Joseph Louis Cook

Who was Joseph Louis Cook?

Joseph Louis Cook or Akiatonharónkwen was an Iroquois leader and soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Born to a black father and an Abenaki mother in what is now Quebec, he was adopted as a Mohawk at a village in New York where they settled. He became an influential leader among the Mohawk and distinguished himself as a warrior for the French during the French and Indian War.

During the American Revolutionary War, Cook supported the rebel colonists and joined their fight. He became the highest-ranking Native American officer in the Continental Army, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel. He led Oneida warriors against the British in some actions. After the war, he settled in central New York State, where he became an important adviser to the Oneida. He represented them and the Seven Nations of Canada to negotiate with the government of New York state in trying to achieve more justice in postwar land deals.