General > Research Needed
Leah Yellowbird - Minnesota Artist
Advanced Smite:
I found the names of the two other finalists in the Johnson County Park and Recreation District Public Art Committee meeting minutes from 4/24/2024. Both Doug Coffin and Denny Haskew are Native American. It only took 20 minutes of genealogy research for each man to find Native American ancestry. Considerably more time spent on genealogy research has not produced any Native American ancestry (from 1820 to present) in Leah Hanson AKA Leah Yellowbird's family tree.
Which recognized tribe claims the family of Leah Hanson AKA Leah Yellowbird to make her eligible for this project?
--- Quote ---Heritage Park Potawatomi Project Updates
• 11 applications received and 3 finalists selected:
o Doug Coffin & Kaären Ochoa from Abiquiu, NM
o Aaron Squadroni & Leah Yellowbird from Grand Rapids, MN
o Denny Haskew & JK Designs National Sculptors Guild from Loveland, CO
• The three finalists will be visiting Heritage Park this Friday, April 26 for a site visit with JCPRD staff. They
will then put together a proposal for the Art Selection Committee in late May with community feedback in
June including presence at the Potawatomi “family reunion” in Shawnee, OK.
• A virtual PAC vote will be held Wednesday, July 17 at 9:00 AM before JCPRD Board approval in August
Source: Johnson County Park and Recreation District - Public Art Committee Meeting Minutes 4/23/2024
Direct Link: https://jcprd.portal.civicclerk.com/event/684/files/attachment/3942
--- End quote ---
Here is information on the two talented Native American artists that were not selected for the Potawatomi Trail of Death public art project:
Denny Haskew
Direct Link: https://www.nationalsculptorsguild.com/artist_haskew_portfolio.html
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/3BwbF
Doug Coffin
Direct Link: https://art.state.gov/personnel/j_coffin/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/UO1d8
ojib22:
I too chased her ancestry back to about the early-mid 1800's (which sounds like you went back even further) paying a little more attention to her mother's Canadian side since there is the claim of Metis. I got back to a Teresa/Thereza Hough who would be Leah's great-great-grandmother born in the late 1860's and the only item of interest I found was on the 1891 Canadian census, Teresa's family lived near some Anishinaabe people. The family is listed as Catholic while the Indigenous folks are listed as "Pagan" but they are not in the same household or appear to live immediately next to each other. I don't think this helps much but any art board should be demanding proof of her lineage. I tried to pick out which aunt she is referring to but none of the aunts make sense with what she is claiming, her mother's sister is still alive from what I can tell but she refers to the aunt who taught her beadwork as having passed.
Advanced Smite:
--- Quote from: ojib22 on January 29, 2025, 07:32:19 pm ---I too chased her ancestry back to about the early-mid 1800's (which sounds like you went back even further) paying a little more attention to her mother's Canadian side since there is the claim of Metis. I got back to a Teresa/Thereza Hough who would be Leah's great-great-grandmother born in the late 1860's and the only item of interest I found was on the 1891 Canadian census, Teresa's family lived near some Anishinaabe people. The family is listed as Catholic while the Indigenous folks are listed as "Pagan" but they are not in the same household or appear to live immediately next to each other. I don't think this helps much but any art board should be demanding proof of her lineage. I tried to pick out which aunt she is referring to but none of the aunts make sense with what she is claiming, her mother's sister is still alive from what I can tell but she refers to the aunt who taught her beadwork as having passed.
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Thank you for looking at Leah Yellowbird’s genealogy, ojib22. It's nice to have another set of eyes on it. I traced the paternal and maternal sides of Leah's family. 3 of 4 grandparents have ancestors that passed through Canada (paternal grandmother, paternal grandfather, and maternal grandmother). I focused on researching those lines in an attempt to corroborate Leah's claims.
PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: The Canadian lines of both paternal grandparents lead directly to Quebec. In my opinion, based on publicly available information, there isn't any Native American ancestry matching Leah’s claims on this side of her family. Could there be a line that traces back to someone recorded as "Indian Woman" in the late-1600's or early to mid-1700's? Possibly. That wouldn’t be consistent with Leah’s claims though.
MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER: As ojib22 mentioned, the maternal grandmother’s family did live near an Anishinaabe community in Ontario. In my opinion, based on publicly available records, Leah’s maternal grandmother's family isn't Anishinaabe though. Leah’s maternal ancestors came to Ontario from Quebec which can be confirmed through census, birth, and baptism records. The family was Quebecois/French Canadian...not Anishinaabe, Algonquin, and/or Metis.
RESEARCH NOTE: I spent additional time researching Leah’s 3x great-grandfather, Joseph Alexis Gagnon, due to his recorded occupation on one census. Joseph Alexis Gagnon’s occupation was documented as “moccasin maker” on the 1891 Census of Canada. Despite his occupation, the fields I bolded on the census below indicate Joseph Alexis Gagnon was French Canadian (White).
1891 Census of Canada
Name...............................Alexis Gagnon
Gender.............................Male
Marital Status...................Married
Age.................................50
Birth Year.........................abt 1841
Birth Place.....................Quebec
Residence Date.................1891
Residence Place................Quyon Village, Pontiac, Quebec, Canada
Religion............................Roman Catholic
Occupation.......................Moccassin Keeper*
Can Read..........................Y
Can Write..........................Y
French Canadian.............Yes
Spouse............................Susan Gagnon
Father's Birth Place........Quebec
Mother's Birth Place........Quebec
*Transcription Error: I believe the record was transcribed incorrectly and actually reads “moccasin maker”.
I searched the 1891 Census of Canada for the keyword “moccasin” to compare demographics of anyone with a moccasin-related occupation. 8 people (not including Joseph Alexis Gagnon) came up in search results as having the word "moccasin" in their occupation title. 4 of 8 were clearly non-Native American as their parents were born in Europe. 3 of 8 had parents born in Ontario and, upon further research, listed their racial or tribal origins as Scottish, English, and Dutch. 1 of the 8 was denoted as being French Canadian. Clearly, having a moccasin-related occupation on the 1891 Census of Canada isn't indicative of Native American ancestry.
Susanna Sinclair - Moccasin Maker
Birthplace of Mother: Scotland
Birthplace of Father: Scotland
Jane McClure – Moccasin Maker
Birthplace of Mother: Ireland
Birthplace of Father: Ireland
Mina Black – Moccasin*
Birthplace of Mother: England
Birthplace of Father: England
*Occupation recorded only as “moccasin” on original census document
John Agnew – Moccasin Silker
Birthplace of Mother: Scotland
Birthplace of Father: Ireland
Maud Mason – Moccasin Tucke (sic)
Birthplace of Mother: Ontario
Birthplace of Father: Ontario
Notes: On the 1921 Census of Canada, Maud’s racial or tribal origin is documented as “Dutch”
Warner Nicklin – Moccasin Finisher
Birthplace of Mother: Ontario
Birthplace of Father: Ontario
Notes: On the 1921 Census of Canada, Warner’s racial or tribal origin is documented as “English”
Elizabeth Werden – Moccasin Silker
Birthplace of Mother: Ontario
Birthplace of Father: Ontario
Notes: On the 1931 Census of Canada, Elizabeth’s racial origin is documented as “Scottish”
Clara Levins – Moccasin Maker
Birthplace of Mother: Not recorded
Birthplace of Father: Not recorded
French Canadian: Yes
I have no idea if Leah is aware of this census or if it's had any bearing on her claims. If there was any question about Leah Hanson AKA Leah Yellowbird being Native American due to her 3x great-grandfather being listed as a moccasin maker on the 1891 Census of Canada, hopefully this resolves it though.
Leah should be able to provide specifics about her claimed Native American ancestry. Who are her people? What Anishinaabe community is her family from? What does she mean by “Algonquin-Metis”? It’s a huge red flag that she’s never specified a community or tribe.
Advanced Smite:
A piece of Leah Yellowbird's art was selected by Essentia Health and Integrated Art Group for display in St. Mary's Medical Center. It was chosen as a piece of art "created by a Native American." The article says Leah is Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe.
--- Quote ---Essentia Health completes fine art collection
All of the artists were from Minnesota, Wisconsin or North Dakota
By Hayley Raatsi
Published: Mar. 10, 2023 at 11:23 AM CST
DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) - The fine arts collection at St. Mary’s Medical Center is officially complete.
In August of 2021, Essentia Health and Integrated Art Group asked artists to submit their work for consideration at the replacement St. Mary’s Medical Center.
After 18 months, the fine art collection is completed.
Approximately 250 local and regional artist submitted their work. About 100 pieces were selected.
“Art can relieve stress and anxiety for patients, and we’re excited to offer this additional layer of healing,” said Laura Pfenninger, project manager for Essentia. “We strived to create a diverse collection so there will be something here for everyone to enjoy.”
The pieces feature things around the region including the Northern Lights, Boundary Waters, and local wildlife.
Many pieces in the art collection are either created by Native Americans or pay homage to Indigenous culture such as the Ojibwe creation story done by Rabbett Strickland.
Leah Yellowbird, who is Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe, also has a piece in the collection using antique beading.
Most of the art will be in publicly accessible spaces, such as corridors, vestibules, and waiting areas.
In addition, each floor will feature a variety of pieces to accommodate different tastes and aesthetics.
The hospital will also be filled with approximately 120 posters or reproductions and about 90 pieces of existing fine art that will be moved over from the current St. Mary’s Medical Center.
In total, 68% of these new pieces of art came from within Essentia’s service area, and 100% of the artists were based within their service states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.
Source: Northern News Now "Essentia Health completes fine art collection" - By Hayley Raatsi
Direct Link: https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2023/03/10/essentia-health-completes-fine-art-collection/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/gWrio
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Advanced Smite:
I found a podcast in which Leah is significantly more forthcoming about her claimed background then in prior interviews. She claims to "hold a status card in Canada" and that she's "part Lebanese." This is a big find because it proves Leah has a tenuous relationship with the truth. Leah is NOT Lebanese...not even a tiny bit.
If Leah has a Canadian status card, why hasn't she been sharing that fact more openly? Through which tribe is she eligible for status? This is what a Canadian status card looks like: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1100100032424/1572461852643#s2-2. Leah lied about being Lebanese. Why wouldn't she lie about having Indian status in Canada?
--- Quote ---
Transcription begins around 7:30.
"I’m from a tribe in Canada. I’m also Metis, which is French Canadian-mixed-Indian, and I’m part Lebanese. It’s a very interesting mix. So, you know having the Hebrew part of it and then my father was non-Indian. So, I have this wonderful, beautiful mix of cultures all put together in who I am and I’m kind of lucky I get to pick and choose what works best for me from each one of– each one of these. My tribe is in Canada. So, I hold a status card in Canada. I don’t in the United States. But it doesn’t make me not an Indian in the United States, you know. Either you are or you aren’t, and for me, I’m an Indian."
Source: First Nations Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe Heritage with Leah Yellowbird, 2019
Direct Link: https://audio.holdenvillage.org/presentation/first-nations-algonquin-metis-and-anishinaabe-heritage-with-leah-yellowbird/
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