Maungwudaus

George Henry (1811–1888), later Maungwudaus, was an Ojibwe performer, interpreter, mission worker, and herbalist. He interpreted the Ojibwe language into English. He was a herbalist towards the end of his life.

Early life Maungwudaus was born in 1811 along Forty Mile Creek in Ontario, Canada. His father was Chief Mesquacosy, who was a War of 1812 veteran, and his mother Tuhbenahneequay, or Sarah Henry, was Chief Wahbanosay's daughter. His half-brother was missionary Peter Jones on the maternal side. He spent his childhood in the territory of the Credit Mississauga. As a child, Maungwudaus learned about the medicinal properties of plants. Maungwudaus was raised to worship the Great Spirit and to sacrifice animals to him.

Around 1824, Maungwudaus became a Methodist after being converted by ministers and he attended a Credit River mission school. Maungwudaus learned English at the mission school which gave him more opportunities. Due to how well he did as a student, New York City's John Street Methodist Church paid for him to attend the mission school from 1830 to 1831. His wife, Hannah, had their second son, Abraham, in May 1831. The church provided him more money for his schooling in 1832. He later taught Sunday school. After a missionary trip in 1832 with his family, they moved to Muncey, southwest of London, Ontario. Portraits of Maungwudaus were also done by George Catlin and Théodore Gudin.