General > Research Needed

Heather Sprague, Republican Candidate Maine

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cellophane:
Jonathan D. Yellowbear identifies himself at various places as "Sokoki Band of the Abenaki Indian Nation".

In Darryl Leroux's Distorted Descent: White Claims to Indigenous Identity (U. Manitoba Press, 2019), p. 218, I read:
--- Quote ---Similar numbers have become the norm in Vermont, where a media report in July 2018 stated that nearly 15,000 people (or over 2 percent of the state’s population) claimed to be Abenaki. After a failed attempt at federal recognition in 2007, the St. Francis/Sokoki Band of Abenaki (now the Abenaki Nation at Missisquoi) received state recognition as an “Indian” tribe along with the Koasek Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation in May 2012. A year earlier, in April 2011, the Elnu Abenaki Tribe and the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe also received state recognition. According to my primary research—based in part in membership records and statements by a range of Abenaki leaders from the two Abenaki communities in Quebec (Odanak and Wolinak)—all four of these state-recognized tribes are comprised primarily of French descendants who have used long-ago ancestry in New France to shift into an “Abenaki” identity. The self-indigenization movement among French descendants appears to have begun earlier in Vermont—as early as the 1970s—though it has picked up speed in recent years, no doubt facilitated by the ready availability of French-descendant genealogy infrastructure in English.
--- End quote ---

The BIA determination against tribal recognition of the St. Francis / Sokoki Band, here:
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2007-07-02/pdf/E7-12727.pdf

says:
--- Quote ---The SSA petitioner claims descend as a group mainly from a Western Abenaki Indian tribe, most specifically, the Missisquoi Indians. During the colonial period (approximately 1600–1800), the Missisquoi Indians lived in northwestern Vermont, near the present-day town of Swanton. The available evidence indicates that by 1800 the disruption caused by colonial wars and non-Indian settlement had forced almost all the Western Abenakis in northern New England (including Vermont) to relocate to the Saint Francis River area of Quebec, Canada, and become part of the St. Francis, or Odanak, village of Canadian Western Abenaki Indians. The petitioner, however, contends that its ancestors remained behind in northwestern Vermont after 1800, or moved to Canada until it was ‘‘safe’’ to return. The petitioner also maintains that its ancestors lived ‘‘underground,’’ hiding their Indian identity to avoid drawing the attention of their non- Indian neighbors, until the 1970’s. Some of the available documentation indicates that, over the course of the 19th century, a few of the group’s ancestors moved from various locations in Quebec, Canada, to the United States, but not as a group.

Of the petitioner’s 1,171 members with enrollment files completed to the petitioner’s satisfaction, only 8 (less than 1 percent) demonstrated descent from a Missisquoi Abenaki Indian ancestor. By 1800, most of the historical Missisquoi Abenaki Indian tribe had migrated to St. Francis, or Odanak, in Quebec, Canada. The available evidence demonstrates that these eight members descend from Simon Obomsawin, who once belonged to the St. Francis, or Odanak, Indian community, and who can be traced to the historical Missisquoi Abenaki Indian tribe through lists of Indians belonging to St. Francis, or Odanak. The available evidence does not demonstrate that these eight members were associated with the SSA petitioner before the 1990’s.
--- End quote ---

cellophane:
I meant to write "federal recognition", not "tribal recognition".

I'm keeping in mind that BIA recognition determinations are not always just.

cellophane:
Some of the person search websites say that Jonathan D. Yellowbear also went by Jonathan Craft and Jonathan Snidercraft. Since the sources are not specified, these need confirmation.

Jonathan Yellowbear's FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.yellowbear.3

Says he went to McMinn Central High School (Etowah, TN), class of 1986. The yearbook for that year shows two Jonathans. Jonathan Craft is the one whose picture is a good match.
The FB page also says he went to Mount View High School in Maine until 1985, but then went to play football in Tennessee. I couldn't find a yearbook for that school.

The Muscatine Journal (Muscatine, IA) of 7/27/1994, p. 1, shows Jonathan Snidercraft, of Burlington, IA, discussing a plan to build a replica of an Indian village in Louisa County, complete with reenactors. No participation by any Native Americans is mentioned as part of the plan. "Snidercraft"'s identity or ancestry are not mentioned.

The FB page says he studied Native American History at Ohio Valley University (1986–1988) and later worked as a truck driver based in Oxford, IA, and Bangor, ME.

cellophane:
Tidbits from Jonathan Yellowbear's LinkedIn page:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-yellowbear-07035b19

He has a gun shop.
--- Quote ---We continue to build high quality Flintlock long guns and pistols. Our focus still remains on firearms that the First Nations People (Indian's) used in these time periods.
--- End quote ---

As member of "The Ancient Ones of Maine" (2004–present),
--- Quote ---I re-enact the ways of my ancestors as a "Native American" for the PCer's. I belong to the Tribal Band of the SOKOKI and we are of the ABENAKI INDIAN NATION!!!! My job is to accurately portray my ancestors, by making all the things that I wear for clothing, footwear and all of my accouterments. I also do school presentation for the scouts and other venues as well.
--- End quote ---

While a student at South Eastern Community College (1992–1994, AAS Gun-Smithing):
--- Quote ---Activities and Societies: Living Historian at Old Fort Madison in Fort Madison IA, Owned a Custom Gun Shop, Native American Awareness Group.
--- End quote ---

While a student at Ohio Valley University (1986–1988, AAS Pre-1840 Native American History):
--- Quote ---Portrayed a Shawnee at Fort Randolph at Point Pleasant, WV during the 1986, 87, and 88 years. I had lots of fun at this and talked to my History Professor about the weekend and told him the historical accuracy aspect of this particular event.
--- End quote ---

I take from this that he has had experience impersonating Indians of various tribes before settling on Abenaki full-time.

(In Maine he was also "Working on ridding the state of Obumers communist Common Core State Standards", but that's neither here nor there.)

Diana:
I did a quick look-see on this Heather Sprague and so far everyone is white. She and her family also has a very impressive lineage in the state of Maine. I've found ancestors as far back as the 1700s. I'll  post her genealogy in the next couple of days.

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