Died 1646, Schenectady, New York, United States | ||
Ots-Toch is the name commonly used for a Native American of the American Mohawk Nation born in 1600 near Canajoharie who married Dutch settler Cornelise Antonnisen Van Slyke and founded the Van Slyke family in New Netherland. She was married sometime around 1620 and died in 1646.
Little is known of Ots-Toch, although she is indirectly referenced in many histories of early New York. For example, a daughter, Hillitie, chose to live with the Dutch, but served as an official Mohawk interpreter. Ots-Toch had at least three other children with Cornelise Van Slyke, and may have had more children by a Mohawk father.
Some variants of Ots-Toch's legend claim that her father was French, Jaques Hertel[4]
In local lore, Ots-Toch is often compared to Pocahontas, as the two share many similarities. Both converted to Christianity.[citation needed] Ots- Toch, who was married at the age of fifteen to Cornelisse Van Slyke, is reported to have written this song as a young woman, sometime after the Dutch arrived. Though perhaps not considered politically correct in modern-day vernacular, the song she sang to her children, which was passed down through generations to her descendants, goes as follows:[citation needed]
O'er the dark woods and forest wildMy father in his wild nature smiledwith tomahawk and bended bowto slay the reindeer and buffaloMy brother in his bark canoeacross the lake so gaily flewto catch the whitefish in the lakeand shoot the wild ducks in the brakemy mother in her wigwam satwith copious work and curious chatand I poor little Indian maidwith acorn shells and wildflowers playedand I beside my mother all dayto weave the splintered baskets gayto pound the samp and tan the skinsand mend my fathers moccasinsI could not read, I could not sewmy Saviors name I did not knowtill white man to the forest cameand taught poor Indian Jesus nameHe built a church and school house nearwith Holy hymns and wildwood cheerNow I can read, now I can sewMy Saviors name I'm taught to knowNow my Redeemer I imploreGod bless the white man forever more."This song was passed down through generations of her descendants, most notably Mary Jane Van Alstyne Maltby, who, interestingly, was also a direct descendant of Henry Adams, the founder of Braintree Mass., the ancestor of the two United States Presidents, John Adams and John Quincy Adams.[citation needed]
Notes Jump up ^ Bielinski, link below Jump up ^ Pearson, pg 342 ^ Jump up to: a b Biasca, pg 4. Jump up ^ Pearson, pg 189