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Brantford, Ontario Canada --by Richard (Dick) Sywyk This city's histoy can be traced back for more than three centuries to the time when native tribes led by Chief Joseph Brant lived in the area. He was better known to his people of the Six Nations as "Thayendanegea". To the left on this page is a picture of his statue, which stands in Victoria Park in downtown Brantford. (This statue was made from melted down French cannons in 1886.) Brant led his people from their lands in the Mohawk Valley of the upper New York State to the Grand River Basin, where they crossed the river, and this spot became known as Brant's ford and hence the name, location and history of Brantford began. In 1826 a meeting was called to officially name the village that had grown up at that spot. After many suggestions, the name of Brantford was chosen to honor Chief Joseph Brant. In 1830 the remainder of the village site was sold by the Six Nations to the white settlers. On July 26, 1847 the town of Brantford was incorporated. By this time the natives, feeling the pressure from the growing number of Europeans, had slowly moved to the south side of the river to land given to them by the Crown. This land was known as the Six Nations reserve and now is called Six Nations of the Grand River. The County of Brant was established in 1852. Brantford grew from a Native Iroquoian village in 1784 to a town in 1847 to a city in 1877, a city with a very proud heritage and a bright future. On May 31, 1877, with a bustling population of 10,000 people, the town of Brantford -- through a Special Act of Provencial Parliament-- became the City of Brantford and grew into the prosperous community that it is today. Although he was a prime figure in the history of Brantford, Chief Joseph Brant was not the only Native American to shine in Brantford's history. HARVEST TIME Pauline Johnson Pillowed and hushed on the silent plain, Wrapped in her mantle of golden grain, Wearied of pleasuring weeks away, Summer is lying asleep today,-- Where winds come sweet from the wild-rose briers And the smoke of the far-off prairie fires; Yellow her hair as the goldenrod, And brown her cheeks as the prairie sod; Purple her eyes as the mists that dream At the edge of some laggard sun-drowned stream; But over their depths the lashes sweep, For Summer is lying today asleep. The north wind kisses her rosy mouth, His rival frowns in the far-off south, And comes caressing fer sunburnt cheek, And Summer awakes for one short week,-- Awakes and gathers her wealth of grain, Then sleeps and dreams for a year again. For instance, there was the great Indian poet Pauline Johnson, born and raised on the Six Nations Reserve. Another native son was born to a Mohawk chief on May 26, 1919. He was a star Lacrosse player and a great favorite of mine because of my love of the game of Lacrosse, which I coached for two years in Brantford Minor Sports. He was also a well known movie star as a companion to Clayton Moore (The Lone Ranger). Yes, you guessed it: TONTO. He was born Harold J. Smith, later changed to Jay Silverheels. Brantford is internationally acknowledged as the Telephone City, and marks with pride that moment in 1874 when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Now, some may disagree with that statement and some have, and to me. If they study history they will find that it is true, and that he then went to Boston USA where he perfected his telephone. I wish more people could visit his family's home, a National Historic Site on 94 Tutela Heights Rd., Brantford. I myself could show people the site in Paris, Ontario where the first long distance phone call was received from Brantford. Now, I must not forget Brantford's favorite son: The Great One, Wayne Gretzky. I have met Wayne, and he is a great ambassador for the city of Brantford. Before I finish I must tell you about Her Majesty's Royal Chapel of The Mohawks. Built in 1785, the chapel is the first protestant church in Ontario and the first Royal Chapel belonging to native people. The Mohawk Chapel is also the resting place of Chief Joseph Brant. Now we have come full circle and I hope I haven't bored you too much with some of the history of Brantford.

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