Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Kryn

KRYN, called “The Great Mohawk,” Indian chief, d. in Salmon River, near Lake Champlain, N. Y., 4 June, 1690. In 1674 his wife became a convert to Christianity, and the chief abandoned her. In his wanderings he reached the new village of La Prairie, on the St. Lawrence, which had been founded by Catherine Ganneaktena (q. v.) in 1670. He was struck by the peace and order that prevailed, and after some months became a Christian. On his return to his tribe in Caughnawaga, he related what he had seen, and urged all who shared his ideas to follow him to La Prairie. Forty at once joined him, and reached the mission on Easter Sunday, 1676. In 1687, during a war between the Iroquois and the Indians that were friendly to the French, Kryn made an offer to Dénonville, the French governor, to go, with five others, and find out the real intentions of the Mohawk tribe. His offer was accepted, and as he was crossing Lake Champlain he met a body of sixty Mohawks who had been sent by Gov. Dongan to make a raid on the French settlements. Kryn persuaded them to return, and even preached to them with such success that four were converted. The Oneidas and Onondagas were also influenced by him, aided by Garaconthie (q. v.) to keep peace with the French. In February, 1690, under orders from the new governor, Frontenac (q. v.), a force of a hundred Frenchmen and eighty Indians, the latter commanded by Kryn, marched on Schenectady. Kryn encouraged his followers to avenge on the English the massacre of 200 Canadians by the Iroquois six months before. Schenectady was taken by surprise, and sixty-three of the inhabitants butchered. Later in the same year the great Mohawk set out with Lieut. Beauvais on a war-party. While halting at Salmon river, for the purpose of erecting a stockade, the party was attacked by the Abnakis, who mistook them for English, and Kryn fell dead at the first fire.