Independence!?! The colonies have won! The British have been defeated! Our world and political system is all about to change. The Brant family lives are about to take a turn in a way that they with it would not. How did they react and how did they deal with their whole world being turned upside down.

 As staunch loyalists, the Brant family is not thrilled about this change. My household member Sir John Johnson was the oldest son of Sir William Johnson from his first marriage, making him Molly Brant’s step-son. After his father’s death, he inherited his estates making him a wealthy landowner in New York. From the beginning of the Revolution, Sir John Johnson and the rest of the Brant family had been diligently loyal to the British Crown. Shortly after the start of the war, John conjured other supporters in their town of Johnstown to create a battalion to take on the colonials. His battalion soon became a core regiment known as the King’s Royal Regiment of New York. They played a significant role in rising against the colonials in New York. John was eventually sought after to be arrested which led to him and his family to flee north to Canada. Unfortunately, due to his loyalty all of his property in New York was taken from him after the war was over. Once the 1783 Treaty of Paris was signed, John was exiled for the rest of his life in Canada. Just like John, Molly and her family made there was up to Canada and remined there for the rest of their days. John eventually went into government while in Canada and maintained his loyalist until the end of his days.

            Much like his father William, John had an affinity for the Crown because of all they had done for his family. He fought alongside his father at Fort Niagara and joined the British Army the following year. After serving, the Crown treated them well for what they had done. During a tour of the British Isles, he gave a presentation to King George himself. An educated man, he wanted natural right and limited government. A lot of what had to do with remaining loyal to British rule was the thought that colonists were taking charge and changing the way of the lands that had been paved for them. Just like his father, John actively champion for Native American and Loyalist rights. There was perhaps a belief that the colonists were overruling the lands of the native tribes who had lived there for years in peace. While living in the Mohawk valley, and of course being a step-so to Molly, John developed a strong relationship with the Iroquois people and once he was in Canada maintained his duties in the “Indian Department”. 

 For the majority of Loyalists, they believed that violence was not the necessary answer and that independence would be a loss for the economic benefits that they had with Britain and their trade system. Being that the Brant family came from wealth, there is no surprise that they remained loyal as to try and secure themselves in society and not lose out on perhaps building more within their governmental system. 

            Molly and her brother Joseph had a strong loyalty to the King. Molly cared for loyalists throughout the war and aided in what she could. Joseph led loyalists who were known as “Brant’s Volunteers” against rebels who were betraying them. He also fled to Canada but made a trip to London and met with king George to discuss land discrepancies amongst the Mohawk in the colonies. His loyalty was for the benefit of the Mohawk people and for them to maintain their rightful land that he felt was being taken from them by rebels and the overall cause. Independence of the colonies would surely enhance that and makes things worse. 

            The Brant’s remained true loyalists even when independence was made. All exiled in Canada, they still made efforts to maintain British Civil Law. John regretted his exile from the Mohawk Valley but was still able to acquire large amounts of property in Montreal. He remained inContact with the British government overseas and all continued to thrive in gaining political stature as well as being vocal about the rights that they were owed and deserved. The Brant family may not have gotten the end result that they wanted for fought so hard for, but they remained the loyalists the claimed to be until the very end.