Mohawk Child's Moccasins, ca. 1860
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APPRAISER:
You've brought a pair of little shoes to show us today and you have quite a bit of history with them. And one of the things that fascinates me is you're actually the ancestor of a fairly famous Canadian.
GUEST:
I'm very proud of the fact that my parents on my mother's side... the family originated as U.E. Loyalists from Albany, New York.
APPRAISER:
Right. Now, your great-great-great- grandfather was Adam Haynes.
GUEST:
That's right.
APPRAISER:
Now, they were given to your great-great- great-grandfather by...?
GUEST:
Joseph Brant... well, not necessary him but...
APPRAISER:
At that time.
GUEST:
Maybe a member of his group.
APPRAISER:
Joseph Brant was one of the most famous Canadian Native leaders. He was the great chief of the Mohawks. And he allied with the British in both the French and Indian Wars and the American Revolutionary War, and the British loved him. Brant's name was also Thayendanegea. That was his Indian name. The unfortunate part of the story here is that these shoes, although they are Mohawk-- and Joseph Brant was a Mohawk-- if they could be attributed to Joseph Brant, they would have tremendous historical and monetary value. Unfortunately, Joseph Brant died in 1806; these moccasins were made in about 1860.
GUEST:
Oh, really?
APPRAISER:
They were made about 50 years after Brant's death. Because of that, their value-- tremendous historically to your family and great ancestral family-- the value would be about $500.
GUEST:
Oh, well, that's more than I expected. I'm thrilled to hear that.
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