great Great Grandfathers name was indeed Thomas Williams, I know that he had three children,
  John Williams, Mary Ann & Baptiste, what can you tell me about them?
  Thank You
  
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  Comment by Joseph Kelly | November 20, 2010 | Reply
  - She:kon. I found only this “Thomas J. Williams’s” father was “Peter Williams”. & his wife was Elizabeth -(Lizzy) Williams.
    One of Thomas J. Williams’s daughters names was “Eva Mae Williams” she married ” Robert Guy Anderson” them are my great great grand parents.
    I do not know what happened to My great Great Uncle John Williams, nor do i know what happened to Babtiste. other then that this person was nic named Babb.
    Now Eva Mae Williams’s daughter was “Emma L. Anderson”- (My Grandmother) on mothers side. She married ” Albert Merle Diamond”, (my grandfather). His father was “William Edward Diamond” that married “Mary Ann Hough-(Diamond)”
    Robert Anderson’s Son was “Albert (Punk) Anderson.”..
    I am on Facebook As (Billy SnakeHawk Johnson). Please look me up.. The Only Family Member that might have More info then me is My Aunt “Del Diamond (Miller)”.She is also on Facebook on my List.
    
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    Comment by Billy SnakeHawk Johnson | January 23, 2012 | Reply
OMG THAT PICTURE BLEW ME AWAY I THOUGHT IT WAS MY FATHER CHIEF GREAT FIRE LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE HIM HIS FATHERS NAME WAS THOMAS AND HIS MOM WAS LOUISE CANADIAN

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Comment by CELIA | March 24, 2010 | Reply
I have a posy card….It says…Tha-nen-ri-shon…do you know what that means

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Comment by Donna Petersen | April 9, 2010 | Reply
- he excites the people’s minds
  
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  Comment by Robin | June 13, 2010 | Reply
I am looking for someone that knew or remembers Aurele Beaulieu. He had a shop on the reservation, repairing shoes between 1946–1950.

Note: Answered privately

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Comment by Marie Therese Varin | January 27, 2011 | Reply
I’m from the same family tree. His son Paul Kelly was my great grandfather. I also have photos of scar face. My mother has the bear necklace in this photo here in Kahnawake (formerly known as Caughnawaga).

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Comment by Towanna Miller | January 28, 2011 | Reply
thats my grandmothers (Roberta kelly) grandparents my mother still lives in the family house that they lived in

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Comment by Nikki | September 22, 2015 | Reply
- Greetings to descendants of Thomas Williams, for whom this photo postcard might be of interest? The story is also interesting.
  http://iroquoisbeadwork.blogspot.co.nz/2017/01/iroquois-and-wabanaki-images-for-sale.html
  005 – Circa 1910 Printed postcard of Mohawk chief Scarface. He participated in many Wild West and Medicine Shows and for a time worked for the Oregon Indian Medicine Company in Corry.
  
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  Comment by Ken H | May 1, 2017 | Reply