NAFPS Forum

General => Frauds => Topic started by: Advanced Smite on November 26, 2022, 10:47:03 am

Title: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 26, 2022, 10:47:03 am
I came across “nibiiwakamigkwe” when information on one of their performances showed up in my social media newsfeed. They were only identified by a single Anishinaabe name which piqued my interest about whether we could have friends or family in common. Their bio contained language often associated with people that may be misrepresenting their race or ethnicity.


nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Katie Le Claire / Kathryn Le Claire identifies as a “Two-Spirit Métis, Onyota’a:ka (Oneida), Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Cuban and waabishkiiwed artist.” They “co-own and operate giige, an Indigenous and Queer art and tattoo space” in Madison, Wisconsin and are the “first Community Leader-in-Residence with the University of Wisconsin School of Human Ecology which is a grant-funded position through the Equity & Justice Network.


nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Katie Le Claire / Kathryn Le Claire has been given a platform to share their perceived knowledge on these topics in Madison, Wisconsin, and the surrounding areas (not intended to be a complete list):
•   Indigenous Art
•   Indigenous Craftwork
•   Indigenous Feminism
•   Indigenous Culture & Identity
•   Indigenous Tattooing
•   Jingle Dancing
•   Throat Singing
•   Food Sovereignty
•   Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women
•   Oneida, Anishinaabe, and Metis Culture


Questionable Claims:
•   Cuban: Claimed to be Cuban in bios, interviews, and elsewhere through August 31, 2020. In bios and interviews that have occurred since September 2020 to the present day it appears they are no longer actively claiming to be Cuban.
•   Oneida: Claims to “…sit in the bear clan of the Oneida Nation of New York.” They said they provided “two laceworks made by my grandmother, Kateri Johnson and her mother Theresia Hill—both Bear Clan Oneida women” to the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection at the Lynn Mecklenburg Textile Gallery at UW-Madison. Stated in a presentation that “several Haudenosaunee groups have moved further west or north, including the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin who came here with the 1838 treaty. My family was not one of those to come over and so they remained in New York until about the Great Depression when they came to Wisconsin to try to farm.”
•   Anishinaabe: Claims to be “Martin Clan from the Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.” There is one example of them saying “I’m Martin Clan, a descendant of the Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Ojibwe.”
•   Metis: Claims to be “Métis from the Red River Settlement in Manitoba." There is one example of them saying “I am a Metis descendant from the Red River Settlement in Manitoba, Canada.”
•   Northern Wisconsin: Claims to have been “born and raised in northern Wisconsin.”


In my opinion, based on publicly available information:
•   Kathryn Elizabeth Le Claire was born and raised in southern Wisconsin by their parents, Brian and Carol (Johnson) Le Claire. They graduated from Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin.
        o           Maternal Ancestry: German and Swedish
        o           Paternal Ancestry: German, Swedish, and French Canadian
•   Physical appearance has drastically changed from 2012 to 2022 – hair and eyebrows changed from dark blonde/light brown to black, skin tone appears darker


Over the next few days, I will:
•   Share nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Katie Le Claire / Kathryn Le Claire’s genealogy with supporting documentation. Another NAFPS contributor assisted with development of nibiiwakamigkwe’s family tree which was greatly appreciated.
•   Breakdown how publicly available information refutes nibiiwakamigkwe’s claims of Cuban, Oneida, Anishinaabe, and Metis descent.
•   Provide a timeline of interviews, presentations, and performances with significant excerpts and/or transcribed text along with links to source material or attachments.


I hope anyone with firsthand experience or additional information will contribute to this thread.


SOURCES
Many of the sources below were utilized in this post. Others have been included as background information. I will post what I’ve been able to find in greater detail over the next few days. Everything has been saved offline in the event of broken links.

Community Leader-in-Residence
https://cdmc.wisc.edu/equity-justice-initiatives/ (https://cdmc.wisc.edu/equity-justice-initiatives/)

Center for Design and Material Culture Conversation Series: nibiiwakamigkwe https://mediaspace.wisc.edu/media/CDMC+Conversation+SeriesA+nibiiwakamigkwe/1_40nql0q5 (https://mediaspace.wisc.edu/media/CDMC+Conversation+SeriesA+nibiiwakamigkwe/1_40nql0q5)

Collateral Damage Project – Nibiiwakamigkwe Artist Gallery
https://www.collateraldamageproject.com/Artists-Galleries/Nibiiwakamigkwe/ (https://www.collateraldamageproject.com/Artists-Galleries/Nibiiwakamigkwe/)

Center the Movement, Not You – By nibiiwakamigkwe
https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/center-the-movement-not-you/ (https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/center-the-movement-not-you/)

The Great Madison LGBTQ+ Artist Survey of 2020 – “Kay LeClaire/nibiiwakamigkwe”
https://ourliveswisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/OL80.pdf (https://ourliveswisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/OL80.pdf)

Nibiiwakamigkwe Wants Madison to Re-Indigenize Pride
https://web.archive.org/web/20221112164145/https://captimes.com/news/local/q-a-nibiiwakamigkwe-wants-madison-to-re-indigenize-pride/article_91cc52d8-1b52-51de-b76e-75bb7780217f.html (https://web.archive.org/web/20221112164145/https://captimes.com/news/local/q-a-nibiiwakamigkwe-wants-madison-to-re-indigenize-pride/article_91cc52d8-1b52-51de-b76e-75bb7780217f.html)

nibiiwakamigkwe Artist Profile
https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe (https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe)

“Katie Le Claire” Senior Picture
https://hhscg.weebly.com/alumni.html (https://hhscg.weebly.com/alumni.html)

Hamilton High School National Merit Scholar Article
https://www.hamilton.k12.wi.us/news-releases/2011/10/hamilton-students-recognized-in-nmsc-competition-2 (https://www.hamilton.k12.wi.us/news-releases/2011/10/hamilton-students-recognized-in-nmsc-competition-2)
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 28, 2022, 03:58:32 am
nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire/ Kathryn Le Claire (KL) claims to “sit in the Bear Clan of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York” and, of all three Indigenous nations they claim, has given the most detailed information about their allegedly Oneida ancestors. This post will primarily focus on their maternal grandmother’s genealogy and Oneida claims.

The Oneida Indian Nation of New York has a matrilineal clan system. You can read about how it still shapes the Oneida Indian Nation of New York today on their website: https://www.oneidaindiannation.com/about/oin-leadership/ (https://www.oneidaindiannation.com/about/oin-leadership/)
If KL were indeed Bear Clan, she would have inherited the connection the following way: KL’s Maternal Grandmother > KL’s Mother > KL

Here is a selection of the detailed claims that KL has made about their connection to the Oneida; specifically, the Oneida Indian Nation of New York:

September 8, 2021: Sacred Wisdom, Sacred Earth Day One Food Panel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5nGcR1eZSU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5nGcR1eZSU)

Transcription begins at 54:14:
Quote
nibiiwakamigkwe: "So, I’ll start with my Haudenosaunee relatives. We are all kind of in the northeast or the eastern woodlands portion of- of this continent. Really moving along what is now called the St. Lawrence River. Um. You know. What is now sometimes referred to as upstate New York or New England. Several Haudenosaunee groups have moved further west or north including the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin who came here with the 1838 treaty. Um. My family was not one of those to come over and so they remained in New York until about the Great Depression when they came to Wisconsin to try to farm a little bit better -um- or with less - fewer land pressures, I should say.”

October 17, 2021: University of Wisconsin Center for Design and Material Culture
https://www.instagram.com/p/CU5Twxwrfxe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link (https://www.instagram.com/p/CU5Twxwrfxe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)

Quote
“Today on Indigenous Peoples’ day we feature one of the pieces on display in Lace from the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection.

The history of lace-work among the Haudenosaunee initially started in 1898, when Sybil Carter, an Episcopalian missionary, introduced lace making to the women of Oneida Nation near De Pere, Wisconsin. She developed a piecework system in which the teachers, materials, and patterns were sent to the women on reservations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Mexico, and California. The finished pieces were considered a high commodity among New York society women and won many awards internationally.

For many Oneida women, their work through the lace industry became a substantial revenue for their communities. Yet, many were never given proper recognition for the work they created. In many of the lace pieces, you will find no name connected to the work, and very little research is done to correct this. Included in our Lace exhibition is an example of Haudenosaunee lace-work told through the family members of nibiiwakamigkwe, a Métis, Onyota’a:ka, Anishinaabe, Cuban and waabishkiiwed Two-Spirit artist in Madison, WI. This piece represents the ongoing resilience of the Haudenosaunee people and the continuation of their traditional ways of making and looking at the adoption of newer art forms within their communities.

When the missionaries left the Oneida reservation in 1909, Josephine Hill Webster, a member of the Wisconsin Oneida Nation, became the lace-makers leader in the area. After the Sybil Carter Indian Lace Association disbanded in 1926, Webster and many other Oneida women continued making and selling lace locally for many years.

This piece was created by Theresia Hill of Oneida-Bear Clan. Theresia was born in upstate New York and was taught lacemaking at what she described as a Catholic girls finishing school. She made lace for 50 years and was taught bobbin, needle, crochet, and knit lace techniques over her life and passed them along to her daughters - she had ten children. Based on items found in her daughter, Kateri's, sewing containers, they both used cotton or linen thread and sometimes wool.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 28, 2022, 04:01:47 am
December 8, 2021: Artist Profile: nibiiwakamigkwe - Written By Rachel Werner
https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe (https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe)
https://web.archive.org/web/20221112210236/https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe (https://web.archive.org/web/20221112210236/https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe)

Quote
4) Fave installation, exhibition, writing or performance by another artist that you've recently encountered?

It is absolutely Lace from the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection at the Lynn Mecklenburg Textile Gallery (part of the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology). Not only is it gorgeously designed and curated, but I was asked to provide two laceworks made by my grandmother, Kateri Johnson and her mother Theresia Hill—both Bear Clan Oneida women. My grandmother taught me how to bead, quill, sew, tuft, weave and the importance of them. But neither she, nor her mother, would have ever considered themselves artists or expected to see their works in a gallery. This felt so special. I knew the pieces would be safe and respected there since I had viewed Dakota Mace's (Diné) and Kendra Greendeer's (Ho Chunk, Ojibwe) Intersections: Indigenous Textiles of the Americas in the same gallery two years prior. I'm so grateful there are faculty, staff and students at the UW-Madison committed to telling the stories and histories of Indigenous lacemaking and art. Getting these pieces back will be so surreal. Also I hope they can be viewed by others in the future.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 28, 2022, 05:50:43 pm
May 2022: papercut work from Nibiiwakamigkwe – Collateral Damage Project
https://www.collateraldamageproject.com/Artists-Galleries/Nibiiwakamigkwe/ (https://www.collateraldamageproject.com/Artists-Galleries/Nibiiwakamigkwe/)

Quote
I, and all my matrilineal ancestors before me, sit in the…bear clan of the...Oneida Nation, part of the Haudenosaunee//Iroquois Confederacy. Our role has always been that of medicine carriers and protectors of the people. Traditional Haudenosaunee tattooing practices carry medicine both physically and spiritually, and our connections to place, community, and our own identities are held within these lines.

In creating...a resting place, it was important that the piece exist on both sides of pre- and post-contact. Haudenosaunee chest tattoos depict the land the wearer comes from. After the suicide of several of my cousins, this design does not currently have a young male family member to carry it. But, this piece can still be worn as a yoke over the chest; emblematic of contemporary Oneida regalia, but only composed from pre-contact materials. It is a reminder to keep our hearts wrapped in leather for protection, and remember where we come from.

As someone with c-PTSD, descended from Native ancestors with similar trauma, these pieces combined acknowledge permanence and impermanence of mental states across families and culture.

To summarize, KL claims:
- Their Bear Clan Oneida grandmother is Kateri Johnson.
          - Kateri Johnson had lace made by her mother, Theresia Hill, in her sewing box.
          - Kateri Johnson taught KL how to bead, quill, sew, tuft, weave and the importance of them.
- Their Bear Clan Oneida great grandmother is Theresia Hill.
          - Theresia Hill was born in upstate New York.
          - Theresia Hill learned lace making at what “she described as a girls Catholic finishing school” and made lace for 50 years. She
             taught her daughters to make lace.
          - Theresia Hill had 10 children.
- KL's Oneida ancestors lived in New York until “about the Great Depression” when they moved to Wisconsin to farm.
- KL's family has a Haudenosaunee chest tattoo design that does not currently have a young male family member to carry it after the
   suicide of several of KL’s male cousins.

I looked at Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson’s maternal AND paternal family's genealogy. Related to the claims above, this is what I found:

- KL’s maternal grandmother was Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson, NOT Kateri Johnson.
          - Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson’s paternal AND maternal grandparents were all born in Germany and immigrated to the United
             States between the years 1874-1887.

- KL’s great-grandmother and Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson’s mother was Theresa (Hastreiter) Ortlieb, NOT Theresia Hill.
          - Theresa (Hastreiter) Ortlieb was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin in 1904.
          - I can find no record of her living in New York before or during the Great Depression.
- KL’s great-great-grandmother, Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson’s grandmother, and Theresa (Hastreiter) Ortlieb’s mother was Theresia
  (Reitmeier) Hastreiter, NOT Theresia Hill.
          - Theresia (Reitmeier) Hastreiter arrived in Baltimore, Maryland from Germany on April 20, 1887, with her fiancée, Joseph
             Hastreiter.
          - The couple were married 10 days later, on April 30, 1887, in Medford, Wisconsin.
          - I can find no record of her living in New York before or during the Great Depression.

Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson's maternal and paternal grandparents were all born in Germany, were listed as "white" on every census, birth certificate, and death certificate, AND did not live with/near the tribes claimed.

In my opinion, based on publicly available information, Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson could not be the source of nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire/ Kathryn Le Claire’s claims of Oneida, Anishinaabe, Metis, or Cuban ancestry. It directly calls into question her Oneida claims based on the specificity of her statements. To "sit in the Bear Clan of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York" KL would need their mother, maternal grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandma to be Oneida. At this point in time, the documentation indicates they were German. Now I am looking at KL's  genealogy through their paternal grandparents and maternal grandfather for Cuban, Anishinaabe (Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa), and Metis ancestry which would prove their claims. Despite KL's  statements tying their Oneida ancestry to their maternal grandmother, I will continue to look for an Oneida connection with their paternal grandparents and maternal grandfather.

The supporting documentation exceeded the character limit for a single post. It will be posted separately.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 28, 2022, 06:17:02 pm
Mother
Carol Ann Johnson
B: xx/xx/xxxx
Married: Brian John Le Claire

Maternal Grandmother
Kathleen Marie Ortlieb

B: 23 Jul 1933 - Dorchester, Clark, Wisconsin, USA
D: 23 Jan 2013 - Port Orange, Volusia, Florida, USA
Married: Donald Louis Johnson
Obituary: https://www.heritageflagler.com/obituaries/Kathleen-Marie-Johnson/#!/Obituary

Parents of Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson
Rudolph Oscar Ortlieb
B: 17 Sep 1896 - Wisconsin, USA
D: 1 Jun 1988 - Clark County, Wisconsin, USA
Theresa Hastreiter
B: 19 Jun 1904 - Marshfield, Wood, Wisconsin, USA
D: 25 May 1977 - Marshfield, Wood, Wisconsin, USA

Maternal Grandparents of Kathleen Marie Ortlieb
Joseph Hastreiter (Immigrated in 1887)
B: 16 Feb 1862 Germany
D: 16 Jun 1937 Marshfield, Wood, Wisconsin, USA
Theresia Reitmeier (Immigrated in 1887)
B: 28 Oct 1865 Germany
D: 20 Dec 1941 Wood County, Wisconsin, USA

Paternal Grandparents of Kathleen Marie Ortlieb
Gottlob Ortlieb (Immigrated in 1884)
B: 26 Nov 1846 - Germany
D: 21 Jun 1917 - Clark, Wisconsin, USA
Johanne Friederike (Frieda) Wilhelmine Schauland (Immigrated in 1874)
B: 19 Apr 1864 - Fergitz, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
D: 18 Mar 1936 - Dorchester, Clark, Wisconsin, USA

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: KATHLEEN MARIE (ORTLIEB) JOHNSON: 1933-2013

Obituary
Connects Kathryn Le Claire to their parents, Brian Le Claire and Carol (Johnson) Le Claire and Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson
https://www.heritageflagler.com/obituaries/Kathleen-Marie-Johnson/#!/Obituary (https://www.heritageflagler.com/obituaries/Kathleen-Marie-Johnson/#!/Obituary)

Missouri, U.S., Marriage Records, 1805-2002
Name        Kathleen Marie Ortlieb
Race        White
Age           21
Birth Date        23 Jul 1933
Marriage Date     10 Jun 1955
Marriage Place     Overland, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Spouse        Donald Louis Johnson

1950 United States Federal Census
Name            Kathleen Ortlieb
Age                    16
Birth Date         1934
Gender         Female
Race            White
Birth Place         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Never Married (Single)
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Residence Date      1950
Home in 1950         Dorchester, Clark, Wisconsin, USA
Household Members (Name, Age)
Rudolph J Ortlieb   53
Theresa Ortlieb   45

Jerome Ortlieb   21
Donald Ortlieb      20
Kathleen Ortlieb   16
James Ortlieb      15
Jeann Ortlieb      12
John Ortlieb      10
Shirley Ann Ortlieb   Mar

1940 United States Federal Census
Name            Kathleen M Ortlieb
Age            6
Gender         Female
Race            White
Birthplace         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Single
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Home in 1940         Dorchester, Clark, Wisconsin
Household Members (Name, Age)
Rudolph O Ortlieb   43
Theresa Ortlieb   35

Bernice Pencek   20
Eugene R Ortlieb   14
Jerome A Ortlieb   11
Donald J Ortlieb   10
Kathleen M Ortlieb   6
James H Ortlieb   5
Joan Ortlieb      2
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 28, 2022, 11:41:59 pm
MATERNAL GRANDFATHER OF KATHLEEN MARIE (ORTLIEB) JOHNSON
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: JOSEPH HASTREITER (1862-1937)

1930 United States Federal Census
Name            Joseph Hastreiter
Birth Year         1862
Gender         Male
Race            White
Age in 1930         68
Birthplace         Germany
Marital Status         Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Home in 1930         Marshfield, Wood, Wisconsin, USA
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Immigration Year      1880
Naturalization         Naturalized
Household Members (Name, Age)
Joseph Hastreiter   68
Theresa Hastreiter   64

Frank Hastreiter      19

*Joseph Hastreiter entered the United States in 1880, but returned to Germany when his father died two years later. He returned in 1887 with his fiancée. They arrived in Baltimore, Maryland on April 20, 1887 and were married in Medford, Wisconsin 10 days later on April 30, 1887. Source: Joseph Hastreiter's Obituary

1920 United States Federal Census
Name            Joseph Hastreiter
Age            58
Birth Year         1862
Birthplace         Pennsylvania*
Home in 1920         Colby, Marathon, Wisconsin
Residence Date      1920
Race            White
Gender         Male
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Joseph Hastreiter   58
Theresa Hastreiter   54

Theresa Hastreiter   15
John Hastreiter   14
Barbara Hastreiter   11
Francis Hastreiter   9

*Joseph Hastreiter’s birthplace documented as “Pennsylvania” on the 1920 census is inconsistent with other available records. It is not a transcription error, and the actual census does read “Pennsylvania.” I can’t speak to why, but I can’t find any other record that corroborates it. On the contrary, all other records directly refute it with Joseph Hastreiter's birthplace always listed as “Germany.”

1910 United States Federal Census
Name            Joseph J Hastreiter
Age in 1910         48
Birth Date         1862
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1910         Woodside, Otter Tail, Minnesota, USA
Race            White
Gender         Male
Immigration Year      1887
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Married
Spouse's Name      Theresa Hastreiter
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Joseph J Hastreiter   48
Theresa Hastreiter   44

Louis Hastreiter   19
Mary Hastreiter   17
Micheal Hastreiter   16
Tony Hastreiter   10
Theresa Hastreiter   6
John Hastreiter   3
Barbara Hastreiter   1

1900 United States Federal Census
Name            Joseph Hastreiter
Age            38
Birth Date         Feb 1862
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1900         Marshfield, Wood, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Male
Immigration Year      1887
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Years in US         13
Household Members (Name, Age)
Joseph Hastreiter      38
Theresea Hastreiter      35

Joseph Hastreiter      11
Alvis Hastreiter      10
Mary Hastreiter      6
Mihy Hastreiter      4
Anton Hastreiter      5/12

Wisconsin, U.S., Marriage Records, 1820-2004
Name         Josef Hastreiter
Marriage Date      30 Apr 1887
Marriage County   Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Spouse         Theresia Reitmeier

Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., Passenger Lists, 1820-1964
Name         Josef Hastreiter
Gender      Male
Race         Batavian
Age         25
Birth Date      1862
Port of Departure   Bremen, Germany
Arrival Date      20 Apr 1887
Port of Arrival      Baltimore, Maryland

Ship Name      Koln
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: cellophane on November 29, 2022, 01:37:19 am
Is the link certain between Kathryn Le Claire (the person in question) and the parents you have the genealogy for (Carol Ann Johnson and Brian John Le Claire)? Is there a chance that Carol and Brian's child Kathryn Le Claire is someone else with the same name?
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 03:01:43 am
Is the link certain between Kathryn Le Claire (the person in question) and the parents you have the genealogy for (Carol Ann Johnson and Brian John Le Claire)? Is there a chance that Carol and Brian's child Kathryn Le Claire is someone else with the same name?

That's a great question, cellophane. All I had was the name "nibiiwakamigkwe" to start. I was able to connect nibiiwakamigkwe to the name "Kay LeClaire" here: https://ourliveswisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/OL80.pdf

From there, I was able to use the University of Wisconsin Directory to find this information:
Quote
Directory Search Result

Name Kay LeClaire
Also known as: KATHRYN E LE CLAIRE

E-mail
xxxxxxxxxx@wisc.edu

Title
Comm Leadership in Residence

Division
SCHOOL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY

Department
EXHIBITS & COLLECTIONS

Unit
HELEN L ALLEN TEXTILE COLLECTION

Mailing address
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Madison, WI xxxxx

The directory information matches with nibiiwakamigkwe being the Community Leader in Residence with the University of Wisconsin School of Human Ecology. It appears they removed the space in "Le Claire" and began using "LeClaire" at some point.

I was able to find a social media profile under the name "Kay LeClaire" that had the same pictures of themselves posted as a  "nibiiwakamigkwe" account on another social media platform. The "Kay LeClaire" account had pictures "liked" by a relative listed in the obituaries of Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson and Donald Louis Johnson. I have screenshots of this should it disappear.

It is highly coincidental that nibiiwakamigkwe claimed her maternal grandmother, Kateri Johnson, and maternal great-grandmother, Theresia Hill made the lace they placed in an exhibit. Kathryn Le Claire's grandmother is Kathleen (Ortleib) Johnson and their great-grandmother is Theresa (Hastreiter) Ortleib and their great-great-grandmother is Theresia (Reitmeier) Hastreiter.

The biggest connector was a family genealogy site run by a relative of Kathryn Le Claire. The person that runs the website has spent quite a bit of time compiling information. Honestly, it's impressive. It has pictures from KL's wedding which are different poses, but match the people in photos on the other social media accounts connected to Kay LeClaire. The family genealogy website lists Kathryn Le Claire's parents as Brian and Carol. It also lists their husband. It is possible to verify through social media that same husband listed on the genealogy site is married to nibiiwakamigkwe. I was also able to verify that nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire's husband, AP, graduated from Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin, just like Kathryn Le Claire. I am not going to link the site as it has birthdates for living people. I will provide it to a moderator for verification, if requested.

I hope someone else will look into it independently and confirm the match between nibiiwakamigkwe > Kay LeClaire > Kathryn Le Claire and that Kathryn Le Claire is the daughter of Brian and Carol (Johnson) Le Claire. In my opinion, based on publicly available information, it's a match, and only question it due to the amount of physical change (light hair/eyebrows to dark hair/eyebrows, darker skin tone), but mostly because of what being right means. In my opinion, it would be on the level of Jessica Krug and C.V. Vitolo Haddad who had connections to the University of Wisconsin, as well. Whenever I come across something KL wrote, like this: https://web.archive.org/web/20211206050046/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/center-the-movement-not-you/ , I go back through everything, because it just seems too crazy to be true.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 03:25:42 am
MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF KATHLEEN MARIE (ORTLIEB) JOHNSON
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: THERESIA REITMEIER (1865-1941)

1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Theresa Hastreiter
Birth Year         1866
Gender         Female
Race            White
Age in 1930         64
Birthplace         Germany
Marital Status         Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1930         Marshfield, Wood, Wisconsin, USA
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany
Language Spoken      German
Immigration Year      1880*

Household Members (Name, Age)
Joseph Hastreiter   68
Theresa Hastreiter   64
Frank Hastreiter   19

*Per Joseph Hastreiter’s obituary, he briefly immigrated to Wisconsin in 1880. He returned to Germany after 2 years due to the death of his father. He returned in 1887 with his fiancée which is consistent with all other documentation for Theresia Reitmeier. It is most likely that Joseph Hastreiter’s initial immigration year was provided to the census taker and erroneously applied to Theresia, as well.

1920 United States Federal Census
Name            Theresa Hastreiter
Age            54
Birth Year         1866
Birthplace         Austria*
Home in 1920         Colby, Marathon, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Female
Immigration Year      1887
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Austria*
Mother's Birthplace      Austria*

Household Members (Name, Age)
Joseph Hastreiter   58
Theresa Hastreiter   54
Theresa Hastreiter   15

John Hastreiter   14
Barbara Hastreiter   11
Francis Hastreiter   9

*Theresia Reitmeier Hastreiter and her parent’s birthplaces all documented as “Austria” on the 1920 census is inconsistent with other available records. It is not a transcription error, and the actual census does read “Austria.” I can’t speak to why, but I can’t find any other record that corroborates it. On the contrary, all other records directly refute it with Theresia Reitmeier Hastreiter and her parent’s birthplaces always listed as “Germany.”

1910 United States Federal Census
Name            Theresa Hastreiter
Age in 1910         44
Birth Date         1866
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1910         Woodside, Otter Tail, Minnesota, USA
Race            White
Gender         Female
Immigration Year      1887
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Joseph J Hastreiter   48
Theresa Hastreiter   44

Louis Hastreiter   19
Mary Hastreiter   17
Michael Hastreiter   16
Tony Hastreiter   10
Theresa Hastreiter   6
John Hastreiter   3
Barbara Hastreiter   1

1900 United States Federal Census
Name            Theresa Hastreiter
Age            35
Birth Date         Oct 1864
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1900         Marshfield, Wood, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Female
Immigration Year      1887
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany
Years in US         13

Household Members (Name, Age)
Joseph Hastreiter   38
Theresa Hastreiter   35

Joseph Hastreiter   11
Alvis Hastreiter   10
Mary Hastreiter   6
Mihy Hastreiter   4
Anton Hastreiter   5/12

Wisconsin, U.S., Marriage Records, 1820-2004
Name         Theresia Reitmeier
Marriage Date      30 Apr 1887
Marriage County   Wisconsin, USA
Spouse         Josef Hastreiter

Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., Passenger Lists, 1820-1964
Name      Terese Reitmeyer
Gender      Female
Race         Batavian
Age         21
Birth Date      1866
Port of Departure   Bremen, Germany
Arrival Date      20 Apr 1887
Port of Arrival      Baltimore, Maryland

Ship Name      Koln
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 03:46:18 am
PATERNAL GRANDFATHER OF KATHLEEN MARIE (ORTLIEB) JOHNSON
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: GOTTLIEB ORTLIEB (1846-1917)

1910 United States Federal Census
Name            Gottlieb Ortlieb
Age in 1910         63
Birth Date         1847
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1910         Mayville, Clark, Wisconsin, USA
Race            White
Gender         Male
Immigration Year      1884
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Gottlieb Ortlieb   63
Frederica Ortlieb   45

Bertha Ortlieb      18
Selma Ortlieb      15
Rudolph Ortlieb   13
Albert Ortlieb      11
Amanda Ortlieb   7

1900 United States Federal Census
Name            Gottlob Ortlieb
Age            54
Birth Date         May 1846
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1900         Mayville, Clark, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Male
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Years in US         16
Household Members (Name, Age)
Gottlob Ortlieb   54
Frieda Ortlieb      36

William Ortlieb   14
Emma Ortlieb      12
Herman Ortlieb   11
Ida Ortlieb      9
Bertha Ortlieb      8
Selma Ortlieb      5
Rudolph Ortlieb   3
Albert Ortlieb      1

1895 - Wisconsin, U.S., State Censuses, 1855-1905
Name         Gottlieb Ortlieb
Residence Date   1895
Residence Place   Mayville, Clark, Wisconsin, USA
Relationship      Head

New York Port, Ship Images, 1851-1891
Name         Gottlieb Ortlieb
Arrival Date      5 Apr 1884
Age         37
Gender      Male
Port of Departure   Bremen, Germany
Ship route      Bremen-Southampton-NY
Port of Arrival      New York, United States
Ship Name      Elbe
Ship built      1881
Shipping Line      North German Lloyd
Ship tonnage      4,897 tons; 418' x 44'
Ship description   4 masts, 2 funnels

PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF KATHLEEN MARIE (ORTLIEB) JOHNSON
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: JOHANNE FRIEDERIKE (FRIEDA) WILHELMINE SCHAULAND

1920 United States Federal Census
Name            Frieda Ortlieb
Age            55
Birth Year         1865
Birthplace         Wisconsin*
Home in 1920         Mayville, Clark, Wisconsin
Residence Date      1920
Race            White
Gender         Female
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Widowed
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Frieda Ortlieb      55
Herman Hingis      30
Rudolph Ortlieb   23
Albert Ortlieb      21
Amanda Ortlieb   17

*While Frieda (Schauland) Ortlieb is listed as being born in Wisconsin on several censuses, there are multiple types of records that indicate she was born in Germany, baptized in Germany, and immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1874. I can’t speak to the cause of the discrepancy but put more weight towards the records indicating she was born in Germany. It doesn’t change the outcome of this analysis for nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire whether Frieda (Schauland) Ortlieb was born in Wisconsin or Germany. It is clear Frieda’s parents were born in Germany.

1910 United States Federal Census
Name            Frederica Ortlieb
Age in 1910         45
Birth Date         1865
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1910         Mayville, Clark, Wisconsin, USA
Race            White
Gender         Female
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Marital Status         Married
Spouse's Name      Gottlieb Ortlieb
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Gottlieb Ortlieb   63
Frederica Ortlieb   45

Bertha Ortlieb      18
Selma Ortlieb      15
Rudolph Ortlieb   13
Albert Ortlieb      11
Amanda Ortlieb   7

1900 United States Federal Census
Name            Frieda Ortlieb
Age            36
Birth Date         Apr 1864
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1900         Mayville, Clark, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Female
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Op Ortlieb      54
Frieda Ortlieb      36

William Ortlieb   14
Emma Ortlieb      12
Herman Ortlieb   11
Ida Ortlieb      9
Bertha Ortlieb      8
Selma Ortlieb      5
Rudolph Ortlieb   3
Albert Ortlieb      1

New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957
Name            Frieda Schauland

Gender         Female
Ethnicity/ Nationality      German
Age            9
Birth Date         1864
Place of Origin      Germany
Departure Port      Liverpool, England and Queenstown, Ireland
Destination         USA
Arrival Date         3 Nov 1873
Arrival Port         New York, New York, USA
Ship Name         Batavia

Germany, Prussia, Brandenburg and Posen, Select Church Book Duplicates, 1794-1874
Name         Johanne Friederike Wilhelmine Schauland
Gender      Female
Religion      Evangelische
Birth Date      19. Apr 1864 (19 Apr 1864)
Baptism Date      8. Mai 1864 (8 May 1864)
Baptism Place      Fergitz, Fergitz, Templin, Brandenburg, Germany
Baptism Age      0
Father         Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Schauland
Mother      Justine Christine Spann

Volume Year Range   1027, 1850-1874
Page         49
FHL Film Number   1334772

Brandenburg, Germany, Transcripts of Church Records, 1700-1874
Name         Johanne Friederike Wilhelmine Schauland
Birth Date      19. Apr 1864 (19 Apr 1864)
Birth Place      Fergitz, Brandenburg, Preußen (Germany)
Event Type      Geburt (Birth)
Father Name      Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Schauland
Mother Name      Justine Christine Spann

Volume Number   1027
Collection Number   5
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: cellophane on November 29, 2022, 04:11:49 am
That's quite solid, thanks.

It's really striking for someone to ease into a new identity out of nothing (no vague rumors of Indian ancestry or such), and have it be so elaborate and all-consuming, in such a short time.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: cellophane on November 29, 2022, 04:44:49 am
4Ground Festival Connects People, Land, and Histories
https://www.artsmidwest.org/news/2022/06-13/4ground-festival-connects-people-land-and-histories

Throat-singing with Taiquaa//Ambe Omaa – ayaga//babaami-ayaa (to travel around)
Quote
Nibiiwakamigkwe, meanwhile, is Oneida, a descendent of the Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Ojibwe, and registered with the Manitoba Métis Federation. Those tribes don’t have throat singing as part of their heritage, but nibiiwakamigkwe began learning the skill about 10 years ago, when they attended their cousin’s wedding and throat singing was a part of the festivities.

Is Kathryn really registered with them? Does the Federation require proof? nipinet, the other person claiming indigenous affiliation in Giige, is, in their bio (https://www.giige.co/gigiigemin), "a citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation and a direct descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa."

Did she have a cousin who married into an Inuit family?
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: cellophane on November 29, 2022, 05:26:53 am
(she -> they).

nipinet themselves seem to be the same as Ned Pines, whose background and work history (in particular Thistle Studios) match those of Ned Landsem's LinkedIn profile (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ned-landsem-27a0809b). The pictures on Giige and LinkedIn could be the same person. Ned Landsem's job history (barista, writing tutor at Marquette) matches info (https://www.zoominfo.com/p/Rachel-Landsem/-1771518857) for Rachel Landsem. I also see recent references to nipinet Landsem. Rachel Landsem appears in some high school related news items from Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: cellophane on November 29, 2022, 07:02:35 am
Rachel Landsem was born in 1994 (graduated high school in 2012). I think their mother is Stephanie Landsem, a writer of Christian fiction. That is based on the following: Stephanie wrote in her website:
https://stephanielandsem.com/review-and-giveaway-clouds-a-memoir/

that she'd met fellow writer Laura Sobiech when Laura was pregnant with her son Zach, and when Stephanie's oldest daughter, Rachel, was one year old. Zach Sobiech (who died tragically at a young age) was born in May of 1995. That would put this Rachel's birth year in 1994 as well. Rachel Landsem graduated from St Croix Catholic Middle School in Minnesota in 2008. Bruce and Stephanie Landsem donated (https://www.stcroixcatholic.org/Development/Legacy%20Newsletter/157772_StCroixCatholicSchool_SummerLegacyNL.pdf) to St. Croix in 2015, as did Bruce's parents, Norman and Juanita Landsem.
Stephanie Landsem was born to William Wetzel and Jeannette Reardon, and appears (with Bruce) in Willianm Wetzel's obituary:
https://www.lemleychapel.com/memorials/william-red-wetzel-2/

From Norman and Juanita's marriage record, Juanita Landsem was born Juanita Mae Jeanotte. She and her parents, Leo and Josephine Jeanotte, are all listed as Indian in the 1940 census. Both parents were born in Belcourt, North Dakota, home of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa.

To sum: nipinet, Kathryn Le Claire's associate, is apparently indeed one-quarter Turtle Mountain Chippewa.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 01:53:38 pm
4Ground Festival Connects People, Land, and Histories
https://www.artsmidwest.org/news/2022/06-13/4ground-festival-connects-people-land-and-histories

Throat-singing with Taiquaa//Ambe Omaa – ayaga//babaami-ayaa (to travel around)
Quote
Nibiiwakamigkwe, meanwhile, is Oneida, a descendent of the Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Ojibwe, and registered with the Manitoba Métis Federation. Those tribes don’t have throat singing as part of their heritage, but nibiiwakamigkwe began learning the skill about 10 years ago, when they attended their cousin’s wedding and throat singing was a part of the festivities.

Is Kathryn really registered with them? Does the Federation require proof? nipinet, the other person claiming indigenous affiliation in Giige, is, in their bio (https://www.giige.co/gigiigemin), "a citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation and a direct descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa."

Did she have a cousin who married into an Inuit family?

Nipinet is a Turtle Mountain Chippewa descendant. KL has genuinely Indigenous people around her. Sometimes all it takes is one person to give you legitimacy and others follow...then when the red flags pop up it's hard to question the person. Especially when your work is interwined with them.

I hadn't seen that article. KL claiming to be "registered" with the Manitoba Metis Foundation? From what I've found, I don't think that would be possible. Her dad's Le Claire family is French Canadian. There is some difficulty tracing them back further than Chicago in the 1860s. The family member that runs the genealogy website seems to have worked on it fairly extensively. No suggestion of Metis ancestry. I'm going to work on getting the rest of the genealogy posted. Then I have some timelines that are really interesting.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 02:22:21 pm
Kathryn Le Claire’s maternal grandfather was Donald Louis Johnson. Donald Louis Johnson was a descendant of German and Swedish immigrants to the United States. Based on publicly available information, in my opinion, it is possible to rule out KL’s mother, Carol (Johnson) Le Claire as the source of KL’s clamed Cuban, Oneida, Anishinaabe (Leech Lake), and Metis ancestry. That means it would all need to come from KL’s father, Brian John Le Claire.

Maternal Grandfather
Donald Louis Johnson
B: 28 May 1929 - Medford, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
D: 22 Dec 2020 - Ormond Beach, Volusia, Florida, USA
Married: Kathleen Marie Ortlieb
Obituary: https://baldwincremation.com/obituaries/donald-johnson/

Parents of Donald Louis Johnson
Kearney Luther Johnson

B: 11 Jan 1905 Kane County, Illinois, USA
D: 13 Aug 1964 Medford, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Sophia Mathilda Sperl
B: 30 Apr 1908 Kennan, Price, Wisconsin, USA
D: 14 Jul 1988 Medford, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA

Paternal Grandparents of Donald Louis Johnson
Gustav Johnson

B: 15 Jul 1871 - Indiana, USA
D: 11 Jan 1957 - Madison, Dane, Wisconsin, USA
Angie Sonnenfroh
B: 6 Feb 1882 - Germany
D: 17 Jun 1942 - Waupaca County, Wisconsin, USA

Maternal Grandparents of Donald Louis Johnson
Louis Sperl
B: 1866 Germany
D: 25 Jun 1943 Taylor County, Wisconsin, USA
Sophia Glockner
B: 1872 Germany
D: 16 Jul 1940 Taylor County, Wisconsin, USA


SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: DONALD LOUIS JOHNSON (1929-2020)

Obituary: https://baldwincremation.com/obituaries/donald-johnson/ (https://baldwincremation.com/obituaries/donald-johnson/)
Obituary links Donald Louis Johnson to Carol (Johnson) Le Claire and Kathryn Le Claire.

Missouri, U.S., Marriage Records, 1805-2002
Name         Donald Louis Johnson
Race         White

Age         26
Birth Date      28 May 1929
Marriage Date      10 Jun 1955
Marriage Place    Overland, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Spouse         Kathleen Marie Ortlieb

1950 United States Federal Census
Name             Donald Johnson
Age            20
Birth Date         1930
Gender         Male
Race            White
Birth Place         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Never Married (Single)
Relation to Head of House   Son
Residence Date      1950
Home in 1950         Medford, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Household Members (Name, Age)
Kearney Johnson   45
Sophie Johnson   40

Raymond Johnson   22
Donald Johnson   20
Gerald Johnson   17
La Verne Johnson   12
Bonita Johnson   9
Barbara Johnson   7
David Johnson      4

1940 United States Federal Census
Name            Donald Johnson
Age            10
Estimated Birth Year      1930
Gender         Male
Race            White
Birthplace         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Single
Relation to Head of House   Son
Home in 1940         Merrill, Lincoln, Wisconsin
Household Members (Name, Age)
Kernie G Johnson   35
Sophine Johnson   31

Raymond Johnson   12
Donald Johnson   10
Jarold Johnson      7
Lavern Johnson   2

1930 United States Federal Census
Name            Donald Johnson
Birth Year         1930
Gender         Male
Race            White
Age in 1930         0
Birthplace         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Single
Relation to Head of House   Son
Home in 1930         Little Black, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Father's Birthplace      Illinois
Mother's Birthplace      Wisconsin
Household Members (Name, Age)
Kearney Johnson   25
Sofie Johnson      22

Raymond Johnson   2
Donald Johnson   0
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 02:54:45 pm
FATHER OF DONALD LOUIS JOHNSON
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: KEARNEY LUTHER JOHNSON (1905-1964)


1950 United States Federal Census
Name   Kearney Johnson
Age   45
Birth Date   1905
Gender   Male
Race   White
Birth Place   Illinois
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Residence Date   1950
Home in 1950   Medford, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Household members
Kearney Johnson   45
Sophie Johnson   40

Raymond Johnson   22
Donald Johnson   20
Gerald Johnson   17
La Verne Johnson   12
Bonita Johnson   9
Barbara Johnson   7
David Johnson   4

1940 United States Federal Census
Name   Kernie G Johnson
Respondent   Yes
Age   35
Estimated Birth Year   1905
Gender   Male
Race   White
Birthplace   Illinois

Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Home in 1940   Merrill, Lincoln, Wisconsin
Map of Home in 1940    Merrill,Lincoln,Wisconsin
Inferred Residence in 1935   Merrill, Lincoln, Wisconsin
Residence in 1935   Merrill, Arora, Illinois
Household members
Kernie G Johnson   35
Sophine Johnson   31

Raymond Johnson   12
Donald Johnson   10
Jarold Johnson   7
Lavern Johnson   2

1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Kearney Johnson
Birth Year   1905
Gender   Male
Race   White
Age in 1930   25
Birthplace   Illinois
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Home in 1930   Little Black, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Map of Home   Little Black,Taylor,Wisconsin
Father's Birthplace   Illinois
Mother's Birthplace   Germany

Household members
Kearney Johnson   25
Sofie Johnson   22

Raymond Johnson   2
Donald Johnson   0

1920 United States Federal Census
Name            Kearney Johnson
Age            14
Birth Year         1906
Birthplace         Illinois
Home in 1920         Chelsea, Taylor, Wisconsin
Residence Date      1920
Race            White
Gender         Male
Relation to Head of House   Son
Marital Status         Single
Father's Birthplace      Indiana
Mother's Birthplace      Württemberg

Household Members (Name, Age)
Gustav Johnson      47
Angeline Johnson      36

Theodore W Johnson      17
Kearney Johnson      14

U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
Name         Kearney Luther Johnson
Gender      Male
Race         White
Age         35
Birth Date      11 Jan 1905
Birth Place      Illinois
Residence Place   Merrill, Lincoln, Wisconsin, USA
Registration Date   16 Oct 1940
Registration Place   Merrill, Lincoln County, Wisconsin, USA
Complexion      Light
Hair Color      Brown
Eye Color      Blue
Next of Kin      Mrs. Sophie Johnson

Wisconsin, U.S., Marriage Records, 1820-2004
Name         Kearney L Johnson
Marriage Date      3 May 1927
Marriage County   Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Spouse         Sophie Sperl
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 07:02:07 pm
Compiling genealogy records for posting from my genealogy software takes a considerable amount of work. I wanted to be thorough with KL's matrilineal descent as it directly relates to their most specific claims. The mother of Donald Louis Johnson was clearly born to German immigrant parents. I will not be posting the records for Louis Sperl or Sophie Glockner, unless requested. What you will find below is consistent evidence that Donald Louis Johnson was born to a mother of German ancestry. I did complete the genealogy through Louis Sperl and Sophie Glockner. All evidence points to both being born in Germany.

MOTHER OF DONALD LOUIS JOHNSON
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: SOPHIA MATHILDA SPERL (1908-1988)

1950 United States Federal Census
Name   Sophie Johnson
Age   40
Birth Date   1910
Gender   Female
Race   White
Birth Place   Wisconsin

Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Residence Date   1950
Home in 1950   Medford, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Household members
Kearney Johnson   45
Sophie Johnson   40

Raymond Johnson   22
Donald Johnson   20
Gerald Johnson   17
La Verne Johnson   12
Bonita Johnson   9
Barbara Johnson   7
David Johnson   4

1940 United States Federal Census
Name   Sophie Johnson
Age   31
Estimated Birth Year   1909
Gender   Female
Race   White
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1940   Merrill, Lincoln, Wisconsin
Inferred Residence in 1935   Merrill, Lincoln, Wisconsin
Residence in 1935   Merrill
Household members
Kernie G Johnson   35
Sophie Johnson   31

Raymond Johnson   12
Donald Johnson   10
Jarold Johnson     7
Lavern Johnson   2

1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Sofie Johnson
Birth Year   1908
Gender   Female
Race   White
Age in 1930   22
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1930   Little Black, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Father's Birthplace   Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Germany

Household members
Kearney Johnson   25
Sofie Johnson   22

Raymond Johnson   2
Donald Johnson   0

1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Sophia Sperl
Age   11
Birth Year   1909
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Home in 1920   Lincoln, Wood, Wisconsin
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Female
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Marital Status   Single
Father's Birthplace   Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Germany

Household members
Louis Sperl   52
Sophia Sperl   47

Mary Sperl   24
Ludwig J Sperl   20
Sophia Sperl   11

1910 United States Federal Census
Name            Sophia Sperl
Age in 1910         2
Birth Date         1908
Birthplace         Wisconsin
Home in 1910         Kennan, Price, Wisconsin, USA
Race            White
Gender         Female
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Marital Status         Single
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Louis Sperl      43
Sophia Sperl      37

Mary Sperl      14
Louis Sperl      10
Sophia Sperl      2

Wisconsin, U.S., Birth Records, 1812-1921
Name         Sophia Mathilda Sperl
Birth Date      30 Apr 1908
Birth County      Price, Wisconsin, USA
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 07:26:43 pm
Based on publicly available information, in my opinion, the grandfather of Donald Louis Johnson was the child of Swedish immigrants. I was unable to definitively identify his father and mother's maiden name. He was married in a Swedish American church. He consistently stated that his parents were born in Sweden.

GRANDFATHER OF DONALD LOUIS JOHNSON
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: GUSTAV JOHNSON (1871-1957)


1940 United States Federal Census
Name   Gust Johnson
Respondent   Yes
Age   68
Estimated Birth Year   1872
Gender   Male
Race   White
Birthplace   Indiana
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Home in 1940   Chelsea, Taylor, Wisconsin
Household members
Gust Johnson   68
Annie Johnson   58

Theodore Johnson   58
Nallie Johnson   25

1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Gustav Johnson
Birth Year   1872
Gender   Male
Race   White
Age in 1930   58
Birthplace   Indiana
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Home in 1930   Chelsea, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Map of Home   Chelsea,Taylor,Wisconsin
Father's Birthplace   Sweden
Mother's Birthplace   Sweden

Household members
Gustav Johnson   58
Angela Johnson   48

Theodore Johnson   28
Hazel Johnson   16

1920 United States Federal Census
Name            Gustav Johnson
Age            47
Birth Year         1873
Birthplace         Indiana
Home in 1920         Chelsea, Taylor, Wisconsin
Residence Date      1920
Race            White
Gender         Male
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Sweden
Mother's Birthplace      Sweden

Household Members (Name, Age)
Gustav Johnson   47
Angeline Johnson   36
Theodore W Johnson   17
Kearney Johnson   14

1900 United States Federal Census
Name            Gustave Johnson
Age            28
Birth Date         Jul 1871
Birthplace         Illinois, USA
Home in 1900         Cicero, Cook, Illinois
Race            White
Gender         Male
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Single
Father's Birthplace      Sweden
Mother's Birthplace      Sweden

Household Members (Name, Age)
Annie Johnson   68
August Johnson   36
Gustave Johnson   28
Edward Johnson   21

Illinois, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1800-1940
Name         Gus Johnson
Gender      Male
Age         29
Birth Year      1872
Marriage Date      20 Feb 1901
Marriage Place   Kane, Illinois, USA
Father         S P Johnson
Mother      Johnson
Spouse         Angie Sonnenfroh


U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947
Name   Gus Johnson
Gender   Male
Event Type   Marriage
Marriage Date   20 Feb 1901
Marriage Place   Aurora, Kane, Illinois, USA
Church   Grace Lutheran Church
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 29, 2022, 08:24:45 pm
Based on publicly available information, in my opinion, the grandmother of Donald Louis Johnson, Angie Sonnenfroh, was born in Germany. Her parents were John/Johann Leonhard Sonnenfroh and her mother was Angelika Kroner. I will not be posting their information, unless requested.

I have now provided supporting documentation to show that, in my opinion, nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire’s maternal family all trace back to Europe; predominantly, Germany.

After this post, I will begin posting KL’s paternal genealogy to look for Cuban, Anishinaabe (Leech Lake), and Metis. While KL’s Oneida claim has been directly refuted due to the specificity of her claims, I will continue to look for it within KL’s paternal genealogy.

GRANDMOTHER OF DONALD LOUIS JOHNSON
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: ANGIE SONNENFROH (1882-1942)

1940 United States Federal Census
Name   Annie Johnson
Age   58
Estimated Birth Year   1882
Gender   Female
Race   White
Birthplace   Germany
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1940   Chelsea, Taylor, Wisconsin
Household members
Gust Johnson   68
Annie Johnson   58

Theodore Johnson   58
Nallie Johnson   25

1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Angela Johnson
Birth Year   1882
Gender   Female
Race   White
Age in 1930   48
Birthplace   Germany
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Homemaker?   Yes
Home in 1930   Chelsea, Taylor, Wisconsin, USA
Father's Birthplace   Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Germany
Language Spoken   German
Immigration Year   1892
Naturalization   Naturalized

Able to Speak English   Yes
Household members
Gustav Johnson   58
Angela Johnson   48

Theodore Johnson   28
Hazel Johnson   16
Close

1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Angeline Johnson
Age   36
Birth Year   1884
Birthplace   Germany
Home in 1920   Chelsea, Taylor, Wisconsin
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Female
Immigration Year   1892
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Marital Status   Married
Father's Birthplace   Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Württemberg
Native Tongue   German

Able to Speak English   Yes
Naturalization Status   Naturalized
Household members
Gustav Johnson   47
Angeline Johnson   36

Theodore W Johnson   17
Kearney Johnson   14

U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947
Name   Angie Sonnenfroh
Gender   Female
Event Type   Marriage
Marriage Date    20 Feb 1901
Marriage Place   Aurora, Kane, Illinois, USA
Church   Grace Lutheran Church
Spouse    Gus Johnson

Illinois, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1800-1940
Name   Angie Sonnenfroh
Gender   Female
Age   19
Birth Year   1882
Marriage Date    20 Feb 1901
Marriage Place Kane, Illinois, USA
Father   John Sonnenfroh
Mother Angie K*
Spouse    Gus Johnson
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 30, 2022, 12:32:38 am
Kathryn Le Claire’s paternal grandmother was Ruth Hertha Woceske. Ruth Hertha Woceske was descended from German immigrants. Her paternal grandfather and maternal grandmother were born in Germany and then immigrated to the United States. Both her paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather were born in Wisconsin, but their parents were born in Germany.

Paternal Grandmother
Ruth Hertha Woceske

B: 1 Sep 1938 - Wisconsin, USA
D: 9 Dec 1988 - Dodge County, Wisconsin, USA

Parents of Ruth Hertha Woceske
Edward John Woceske

B: 4 Feb 1893 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
D: 19 Nov 1958 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Viola Emilie Ida Eichstaedt
B: 28 Mar 1902 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
D: 25 May 1949 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Paternal Grandparents of Ruth Hertha Woceske
Herman Woceske

B: 16 Sep 1861 - Germany
D: 29 Aug 1941 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Elizabeth Zillig
B:2 Oct 1862 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
D: 3 Jul 1940 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Maternal Grandparents of Ruth Hertha Woceske
Charles A Eichstaedt

B: 25 Jan 1868 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
D: 13 Feb 1947 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Wilhelmina Zimmermann
B: Sep 1870 Germany
D: 1951

PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF KATHRYN LECLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: RUTH HERTHA (WOCESKE) LECLAIRE (1937-1988)

Wisconsin, U.S., Death Records, 1959-2004
Name         Ruth Leclaire
Death Date      9 Dec 1988
Death County      Dodge, Wisconsin, USA

1950 United States Federal Census
Name            Ruth H Woceske
Age            13
Birth Date         1937
Gender         Female
Race            White
Birth Place         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Never Married (Single)
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Residence Date      1950
Home in 1950         Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Household Members (Name, Age)
Edward J Woceske      57
Laverne M Woceske      23
Ruth H Woceske      13

1940 United States Federal Census
Name            Ruth Woceske
Age            3
Estimated Birth Year      1937
Gender         Female
Race            White
Birthplace         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Single
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Home in 1940         Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Father's Birthplace      Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace      Wisconsin

Household Members (Name, Age)
Edward Woceske   46
Viola Woceske   38

Laverne Woceske   13
Ruth Woceske      3

Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 30, 2022, 06:46:56 pm
Kathryn Le Claire’s paternal grandmother was Ruth Hertha Woceske. Ruth Hertha Woceske was descended from German immigrants. Her paternal grandfather and maternal grandmother were born in Germany and then immigrated to the United States. Both her paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather were born in Wisconsin, but their parents were born in Germany.

Father
Brian John Le Claire

B: xx/xx/xxxx
Married: Carol Ann Johnson

Paternal Grandmother
Ruth Hertha Woceske

B: 1 Sep 1938 - Wisconsin, USA
D: 9 Dec 1988 - Dodge County, Wisconsin, USA

Parents of Ruth Hertha Woceske
Edward John Woceske

B: 4 Feb 1893 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
D: 19 Nov 1958 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Viola Emilie Ida Eichstaedt
B: 28 Mar 1902 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
D: 25 May 1949 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Paternal Grandparents of Ruth Hertha Woceske
Herman Woceske

B: 16 Sep 1861 - Germany
D: 29 Aug 1941 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Elizabeth Zillig
B: 2 Oct 1862 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
D: 3 Jul 1940 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Maternal Grandparents of Ruth Hertha Woceske
Charles A Eichstaedt

B: 25 Jan 1868 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
D: 13 Feb 1947 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Wilhelmina Zimmermann
B: Sep 1870 Germany
D: 1951

PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF KATHRYN LECLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: RUTH HERTHA (WOCESKE) LECLAIRE (1937-1988)

Wisconsin, U.S., Death Records, 1959-2004
Name         Ruth Leclaire
Death Date      9 Dec 1988
Death County      Dodge, Wisconsin, USA

1950 United States Federal Census
Name            Ruth H Woceske
Age            13
Birth Date         1937
Gender         Female
Race            White
Birth Place         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Never Married (Single)
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Residence Date      1950
Home in 1950         Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Household Members (Name, Age)
Edward J Woceske      57
Laverne M Woceske      23
Ruth H Woceske      13

1940 United States Federal Census
Name            Ruth Woceske
Age            3
Estimated Birth Year      1937
Gender         Female
Race            White
Birthplace         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Single
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Home in 1940         Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Father's Birthplace      Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace      Wisconsin

Household Members (Name, Age)
Edward Woceske   46
Viola Woceske   38

Laverne Woceske   13
Ruth Woceske      3
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 30, 2022, 07:54:44 pm
In my opinion, based on publicly available information, the paternal grandfather of Ruth (Woceske) LeClaire was born in Germany.

PATERNAL GRANDFATHER OF RUTH HERTHA (WOCESKE) LECLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: HERMAN WOCESKE

U.S., Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 (Indexed in World Archives Project)
Name   Herman Woceske
Naturalization Age   79
Record Type   Naturalization
Birth Date   16 Sep 1861
Birth Place   Germany
Naturalization Date   21 Apr 1941
Court District   Wisconsin

1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Herman Woceske
Age   57
Birth Year   1863
Birthplace   Romania*
Home in 1920   Milwaukee Ward 20, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Male
Immigration Year   1879
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status   Married
Father's Birthplace   Romania
Mother's Birthplace   Pomerania

Native Tongue    German
Naturalization Status   Alien
Household members
Herman Woceske   57
Elizabeth Woceske   56

Helen Woceske   29
Edward Woceske   26
Velva Woceske   3

*This census contradicts other records associated with Herman Woceske. Based on publicly available information, in my opinion, Herman Woceske was born in Germany. Whether Herman Woceske was born in Romania or Germany, the difference wouldn't impact proving KL's claims.

1910 United States Federal Census
Name   Herman Woceske
Age in 1910   48
Birth Date   1862
Birthplace   Germany
Home in 1910   Milwaukee Ward 20, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Race   White
Gender   Male
Immigration Year   1879
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status   Married
Father's Birthplace   Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Germany

Naturalization Status   Papers
Household members
Herman Woceske   48
Elizabeth Woceske   47

Della A Woceske   20
Helen E Woceske   19
Edward H Woceske   17

1905 - Wisconsin, U.S., State Censuses, 1855-1905
Name         Herman Woceske
Gender      Male
Race         White
Age         43
Birth Year      1862
Birth Place      Germany
Residence Date   1 Jun 1905
Residence Place   Genesee, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA
Relationship      Head
Household Members (Name, Age)
Herman Woceske   43
Lizzie Woceske   41

Stella Woceske   15
Helen Woceske   14
Edward Woceske   12

1900 United States Federal Census
Name            Hermann Wozeske
Age            38
Birth Date         Sep 1861
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1900         Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Male
Immigration Year      1880
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Years in US         20
Household Members (Name, Age)
Hermann Wozeske   38
Lizzie Wozeske   36

Alma Wozeske      12
Adela Wozeske   10
Helene Wozeske   9
Edward Wozeske   7
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on November 30, 2022, 08:10:23 pm
Based on publicly available information, in my opinion, the paternal grandmother of Ruth Hertha (Woceske) LeClaire was the daughter of German immigrants. To be thorough, I included a few records from the parents of Elizabeth (Zillig) Woceske, Valentin and Elizabeth Zillig, which show they were both born in Germany.

PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF RUTH HERTHA (WOCESKE) LACLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Elizabeth (Zillig) Woceske

Wisconsin, U.S., Death Records, 1959-2004
Name         Elizabeth Woceske Or Zillig
Death Date      3 Jul 1940
Death County      Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

1940 United States Federal Census
Name   Elizabeth Woceski
Age   76
Estimated Birth Year   1864
Gender   Female
Race   White
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Mother-in-law
Home in 1940   Wauwatosa, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Inferred Residence in 1935   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Residence in 1935   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Household members
Elizabeth Woceski   76
Gustave Boeck   62
Alma Boeck   52
Eugene Boeck   25
Richard Boeck   21
Iris Boeck   15

1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Elizabeth Woceske
Age   56
Birth Year   1864
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Home in 1920   Milwaukee Ward 20, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Female
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Marital Status   Married
Father's Birthplace   Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Germany

Household members
Herman Woceske   57
Elizabeth Woceske   56
Helen Woceske   29
Edward Woceske   26
Velva Woceske   3

Wisconsin, U.S., State Censuses, 1855-1905
Name   Lizzie Woceske
Gender   Female
Race   White
Age   41
Birth Year   1864
Birth Place   Germany
Residence Date   1 Jun 1905
Residence Place   Genesee, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA
Relationship   Wife
Household members
Herman Woceske   43
Lizzie Woceske   41

Stella Woceske   15
Helen Woceske   14
Edward Woceske   12

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., Marriages, 1838-1911
Name         Elisabeth Zillig
Gender      Female
Race         White
Age         23
Record Type      Marriage
Birth Place      Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Marriage Date      2 Oct 1886
Marriage Place   Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father         Valentin Zillig
Mother      Elisabeth Zillig
Spouse         Herman Wallske

Certificate Number   1463

Valentin Zillig & Elisabeth Leonhard Hohl Zillig

1870 United States Federal Census
Name            Valentine Zillig
Age in 1870         43
Birth Date         1827
Birthplace         Prussia
Home in 1870         Jackson, Washington, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Male
Occupation         Tailor
Father of Foreign Birth   Yes
Mother of Foreign Birth   Yes

Household Members (Name, Age)
Valentine Zillig   43
Elizabeth Zillig      35

Henry Zillig      14
Mary Zillig      12
Elizabeth Zillig      6
Catherine Zillig   5
Emma Zillig      3

1870 United States Federal Census
Name            Elizabeth Zilling
Age in 1870         35
Birth Date         1835
Birthplace         Prussia
Home in 1870         Jackson, Washington, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Female
Father of Foreign Birth   Yes
Mother of Foreign Birth   Yes

Household Members (Name, Age)
Valentine Zillig   43
Elizabeth Zillig      35

Henry Zillig      14
Mary Zillig      12
Elizabeth Zillig      6
Catherine Zillig   5
Emma Zillig      3

1900 United States Federal Census
Name            Elizabeth Zillig
Age            65
Birth Date         Nov 1834
Birthplace         Germany
Home in 1900         Milwaukee Ward 10, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Female
Immigration Year      1855
Relation to Head of House   Mother in Law (Mother-in-law)
Marital Status         Widowed
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Years in US         45
Household Members (Name, Age)
Elizabeth Zillig      65
Edward Milbrath   29
Ida Milbrath      25
Alma Milbrath      5
George Milbrath   2
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 01, 2022, 12:02:56 am
MOTHER OF RUTH HERTHA (WOCESKE) LECLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Viola Emilie Ida Eichstaedt

1940 United States Federal Census
Name            Viola Woceske
Age            38
Estimated Birth Year      1902
Gender         Female
Race            White
Birthplace         Wisconsin
Marital Status         Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1940         Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Household Members (Name, Age)
Edward Woceske   46
Viola Woceske   38

Laverne Woceske   13
Ruth Woceske      3

1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Viola Woceske
Birth Year   1902
Gender   Female
Race   White
Age in 1930   28
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1930   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father's Birthplace   Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace   Wisconsin

Household members
Edward Woceske   37
Viola Woceske   28


1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Viola Eichstaedt
Age   17
Birth Year   1903
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Home in 1920   Milwaukee Ward 20, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Female
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Marital Status   Single
Father's Birthplace   Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace   Pomerania

Household members
Chas A Eichstaedt   51
Minnie Eichstaedt   49

Arthur Eichstaedt   25
Viola Eichstaedt   17
Walter Eichstaedt   13
Esther Eichstaedt   9

1910 United States Federal Census
Name            Viola Eichstaedt
Age in 1910         8
Birth Date         1902
Birthplace         Wisconsin
Home in 1910         Milwaukee Ward 20, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Race            White
Gender         Female
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Marital Status         Single
Father's Birthplace      Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Charles Erchstaedt   43
Minnie Eichstaedt   39

Fred Eichstaedt   16
Arthur Eichstaedt   15
Elsie Eichstaedt   14
Viola Eichstaedt   8
Walter Eichstaedt   3

Wisconsin, U.S., State Censuses, 1855-1905
Name   Viola Eichstaldt
Gender   Female
Race   White
Age   3
Birth Year   1902
Birth Place   Wisconsin
Residence Date   1 Jun 1905
Residence Place   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Relationship   Daughter
Household members
Chas Eichstaldt   37
Minne Eichstaldt   34

Fredenck Eichstaldt   12
Arthur Eichstaldt   10
Elsa Eichstaldt                 9
Viola Eichstaldt   3

Wisconsin, U.S., Marriage Records, 1820-2004
Name         Viola Eichstaedt
Marriage Date      24 Nov 1923
Marriage County   Washington, Wisconsin, USA
Spouse         Edward Woceske

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., Births, 1839-1911
Name      Viola Emilie Ida Eichstaed
Gender   Female
Race      White
Birth Date   28 Mar 1902
Birth Place   Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father      Charles Eichstaed
Mother   Wilhelmina Zimmermann

Certificate Number   2141
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 01, 2022, 12:33:25 am
This post includes supporting documentation for the maternal grandparents of Ruth Hertha (Woceske) LeClaire. Charles Eichstaedt's parents were born in Germany. It is consistently stated throughout the documentation. As such, I will not be posting documentation for his parents, but can post it if requested. Wilhelmina/Mina/Minnie (Zimmerman) Eichstaedt was born in Germany.

This post will conclude the genealogy for nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire's paternal grandmother, Ruth Hertha (Woceske) Le Claire. Based on publicly available information, in my opinion, Ruth Hertha (Woceske) Le Claire was entirely descended from German immigrants.

MATERNAL GRANDFATHER OF RUTH HERTHA (WOCESKE) LECLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Charles A Eichstaedt

1940 United States Federal Census
Name   Charles Eickstadt
Age   72
Estimated Birth Year   1868
Gender   Male
Race   White
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Home in 1940   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Inferred Residence in 1935   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Residence in 1935   Milwaukee
Household members
Charles Eickstadt   72
Minnie Eickstadt   69


1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Charles Eichstedt
Birth Year   1868
Gender   Male
Race   White
Age in 1930   62
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Home in 1930   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father's Birthplace   Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Germany

Household members
Charles Eichstedt   62
Minnie Eichstedt   59

Walter Eichstedt   23

1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Chas A Eichstaedt
Age   51
Birth Year   1869
Birthplace   Wisconsin
Home in 1920   Milwaukee Ward 20, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Male
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status   Married
Father's Birthplace   Pommerania Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Pomerania

Household members
Chas A Eichstaedt   51
Minnie Eichstaedt   49

Arthur Eichstaedt   25
Viola Eichstaedt   17
Walter Eichstaedt   13
Esther Eichstaedt   9

1900 United States Federal Census
Name            Charles A Eichstaedt
Age            32
Birth Date         Jan 1868
Birthplace         Wisconsin, USA
Home in 1900         Milwaukee Ward 19, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Race            White
Gender         Male
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status         Married
Father's Birthplace      Germany
Mother's Birthplace      Germany

Household Members (Name, Age)
Charles A Eichstaedt      32
Wilhemina J Eichstaedt   29

Fred E Eichstaedt      7
Arthur L Eichstaedt      5
Elsa A Eichstaedt      4

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., Marriages, 1838-1911
Name         Carl Eichstaedt
Gender      Male
Race         White
Record Type      Marriage
Birth Place      USA
Marriage Date      17 Sep 1892
Marriage Place   Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father         Friedrich Eichstaedt
Mother      Wilhelmine Krause
Spouse         Mina Zimmermann

Certificate Number   2402

MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF RUTH HERTHA (WOCESKE) LECLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Wilhelmina (Zimmermann) Eichstaedt

1940 United States Federal Census
Name   Minnie Eickstadt
Respondent   Yes
Age   69
Estimated Birth Year   1871
Gender   Female
Race   White
Birthplace   Germany

Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1940   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Inferred Residence in 1935   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Residence in 1935   Milwaukee
Citizenship   Naturalized
Household members
Charles Eickstadt   72
Minnie Eickstadt   69


1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Minnie Eichstedt
Birth Year   1871
Gender   Female
Race   White
Age in 1930   59
Birthplace   Germany
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1930   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father's Birthplace   Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Germany
Language Spoken   German
Immigration Year   1883
Naturalization   Naturalized

Household members
Charles Eichstedt   62
Minnie Eichstedt   59

Walter Eichstedt   23

1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Minnie Eichstaedt
Age   49
Birth Year   1871
Birthplace   Pommerania Germany
Home in 1920   Milwaukee Ward 20, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Female
Immigration Year   1882
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Marital Status   Married
Father's Birthplace   Pommerania Germany
Mother's Birthplace   Pomerania
Native Tongue    German

Household members
Chas A Eichstaedt   51
Minnie Eichstaedt   49

Arthur Eichstaedt   25
Viola Eichstaedt   17
Walter Eichstaedt   13
Esther Eichstaedt   9

1900 United States Federal Census
Name               Wilhemina J Eichstaedt
Age               29
Birth Date            Sep 1870
Birthplace            Germany
Home in 1900            Milwaukee Ward 19, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Race               White
Gender            Female
Immigration Year         1884
Relation to Head of House      Wife
Marital Status            Married
Father's Birthplace         Germany
Mother's Birthplace         Germany

Years in US            16
Household Members (Name, Age)
Charles A Eichstaedt      32
Wilhemina J Eichstaedt   29

Fred E Eichstaedt      7
Arthur L Eichstaedt      5
Elsa A Eichstaedt      4

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., Marriages, 1838-1911
Name         Mina Zimmermann
Gender      Female
Race         White
Record Type      Marriage
Birth Place      Germany
Marriage Date      17 Sep 1892
Marriage Place   Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father         Carl Zimmermann
Mother      Mina Thurow
Spouse         Carl Eichstaedt

Certificate Number   2402
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 01, 2022, 04:43:11 am
nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire's paternal grandfather was William George Le Claire. William George Le Claire was the son of Martha Warner and Philip John Le Claire. I will start with the genealogy of Martha Warner. Based on publicly available information, in my opinion. Martha Warner is the daughter of Swedish immigrants.

Father of Kathryn Le Claire
Brian John Le Claire
B: xx/xx/xxxx
Married: Carol Ann Johnson

Paternal Grandfather of Kathryn Le Claire
William George Le Claire

B: 21 May 1934 - Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA
D: 30 May 1982 - Waukesha County, Wisconsin, USA

Parents of William George Le Claire
Philip John Le Claire

B: 7 April 1899 - Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA
D: 20 Nov 1942 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Martha Warner
B: 26 Jul 1903 - Peoria, Peoria, Illinois, USA
D: 30 Dec 1986 - Waukesha County, Wisconsin, USA

Paternal Grandparents of William George Le Claire
Philip Louis Le Claire

B: 8 Oct 1866 - Canada
D: 17 Apr 1927 - Glenview, Cook, Illinois, USA
Caroline Ann (Carrie) Melzer
B: 1878 - Illinois, USA
D: 5 Dec 1963 - Glenview, Cook, Illinois, USA

Maternal Grandparents of William George Le Claire
John Emil Felt Warner

B: 29 Jul 1863 - Oskarsherumm, Sweden
D: 19 Apr 1942 - Peoria, Peoria, Illinois, USA
Emma Susanna Schwartz
B: 3 Aug 1868 - Sweden
D: 31 Mar 1924 - Peoria, Peoria, Illinois, USA

PATERNAL GRANDFATHER OF KATHRYN LE CLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: William George Le Claire

U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Name      William George Leclaire
Gender   Male
Race      White
Birth Date   21 May 1934
Birth Place   Chicago, Illinois
Death Date   May 1982
Father      Philip Leclaire
Mother   Martha Warner

SSN      *********
Notes   Jun 1950: Name listed as WILLIAM GEORGE LECLAIRE; 04 Jan 1988: Name listed as WILLIAM LECLAIRE

Wisconsin, U.S., Death Index, 1959-1997
Name      William G Leclaire
Death Date   30 May 1982
Location   Waukesha
Certificate   013487

1950 United States Federal Census
Name               William G Le Claire
Age               15
Birth Date            1935
Gender            Male
Race               White
Birth Place            Illinois

Marital Status            Never Married (Single)
Relation to Head of House      Son
Residence Date         1950
Home in 1950            Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father Birth Place         Illinois, USA
Mother Birth Place         Illinois, USA

Household Members (Name, Age)
Martha Le Claire    48
John W Le Claire   18
William G Le Claire   15

1940 United States Federal Census
Name               William G Le Claire
Age               5
Estimated Birth Year         1935
Gender            Male
Race               White
Birthplace            Illinois
Marital Status            Single
Relation to Head of House      Son
Home in 1940            Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Household Members (Name, Age)
Philip J Le Claire   40
Martha Le Claire   36

Philip A Le Claire   18
John W Le Claire   8
William G Le Claire   5

U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969
Name         William George Le Claire
Baptism Age      8
Record Type      Baptism
Birth Date      21 May 1934
Birth Place      Chicago, Illinois, USA
Baptism Date      3 Jul 1942
Baptism Place      Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Father         Philip Le Claire
Mother      Martha Le Claire

Church Name      Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Church Location   Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 01, 2022, 05:27:21 am
Based on publicly available information, in my opinion, the mother of William George Le Claire, Martha (Warner) Le Claire, was the daughter of Swedish immigrants.

The only remaining line to evaluate after this post is the paternal line of William George Le Claire. Philip John Le Claire, great grandfather of nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire, would need to be Cuban, Anishinaabe (Leech Lake), and Metis to validate KL's claims. The Oneida claim has been refuted due to the specificity of KL's claims, but I will continue to look for it.

MOTHER OF WILLIAM GEORGE LE CLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Martha Warner

1940 United States Federal Census
Name            Martha Le Claire
Age            36
Estimated Birth Year      1904
Gender         Female
Race            White
Birthplace         Illinois
Marital Status         Married
Relation to Head of House   Wife
Home in 1940         Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Household Members (Name, Age)
Philip J Le Claire   40
Martha Le Claire   36

Philip A Le Claire   18
John W Le Claire   8
William G Le Claire   5

1930 United States Federal Census
Name   Martha Warner
Birth Year   1904
Gender   Female
Race   White
Age in 1930   26
Birthplace   Illinois
Marital Status   Single
Relation to Head of House   Lodger
Home in 1930   Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Institution   Antlers Hotel
Able to Read and Write   Yes
Father's Birthplace   Sweden
Mother's Birthplace   Sweden


1920 United States Federal Census
Name            Martha Warner
Age            16
Birth Year         1904
Birthplace         Illinois
Home in 1920         Peoria Ward 6, Peoria, Illinois
Race            White
Gender         Female
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Marital Status         Single
Father's Birthplace      Sweden
Mother's Birthplace      Sweden

Household Members (Name, Age)
John E Warner   57
Erma S Warner   52

Francis Warner   24
Harry Warner      22
Hillive Warner      19
Martha Warner   16

1910 United States Federal Census
Name            Martha Warner
Age in 1910         7
Birth Date         1903
Birthplace         Illinois
Home in 1910         Peoria Ward 8, Peoria, Illinois, USA
Race            White
Gender         Female
Relation to Head of House   Daughter
Marital Status         Single
Father's Birthplace      Sweden
Mother's Birthplace      Sweden

Household Members (Name, Age)
John E Warner      46
Emma Warner      41

Francis Warner   15
Harry Warner      13
Hilda Warner      9
Martha Warner   7

Peoria County, Illinois, U.S., Births 1878-1915
Name         Warner
Gender      Female
Race         White
Birth Date      26 Jul 1903
Birth Place      Peoria, Illinois
Father         John E Warner
Mother      Emma Warner

Certificate Number   1392

MATERNAL GRANDFATHER OF WILLIAM GEORGE LE CLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: John Emil Felt Warner

Illinois, U.S., Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947
Name         John Emil Felt Warner
Birth Date      29 Jul 1863
Birth Place      Oscarshamn, Sweden
Death Date      19 Apr 1942
Death Place      Peoria, Peoria, Illinois
Burial Date      21 Apr 1942
Burial Place      Peoria, Peoria, Illinois
Death Age      78
Occupation      Ret. R.R. Car Inspector
Race         White
Marital Status      W
Gender      Male
Residence      Peoria, Peoria, Illinois
Father Name      Carl Peter Felt
Father Birth Place   Oscarshamn, Sweden
Mother Name      Anna Sofia Karlsson
Mother Birth Place   Sweden
Spouse Name      Emma Schwartz Warner

FHL Film Number   1851452

MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF WILLIAM GEORGE LE CLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Emma Susannah Schwartz

U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947
Name         Emma Warner
Maiden Name      Schwartz

Gender      Female
Baptism Age      0
Marriage Age      23
Event Type      Member List
Birth Date      3 Aug 1868
Birth Place      SW
Baptism Date      1868
Departure Place   Sweden
Arrival Date      1885
Marriage Date      24 Jan 1892
Death Date      31 Mar 1924
Relation to Head   Wife
Church         Salem Lutheran Church
Spouse         John Emil Warner
Child   Gerda Sofia Warner; Frances Alvira Warner; Carl Emil Harry Warner; Helvig Susanna Warner; Martha Warner
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 02, 2022, 02:28:59 am
Every line of KL's family has been posted except the paternal side of KL's great grandfather, Philip John Le Claire.

FATHER OF WILLIAM GEORGE LE CLAIRE, GREAT GRANDFATHER OF nibiiwakamigkwe / KAY LECLAIRE / KATHRYN LE CLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Philip John Le Claire

1940 United States Federal Census
Name   Philip J Le Claire
Age   40
Estimated Birth Year   1900
Gender   Male
Race   White
Birthplace   Illinois
Marital Status   Married
Relation to Head of House   Head
Home in 1940   Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Inferred Residence in 1935   Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Residence in 1935   Chicago
Household members
Philip J Le Claire   40
Martha Le Claire   36

Philip A Le Claire   18
John W Le Claire   8
William G Le Claire   5

1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Philip J Leclair
Age   20
Birth Year   1900
Birthplace   Illinois
Home in 1920   Northfield, Cook, Illinois
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Male
Relation to Head of House   Son
Marital Status   Single
Father's Name   Philip Leclair
Father's Birthplace   Canada
Mother's Name   Carolina A Leclair
Mother's Birthplace   Illinois

Household members
Philip Leclair   55
Carolina A Leclair   40

Philip J Leclair   20
Evelyn Leclair   18
Howard Leclair   16
Lester Leclair   14

1910 United States Federal Census
Name   Philip J Leclair
Age in 1910   11
Birth Date   1899
Birthplace   Illinois
Home in 1910   Northfield, Cook, Illinois, USA
Race   White
Gender   Male
Relation to Head of House   Son
Marital Status   Single
Father's Birthplace   Canada
Mother's Birthplace   Illinois

Household members
Philip L Leclair   48
Carrie A Leclair   32

Edward J Melzer   28
Philip J Leclair   11
Evelyn L Leclair   8
Howard E Leclair   6
Lester E Leclair   4

1900 United States Federal Census
Name   Philip Le Claire
Age   1
Birth Date   Apr 1899
Birthplace   Illinois, USA
Home in 1900   Chicago Ward 19, Cook, Illinois
Race   White
Gender   Male
Relation to Head of House   Son
Marital Status   Single
Father's Name   Philip Le Claire
Father's Birthplace   France, Canada
Mother's Name   Carrie Le Claire
Mother's Birthplace   Illinois, USA

Household members
Sophia Le Claire   60
Bell Le Claire   42
Philip Le Claire   39
Carrie Le Claire   23
Philip Le Claire   1


U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
Name            Philip John Leclaire
Race            White

Age            42
Relationship to Draftee   Self (Head)
Birth Date         7 Apr 1899
Birth Place         Chicago, Illinois, USA
Residence Place      Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA
Registration Date      16 Feb 1942
Registration Place      Illinois, USA
Height            5 8
Weight            135
Complexion         Light
Hair Color         Brown
Eye Color         Gray
Next of Kin         Martha Leclaire


U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Name         Philip John Leclaire
Race         White

Birth Date      7 Apr 1899
Residence Date   1917-1918
Residence Place   Cook County, Illinois, USA
Physical Build      Slender
Height         5-9
Hair Color      Brown
Eye Color      Gray
Relative      Philip L. Le Claire
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 02, 2022, 02:40:45 pm
This is the last genealogy post. Philip Louis Le Claire immigrated with his family from Quebec. He was a naturalized citizen. Philip Louis Le Claire voted in 1890. American Indians didn't become United States citizens and eligible to vote until 1924. He was listed as white on every census. I've followed this line back 156 years with no indication of Cuban, Anishinaabe (Leech Lake or otherwise), Metis, Oneida ancestry.

Based on publicly available information, in my opinion:

Maternal Grandparents of nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire
Kathleen Marie (Ortlieb) Johnson: German Ancestry
Donald Louis Johnson: German & Swedish Ancestry

Paternal Grandparents of nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire
Ruth Hertha (Woceske) Le Claire: German Ancestry
William George Le Claire: German, Swedish, & French Canadian Ancestry

Parents of nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire
Carol (Johnson) Le Claire: German & Swedish Ancestry
Brian John Le Claire: German, Swedish, & French Canadian Ancestry



GRANDFATHER OF WILLIAM GEORGE LE CLAIRE, GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER OF nibiiwakamigkwe/KAY LECLAIRE/KATHRYN LE CLAIRE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Philip Louis Le Claire

Obituary
Per an obituary available on newspapers.com (attached), Philip Louis Le Claire immigrated from Canada in 1866. The obituary states he “was born of French parentage” and his parents were “of Quebec, Canada.”

"Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998
Name   Philip Louis Le Claire
Sex   Male
Age   60
Burial Date   19 Apr 1927
Burial Place   Main, , Illinois
Death Date   17 Apr 1927
Death Place   Glenview, Cook, Illinois, United States
Birth Date   08 Oct 1866
Birthplace   Quebec, , Canada
Marital Status   Married
Occupation   Watchmaker
Race   White
Father's Name    Honory Le Claire
Mother's Name   Mary Parowm
Spouse's Name   Carolina Melzer
Informant's Name   Carolina Le Claire
Event Type   Death
Entry Number   28
Cemetery   Ridgwood

1920 United States Federal Census
Name   Philip Leclair
Age   55
Birth Year   1865
Birthplace   Canada
Home in 1920   Northfield, Cook, Illinois
Residence Date   1920
Race   White
Gender   Male
Immigration Year   1871
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status   Married
Father's Birthplace   Canada
Mother's Birthplace   Canada

Native Tongue   French
Able to Speak English   Yes
Occupation   Watchmaker
Naturalization Status   Naturalized
Household members
Philip Leclair   55
Carolina A Leclair   40

Philip J Leclair   20
Evelyn Leclair   18
Howard Leclair   16
Lester Leclair   14

1910 United States Federal Census
Name   Philip L Leclair
Age in 1910   48
Birth Date   1862
Birthplace   Canada
Home in 1910   Northfield, Cook, Illinois, USA
Race   White
Gender   Male
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status   Married
Spouse's Name   Carrie A Leclair
Father's Birthplace   Canada
Mother's Birthplace   Canada

Native Tongue   English
Occupation   Watchmaker
Household members
Philip L Leclair   48
Carrie A Leclair   32

Edward J Melzer   28
Philip J Leclair   11
Evelyn L Leclair   8
Howard E Leclair   6
Lester E Leclair   4

1900 United States Federal Census
Name   Philip Le Claire
Age   39
Birth Date   Oct 1860
Birthplace   Canada
Home in 1900   Chicago Ward 19, Cook, Illinois
Family Number   9
Race   White
Gender   Male
Immigration Year   1866
Relation to Head of House   Head
Marital Status   Married
Father's Birthplace   France, Canada
Mother's Name   Sophia Le Claire
Mother's Birthplace   Canada, France

Can Speak English   Yes
Household members
Sophia Le Claire   60
Bell Le Claire   42
Philip Le Claire   39
Carrie Le Claire   23
Philip Le Claire   1



Chicago, Illinois, U.S., Voter Registration, 1890
Name   Philip Le Claire
Race   White
Birth Place   Canada
Street Address   47 Brown St.
Naturalization Date   10 Oct 1890
Naturalized   Yes
Voted   Yes


Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Marriages Index, 1871-1920
Name   Philip Leclaire
Age   38
Gender   Male
Birth Year   1860
Marriage Type   Marriage
Marriage Date   10 Dec 1898
Marriage Place   Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Spouse Name   Carrie Mulzer

Spouse Age   20
Spouse Gender   Female
FHL Film Number   1030290

U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current
Name   Philip Louis Le Claire
Gender   Male
Birth Date   8 Oct 1866
Birth Place   Quebec, Canada
Death Date   17 Apr 1927
Death Place   Glenview, Cook County, Illinois, United States of America
Cemetery   Ridgewood Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place   Des Plaines, Cook County, Illinois, United States of America

Has Bio?   N
Children   Philip John LeClaire; Howard E. Le Claire
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 05, 2022, 12:16:34 am
The earliest reference that I can find online for "nibiiwakamigkwe" is February 19, 2019. nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire is in a picture at the top of the article. I've attached the picture, as well.

Wisconsin Historical Society
Share Your Voice: Madison (American Indian Engagement Session)
Story by Dean Witter - Wisconsin Historical Foundation and Wisconsin Historical Society
https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15994 (https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15994)
https://web.archive.org/web/20220615001316/https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15994 (https://web.archive.org/web/20220615001316/https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15994)

Quote
Nibiiwakamigkwe, Oneida, Anishinaabe, Métis, provided insight into a rendering intended to celebrate the tradition of Wisconsin supper clubs.

“It really does look like a warm, inviting space,” Nibiiwakamigkwe said. 

“But my memories of supper clubs when I was little (include) walking in and seeing blatant images of red face, tobacco Indians … these really not OK things,” she added. “When I walk into a supper club, I don’t always feel that warmth and that community (feel) because I’m aware that this place wasn’t made for me.”

Also highlighting a similar shared experience by a friend who is African American, Nibiiwakamigkwe acknowledged the difficult task facing the Society, “(My friend) walked into the supper club and every head turned around and looked at her, so she just turned around and walked out, because how can you feel safe in the kind of space that was created and designed, and is currently curated, to not include you?”

“I just hope that you include Native perspectives throughout all of (the exhibits) because we still live here and we’re still a part of it," Nibiiwakamigkwe added. "I see that you’re trying to do that here and I do appreciate it. I hope you’ll continue to look into that.”
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 16, 2022, 05:29:33 am
In 2019/2020, nibiiwakamigkwe (aka Kay LeClaire or Kathryn Le Claire) publicly challenged the name of a new music venue and restaurant, The Winnebago, in Madison, Wisconsin. The issue was covered in two articles which are partially quoted and linked in full below. The second article was written by nibiiwakamigkwe.


1. East side venue’s name change decision follows months of quiet pressure (Tone Madison), October 22, 2019 - By Scott Gordon

Article Link: https://tonemadison.com/articles/east-side-venues-name-change-decision-follows-months-of-quiet-pressure/ (https://tonemadison.com/articles/east-side-venues-name-change-decision-follows-months-of-quiet-pressure/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20220707041301/https://tonemadison.com/articles/east-side-venues-name-change-decision-follows-months-of-quiet-pressure/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20220707041301/https://tonemadison.com/articles/east-side-venues-name-change-decision-follows-months-of-quiet-pressure/)

Quote
Shortly after a new music venue and restaurant opened on the east side in February, at least one Madison resident contacted the business directly to challenge its choice of a name: The Winnebago. Said Madison resident is of Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Métis, and Onyota’a:ka (Oneida) heritage, and asked Tone Madison to use their Anishinaabe name, nibiiwakamigkwe. In an exchange of messages with venue co-owner and booker John DeHaven over the course of the spring, nibiiwakamigkwe provided a detailed history of the erasure and cultural appropriation white people in the Madison area have practiced at the expense of Indigenous people.

Quote
Along with that, nibiiwakamigkwe suggested several practices the venue could adopt to make it more welcoming to people of color and other marginalized people, including hiring a diversity coordinator and offering reparations in various forms.

Quote
The initial lack of action from the venue, after nibiiwakamigkwe sent over an extensively researched historical primer, also frustrated them, as did John DeHaven’s request for access to tribal elders. “Our Elders, knowledge-keepers, are so valuable, and to loan them out to people who have chosen a name that harms us is disrespectful to them,” nibiiwakamigkwe says.

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The conversations between nibiiwakamigkwe and John DeHaven also illustrate how people of color are often burdened with educating white people. “There has been a long-standing expectation that we will educate others for free, at great time and emotional expense to ourselves,” nibiiwakamigkwe says. “That is exploitation and neo-colonialism.” They recommend that white people seeking to understand Indigenous issues go first to online resources like Native Appropriations, ndn.o, lilnativeboy, and @dearnonnatives, and they add: “If you want to slide into their DMs with a question, be sure to drop them some gas money through their Patreons or PayPals.”


2. Not Yours to Use (Our Lives - Dear Queer White People), February 12, 2020 - By Nibiiwakamigkwe

Article Link: https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/ (https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20211028174035/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20211028174035/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/)

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Aaniin, boozhoo niindinawemaganidog. Hello, my relatives! My Anishinaabe name is nibiiwakamigkwe, which means watery ground or wet earth woman. I am an Anishinaabe (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, marten clan), Onyota’a:ka (Oneida Nation of New York, bear clan), and Métis (Red River Settlement) Two-Spirit and uninvited guest of 7 years here in Tee Jop, on HoCaak Land. Dr. Sami Schalk has created space here for me to talk about the intersection of queer and Indigenous issues. Ambe! (Let’s go!) On February 25, 2019, I read about a new music venue opening on the near east side. As an artist and consumer of art, I wanted to be happy, but couldn’t get past the name. Winnebago??? Do they know? It’s an easy enough fix, I thought. They aren’t even fully open yet. The same day I sent off a quick Facebook message on the venue’s page. What followed was an extended exchange with whom I later learned was John DeHaven, co-owner. He asked to learn more. I further explained the colonial implications behind using the name. He asked to talk with my Elders about a name change. I stopped responding. Our Elders are sacred to us, and we don’t rent them out to people. I gave up replying: I had explained, in detail, and he still didn’t want to take action to change the name.

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While artists I adore and queer friends found a fantastic, seemingly inclusive space, I was never able to bring myself to go. Their name alone meant the space could not include me or other Indigenous folks. Representation matters, and how we define ourselves and who defines us have lasting impacts on our history and sovereignty. I am connected with three separate Indigenous nations, and when I google them, the primary searches are: a Louis Vuitton handbag (Métis), an upstate New York cult that decided to make flatware (Oneida), and an immediate redirect to a Lakota/Dakota exonym (Anishinaabe to Ojibwe). These kinds of cultural dissonance—who we are versus what society associates with us—are incredibly problematic and especially damaging to Native youth and those that are vulnerable. I couldn’t support this kind of disrespect to the Ho Chunk that I had experienced so heavily. In October 2019, after the success of GenderFest and strong community support, one of my non-Native friends rhetorically asked if anyone would ask The Winnebago to change its name. It was a completely real question to me, and I finally shared those transcripts from months ago. People saw, people shared, and many of Madison’s queer folks and artists agreed a name change was necessary and a boycott was needed to back the effort.

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I am from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, but I identify as Anishinaabe.

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Ok, they changed the name, aren’t you happy?

I’m glad the owners have decided to no longer profit from the identities of Indigenous peoples. But it took them nine months after my initial contact, and coincidentally around the time that multiple predominantly-white bands (miigwech Dumpster Dick and Sylvia), producers, and patrons decided to no longer attend the venue with its original name. The name change is in response to their anger and the potential loss of white people’s money rather than misrepresentation of and education from Indigenous peoples. Once again, white folks’ emotions, labor, and intentions carry more weight than ours. This is why allyship and accountability are so important, but holding these prejudices is not something that is easily forgivable of the owners. So I’m glad the name is going, but I’m not happy the institutions that allowed it to be stolen in the first place remain. For over 500 years, Indigenous Peoples have not controlled our narratives and representations. Our exclusion has been built into inclusion for others. The foundation of any equality work cannot be oppression. Let’s do better. Miigwech bizindawiyeg! (Thanks for listening!)

Like this? Follow me on IG @wetearthwoman or drop some bannock money to my PayPal at wetearthwoman@*****.com.

Text formatting added for emphasis.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 23, 2022, 10:53:22 pm
From February 19, 2019 through February 12, 2020, Nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire (KL) claimed to be Oneida, Anishinaabe, and Metis in publicly available interviews and articles. Then, in an article on May 19, 2020, KL claimed to be Cuban (in addition to Oneida, Anishinaabe, and Metis). KL claimed to be Cuban in all the articles, interviews, and presentations I was able to find online through August 31, 2020. In an interview on May 11, 2021 (and everything that followed), KL no longer identified as Cuban. Why?

Something significant happened at the University of Wisconsin – Madison in September 2020. On September 3, 2020, Jessica Krug, an associate professor of history at George Washington University, admitted to falsely claiming to be Black and Latina. Krug had completed her PhD at University of Wisconsin – Madison. On September 4, 2020, C.V. Vitolo-Haddad, a PhD student at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, was the subject of an anonymous post to Medium which alleged Vitolo-Haddad was falsely claiming to be Black and/or Latina. Vitolo-Haddad later acknowledged they were "Italian with a possible, but unconfirmed, distant ancestor who is Ethiopian." The anonymous writer was motivated to action after reading about Jessica Krug and seeing the parallels between Krug and Vitolo-Haddad. In my opinion, KL shares many of those same parallels with Krug and Vitolo-Haddad.

Is it a coincidence that KL stopped claiming to be Cuban after the publicity surrounding Krug and Vitolo-Haddad? Maybe.

Below is a timeline of KL’s identity claims with excerpts from linked sources. I've also included sources with links related to Jessica Krug and C.V. Vitolo-Haddad on the timeline.

February 19, 2019 – February 12, 2020: 4 Sources
May 19, 2020 – August 31, 2020: 5 Sources
May 31, 2021 – December 8, 2021: 5 Sources
Unknown Date: 1 source   

Prior to claiming to be Cuban…

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February 19, 2019 – Wisconsin Historical Society
American Indian Engagement Session Story – By Dean Witter


Nibiiwakamigkwe, Oneida, Anishinaabe, Métis, provided insight into a rendering intended to celebrate the tradition of Wisconsin supper clubs.

Direct Link: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15994 (https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15994)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20220615001316/https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15994 (https://web.archive.org/web/20220615001316/https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15994)

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September 5, 2019 – MADISON.COM
Exhibit at Al. Ringling Gallery in Baraboo to celebrate Wisconsin female artists – By Nicole Aimone


Nibiiwakamigkwe, an artist from Madison with Oneida ancestry, will display beadwork that represents a native medicine wheel.

Direct Link: https://madison.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/exhibit-at-al-ringling-gallery-in-baraboo-to-celebrate-wisconsin/article_c6e73b2f-e4ef-5bca-a878-0a3024e19fc5.html (https://madison.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/exhibit-at-al-ringling-gallery-in-baraboo-to-celebrate-wisconsin/article_c6e73b2f-e4ef-5bca-a878-0a3024e19fc5.html)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20190909040035/https://madison.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/exhibit-at-al-ringling-gallery-in-baraboo-to-celebrate-wisconsin/article_c6e73b2f-e4ef-5bca-a878-0a3024e19fc5.html (https://web.archive.org/web/20190909040035/https://madison.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/exhibit-at-al-ringling-gallery-in-baraboo-to-celebrate-wisconsin/article_c6e73b2f-e4ef-5bca-a878-0a3024e19fc5.html)

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October 22, 2019 – Tone Madison
East side venue’s name change decision follows months of quiet pressure – By Scott Gordon


Said Madison resident is of Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Métis, and Onyota’a:ka (Oneida) heritage, and asked Tone Madison to use their Anishinaabe name, nibiiwakamigkwe.


Direct Link: https://tonemadison.com/articles/east-side-venues-name-change-decision-follows-months-of-quiet-pressure/ (https://tonemadison.com/articles/east-side-venues-name-change-decision-follows-months-of-quiet-pressure/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20200423135003/https://tonemadison.com/articles/east-side-venues-name-change-decision-follows-months-of-quiet-pressure/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20200423135003/https://tonemadison.com/articles/east-side-venues-name-change-decision-follows-months-of-quiet-pressure/)

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February 12, 2020 – Our Lives Magazine: Dear Queer White People
Not Yours to Use – By Nibiiwakamigkwe


I am an Anishinaabe (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, marten clan), Onyota’a:ka (Oneida Nation of New York, bear clan), and Métis (Red River Settlement) Two-Spirit and uninvited guest of 7 years here in Tee Jop, on HoCaak Land.


Article Link: https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/  (https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20211028174035/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20211028174035/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/)

While claiming to be Cuban…

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May 19, 2020 – Tone Madison
Conduit: Nibiiwakamigkwe on the challenges to Indigenous artists – By Scott Gordon


Nibiiwakamigkwe is a Métis, Onyota’a:ka, Anishinaabe, Cuban and waabishkiiwed Two-Spirit artist working in traditional Indigenous craftwork and contemporary Woodlands style to foster awareness of land protection, Indigenous cultural landscapes, and the complexity of identity.


Direct Link: https://tonemadison.com/articles/conduit-nibiiwakamigkwe-on-the-challenges-to-indigenous-artists/ (https://tonemadison.com/articles/conduit-nibiiwakamigkwe-on-the-challenges-to-indigenous-artists/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20200713225201/https://tonemadison.com/articles/conduit-nibiiwakamigkwe-on-the-challenges-to-indigenous-artists/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20200713225201/https://tonemadison.com/articles/conduit-nibiiwakamigkwe-on-the-challenges-to-indigenous-artists/)

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July 1, 2020 – Our Lives Magazine: Dear Queer White People
Center the Movement, Not You – By Nibiiwakamigkwe


As a non-Black Native and Latine person, it’s my duty to show up and support Black folks right now. But also, as a non-Black Native and Latine person, I’m seeing plenty of white people acting foolish and centering themselves in attempts to help.

Direct Link: https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/center-the-movement-not-you/ (https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/center-the-movement-not-you/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20210228090404/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/center-the-movement-not-you/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20210228090404/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/center-the-movement-not-you/)

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August 4, 2020 - CDMC Conversation Series: nibiiwakamigkwe
Indigenous Arts as Decolonial Action


Transcription starts at 1:00
Dakota Mace: Hello, everyone. My name again is Dakota Mace, I am a Diné artist and photographer, but I have been working at CDMC as a collection photographer. But to jump into introductions, nibiiwakamigkwe is a good friend of mine and I really wanted to not only feature their work, but also have a conversation about their art practices. So, nibiiwakamigkwe is Métis, Oneida, Anishinaabe, Cuban, and waabishkiiwed Two-Spirit artist working in traditional Indigenous craftwork and contemporary Woodland styles. Their work fosters awareness of land protection, Indigenous cultural landscapes, and the complexity of identity. This includes the relatedness of Indigenous art and artists to language preservation, land rights, environmental justice, and the impact of cultural appropriation.

Direct Link: https://cdmc.wisc.edu/event/cdmc-conversation-series-nibiiwakamigkwe/ (https://cdmc.wisc.edu/event/cdmc-conversation-series-nibiiwakamigkwe/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20220627211525/https://cdmc.wisc.edu/event/cdmc-conversation-series-nibiiwakamigkwe/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20220627211525/https://cdmc.wisc.edu/event/cdmc-conversation-series-nibiiwakamigkwe/)

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August 31, 2020 – Tone Madison
Willy Street’s giige brings healing tattooing practices to the forefront – By Holly Marley-Henschen


“So much of Indigenous and queer culture is education, and we would like to continue moving in that [direction] where, once people are more informed, that makes a safer and better environment for everyone,” says collective member nibiiwakamigkwe, a Two-Spirit artist whose heritage includes the Bear Clan of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York, Métis, Anishinaabe, and Cuban. nibiiwakamigkwe works in an administrative role with giige.

Direct Link: https://tonemadison.com/articles/willy-streets-giige-brings-healing-tattooing-practices-to-the-forefront/ (https://tonemadison.com/articles/willy-streets-giige-brings-healing-tattooing-practices-to-the-forefront/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20201123220609/https://tonemadison.com/articles/willy-streets-giige-brings-healing-tattooing-practices-to-the-forefront/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20201123220609/https://tonemadison.com/articles/willy-streets-giige-brings-healing-tattooing-practices-to-the-forefront/)

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September/October 2020* – Our Lives Magazine
The Great Madison LGBTQ+ Artist Survey of 2020


Kay LeClaire/nibiiwakamigkwe | @giige.co | giige.co/gigiigemin | nibiiwakamigkwe is a Métis, Onyota’a:ka, Anishinaabe, Cuban, and waabishkiiwed Two-Spirit artist and organizer working in traditional Indigenous craftwork and contemporary Woodlands style to foster awareness of land protection, Indigenous cultural landscapes, and the complexity of identity. They are committed to the long-term cultural work and community care tactics that transform social systems.

Article Link: https://ourliveswisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/OL80.pdf (https://ourliveswisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/OL80.pdf)


*This publication was the September/October 2020 edition of Our Lives Magazine. It published information that respondents submitted as part of a survey to become part of a LGBTQ+ artist directory. It would have been submitted  by KL prior to September 2020.

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September 3, 2020 – Jessica Krug's False Claims of Black and/or Latina Ancestry Revealed

Direct Link: https://medium.com/@jessakrug/the-truth-and-the-anti-black-violence-of-my-lies-9a9621401f85 (https://medium.com/@jessakrug/the-truth-and-the-anti-black-violence-of-my-lies-9a9621401f85)
Direct Link: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/09/04/prominent-scholar-outs-herself-white-just-she-faced-exposure-claiming-be-black (https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/09/04/prominent-scholar-outs-herself-white-just-she-faced-exposure-claiming-be-black)


September 4, 2020 – C.V. Vitolo-Haddad False Claims of Black and/or Latina Ancestry Revealed

Direct Link: https://medium.com/@polite_keppel_dinosaur_57/cv-vitolo-haddad-another-academic-racial-fraud-c5c41fe32110 (https://medium.com/@polite_keppel_dinosaur_57/cv-vitolo-haddad-another-academic-racial-fraud-c5c41fe32110)
Direct Link:https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2020/09/14/more-cv-vitolo-haddad-and-jessica-krug%E2%80%8B (https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2020/09/14/more-cv-vitolo-haddad-and-jessica-krug%E2%80%8B)

No longer claiming to be Cuban…

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May 11, 2021 – WORT 89.9 FM Madison
Shutting Down Line 5


I’m Marten Clan from the Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Ojibwe and I sit in the Bear Clan of the Oneida Indian Nation.

Direct Link: https://soundcloud.com/wort-fm/shutting-down-line-5 (https://soundcloud.com/wort-fm/shutting-down-line-5)

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Jun 21, 2021 – The Cap Times
Q&A: nibiiwakamigkwe wants Madison to 're-Indigenize' Pride – By Addison Lathers


nibiiwakamigkwe, 27, a Métis, Onyota'a:ka, Anishinaabe and Two-Spirit person, was born and raised in northern Wisconsin. They moved to Teejop, or Madison, to study botany at the University of Wisconsin, and have stayed in the city ever since.

Direct Link: https://captimes.com/news/local/q-a-nibiiwakamigkwe-wants-madison-to-re-indigenize-pride/article_91cc52d8-1b52-51de-b76e-75bb7780217f.html (https://captimes.com/news/local/q-a-nibiiwakamigkwe-wants-madison-to-re-indigenize-pride/article_91cc52d8-1b52-51de-b76e-75bb7780217f.html)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20221112164145/https://captimes.com/news/local/q-a-nibiiwakamigkwe-wants-madison-to-re-indigenize-pride/article_91cc52d8-1b52-51de-b76e-75bb7780217f.html (https://web.archive.org/web/20221112164145/https://captimes.com/news/local/q-a-nibiiwakamigkwe-wants-madison-to-re-indigenize-pride/article_91cc52d8-1b52-51de-b76e-75bb7780217f.html)

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July 1, 2021 – Our Lives Magazine
The Artist – By Our Lives Magazine


My name is nibiiwakamigkwe, which translates to watery ground or wet earth femme person. I have two spirits and use they/them pronouns. I’m marten clan from the Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Ojibwe, I sit in the bear clan of the Oneida Indian Nation, and am a Métis descendant of the Red River settlement in Manitoba.

Direct Link: https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/the-artist/ (https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/the-artist/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20210727020429/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/the-artist/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20210727020429/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/the-artist/)

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November 16, 2021 – Tone Madison
A flag raising spotlights UW-Madison’s dismal record on Native relations – By Nibiiwakamigkwe


nibiiwakamigkwe (they/them/awi, pictured here with illustrator Nipinet, on the left) is an Onyota’a:ka, Anishinaabe, Métis, and waabishkiiwed Two-Spirit artist and organizer working in traditional Indigenous craftwork and contemporary Woodlands style to foster awareness of land protection, Indigenous cultural landscapes, and complexity of identity.

Direct Link: https://tonemadison.com/articles/a-flag-raising-spotlights-uw-madisons-dismal-record-on-native-relations/ (https://tonemadison.com/articles/a-flag-raising-spotlights-uw-madisons-dismal-record-on-native-relations/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20211127002203/https://tonemadison.com/articles/a-flag-raising-spotlights-uw-madisons-dismal-record-on-native-relations/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20211127002203/https://tonemadison.com/articles/a-flag-raising-spotlights-uw-madisons-dismal-record-on-native-relations/)

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December 8, 2021 – Little Book Wisconsin
Artist Profile: nibiiwakamigkwe – By Rachel Werner


nibiiwakamigkwe (they/them/awi) is an Onyota'a:ka, Anishinaabe, Michif, and waabishkiiwed Two-Spirit artist and organizer working in traditional Indigenous craftwork and contemporary Woodlands style to foster awareness of land protection, Indigenous cultural landscapes and complexity of identity.

Direct Link: https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe (https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20221112210236/https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe (https://web.archive.org/web/20221112210236/https://www.littlebookwi.com/blog/artist-profile-nibiiwakamigkwe)

Possible timeline outlier...
KL is currently the Community Leader in Residence with the Center for Design & Material Culture (CDMC) at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. The CDMC website includes “Cuban” in KL’s bio. I’ve been trying to identify when KL was hired for the role to confirm the timeline presented above. An article from November 16, 2021 (information above) included a description of how KL is connected to the University of Wisconsin – Madison but did not include this position. However, KL did participate in the CDMC Conversation series on August 4, 2020 (information above). KL was identified as “Cuban” in the materials related to the event and while being introduced. In my opinion, it is most likely that KL’s Community Leader in Residence bio carried over from their previous work with CDMC.

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Unknown Date – University of Wisconsin - Madison
Center for Design & Material Culture, School of Human Ecology


Artist nibiiwakamigkwe has joined the CDMC through a grant from the Equity & Justice Network Community Leader-in-Residence Program to collaborate and think through these questions, with the goal of developing a scalable and adaptable toolkit and curriculum around cultural appropriation.

nibiiwakamigkwe is a Two-Spirit Métis, Onyota’a:ka (Oneida), Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Cuban and waabishkiiwed artist working in traditional Indigenous craftwork and contemporary Woodlands style.


Equity & Justice Initiatives, Community Leader in Residence Program
Direct Link:https://cdmc.wisc.edu/equity-justice-initiatives/ (https://cdmc.wisc.edu/equity-justice-initiatives/)
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: niigankwe on December 27, 2022, 04:00:13 pm
Is the link certain between Kathryn Le Claire (the person in question) and the parents you have the genealogy for (Carol Ann Johnson and Brian John Le Claire)? Is there a chance that Carol and Brian's child Kathryn Le Claire is someone else with the same name?

I was put in touch with one of the members of the collective of which Kay is part owner, Nipinet, who let me know that they've seen legal documents that her legal name is Kathryn Le Claire and her parents are Carol and Brian. They, too, have screenshots of Kay's appearance changing over time and first hand accounts of tanning and dyeing their hair. I don't know if it helps.
Title: Re: nibiiwakamigkwe / Kay LeClaire / Kathryn Le Claire - Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 27, 2022, 06:07:10 pm
Is the link certain between Kathryn Le Claire (the person in question) and the parents you have the genealogy for (Carol Ann Johnson and Brian John Le Claire)? Is there a chance that Carol and Brian's child Kathryn Le Claire is someone else with the same name?

I was put in touch with one of the members of the collective of which Kay is part owner, Nipinet, who let me know that they've seen legal documents that her legal name is Kathryn Le Claire and her parents are Carol and Brian. They, too, have screenshots of Kay's appearance changing over time and first hand accounts of tanning and dyeing their hair. I don't know if it helps.

Thank you for confirming my research, shkodenhskwe. In my opinion, this is a really egregious case of red/brown face.

Here's another statement from KL I've recently found:

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Claims to have been "born up at Red Cliff" -

“I’ve got a really long relationship with water… I was born up at Red Cliff … I was there for the first 6 years and Lake Superior is right
there so there’s that really strong healthy respect for bodies of water, and a ton of iron in the water, it was all well water. When we moved to southern Wisconsin I actually developed really severe anemia because my body was so used to having all that water from the well water and the lakes that we were swimming in.” - nibiiwakamigkwe

Direct Link: https://onewatermadison.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/zine-1-pdf-download.pdf (https://onewatermadison.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/zine-1-pdf-download.pdf)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20221227174303/https://onewatermadison.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/zine-1-pdf-download.pdf (https://web.archive.org/web/20221227174303/https://onewatermadison.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/zine-1-pdf-download.pdf)

Public records indicate KL's parents lived in Pewaukee and then Sussex since 1984 until after KL was in college. I was unable to find any record that indicated the family had lived "up at Red Cliff."
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: niigankwe on December 28, 2022, 03:49:31 am
I was able to grab a screenshot from their FB in 2017 where they admit to being a "white woman." See attachment.

[Just changed title slightly and moved to Frauds. -Al]
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire of Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: cellophane on December 28, 2022, 08:09:18 pm
I was put in touch with one of the members of the collective of which Kay is part owner, Nipinet, who let me know that they've seen legal documents that her legal name is Kathryn Le Claire and her parents are Carol and Brian. They, too, have screenshots of Kay's appearance changing over time and first hand accounts of tanning and dyeing their hair. I don't know if it helps.

Did you get the impression then that Nipinet knows that Kay is white? What does Nipinet think about this?
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 29, 2022, 11:07:13 pm
I was contacted through private message by someone that facilitated putting Nipinet into contact with me. After spending a significant amount of time on general research and genealogy for this thread, I had many questions about how “nibiiwakamigkwe” came to exist and whether the people around them had been suspicious - or possibly even complicit. I appreciated the opportunity to ask Nipinet some of those questions.
 
As I expressed earlier in this post, I understand how the actual Native American (NA) individuals around “nibiiwakamigkwe” aka Kay LeClaire aka Kathryn Le Claire (KL) could have found themselves in this situation.

Quote
KL has genuinely Indigenous people around them. Sometimes all it takes is one person to give you legitimacy and others follow...then when the red flags pop up it's hard to question the person. Especially when your work is intertwined with them.

Nipinet told me they met KL in the fall of 2019 through friends that vouched for KL. KL’s faux NA identity would have already been established at that point in time. Nipinet questioned some aspects of KL’s story but attributed the inconsistencies to other factors in KL’s life. I don’t believe Nipinet thought that KL’s entire NA identity was a lie though. As for “What does Nipinet think about this?” I’ve been given permission to say that Nipinet is angry.

I was able to put this thread together as an objective outsider because I only had publicly available information. I hadn’t heard more detailed stories and explanations from KL. We didn't have personal history together as friends or colleagues. I didn’t have feelings, positive or negative, towards KL at the beginning. My only thought initially was that KL’s claims seemed genealogically unlikely, not impossible, but unusual.

Now Nipinet and others with personal knowledge of KL are taking over where I left off. For example, I found information that called into question the provenance of a piece of KL’s art. I didn’t feel comfortable adding it to NAFPS without additional evidence. Others close to the situation have confirmed those suspicions with a great deal of hard work. This runs deep and it’s my belief (and hope) that the details are going to be shared beyond this forum soon.

KL wrote an article about the name of a music venue and restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin, previously known as The Winnebago, back in 2020. A quote from that article below highlights the unbelievable hypocrisy of Kay LeClaire aka Kathryn Le Claire.

Quote
"Once again, white folks’ emotions, labor, and intentions carry more weight than ours. This is why allyship and accountability are so important, but holding these prejudices is not something that is easily forgivable of the owners. So I’m glad the name is going, but I’m not happy the institutions that allowed it to be stolen in the first place remain. For over 500 years, Indigenous Peoples have not controlled our narratives and representations. Our exclusion has been built into inclusion for others. The foundation of any equality work cannot be oppression. Let’s do better."

Not Yours to Use (Our Lives - Dear Queer White People), February 12, 2020 - By Nibiiwakamigkwe
Article Link: https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/ (https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/)
Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20211028174035/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/ (https://web.archive.org/web/20211028174035/https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/not-yours-to-use/)

Native Americans (including myself) have already started investing emotion and labor towards fixing the damage left by Kay LeClaire aka Kathryn Le Claire. I wonder if KL will expect more forgiveness than they were willing to give?

I can be reached by email at advancedsmite@protonmail.com with questions about the sources used to compile this thread.
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on December 30, 2022, 08:07:49 pm
Someone directed my attention to a specific timestamp of a podcast in which KL provides a more detailed description of their alleged ancestry. KL even claims to be an "Austrian Jew" which is bolded and underlined in the transcribed excerpt below.

May 18, 2020 - Tone Madison Podcast "Conduit: Nibiiwakamigkwe on the challenges to Indigenous artists"
Direct Link: https://soundcloud.com/tonemsn/conduit-nibiiwakamigkwe-on-the-challenges-to-indigenous-artists (https://soundcloud.com/tonemsn/conduit-nibiiwakamigkwe-on-the-challenges-to-indigenous-artists)


Transcription begins at 1:07:19.
Quote
Yeah. So, well, also, “Hi!” Fellow Latina person here. My dad is Cuban. <laughter> But my Spanish is terrible, so I apologize. So, for me it’s always kind of acknowledging the breakdown of everything. And I want to acknowledge that I’m still French Canadian, and a little bit of Swedish and a little bit of Austrian are in there. And I think a really good way that I’ve been fighting this is by acknowledging my ancestors a little bit better. When Native children are born, we receive this little - besides our tribal enrollment cards, we receive this nice little piece of paper called a CDIB, Certificate Degree of Indian Blood, which is just as messed up as you think it is – as it sounds. <laughter> And it’s basically saying, “how much Native are you” and so for me, mine says 3/8. And then 1/4 - I’m 1/4 Cuban and then I am 3/8, you know, Europe (folx?). And so, for me I like to acknowledge that by saying well three of my great-grandparents are Native, which is true. And you know two of them are Cuban and 3 of them are European and white. Or specifically, you know, breaking down the different locations that they’re from. So, it's been really good to kind of look at in terms of that way instead of “Oh, I am <trails off>” breaking me down physically into 3/8, 3/8, 1/4. Um, acknowledging grandparents and great-grandparents or possibly, if you have a very very diverse background, great-great-grandparents. <laughter>

Just for better acknowledgement of where you come from - has been really nice for me. And I know that isn’t always available to everyone. For a lot of Native people, it’s very available because, again, they track us like racing greyhounds and it’s weird. <laughter> But, however, you know, I think acknowledging the living people behind who you are has been really good. It’s, you know, it’s a way of preventing yourself from being divided up. You know, I am completely Anishinaabe, I am completely Onyota'a:ka, I am completely Metis, I’m completely Austrian Jew, I’m still completely Swedish, I’m completely French Canadian, and completely Cuban. It’s having that acknowledgement that I can be all of those things, all at once, has been really good.

However, I do acknowledge that I have white passing privilege which means that a lot of artwork I do is collaborative because I think that it’s really good to have – I mean, first of all, I think it’s really good to employ more artists no matter what you do. If you can employ one, maybe you can employ two? So, I prefer to do that whenever I can. And that also allows me to kind of exercise the privilege that I have in the way that I look and the way I present myself and transfer that a little bit for another person. This isn’t really done as a way of charity or something. It’s more of like they can offer a perspective that I can’t, and I would prefer to…<technical issues with audio quality>

However, I’ve gotten a little more assertive when that privilege has been questioned by those that have more white privilege than I do. I think it is kind of problematic when, you know, a Euro-American, a white person, you know someone who really benefits from the colonial state says “Well, how Native are you really?” or “Are you sure you’re Native?” Or something. Well, I’m pretty sure, yeah. <laughter> You know? Usually, my favorite response when someone asks “Well, how Native are you?” is - I’ll just say “Very.” And be done with it. And, you know, so it’s one of those situations where you don’t really owe them an explanation and that is still a form of continued colonial violence. If they are repeatedly trying to question your place in your community, it’s really only your own community’s place to decide whether or not you’re a part of it.
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Diana on January 01, 2023, 06:44:45 am
Well it looks like Advancesmite has got ol faker Kathryn Leclaire on the run. She has deleted her Facebook page and her Instagram account.  It appears word gets around fast!

https://www.facebook.com/fakeindians?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on January 01, 2023, 08:01:05 pm
Thank you, Diana. Diana reviewed KL's maternal and Le Claire family genealogy which was essential to disproving KL's claims.

I've been sent screenshots of Facebook conversations that KL had with two different people. In both conversations, KL claims to have "bleached" her skin. The screenshots are attached and the content is transcribed below.

Quote
Facebook Conversation with Anonymous #1

Important Context - "CV" refers to C.V. Vitolo-Haddad. A date was not included with the screenshot but it would likely be after C.V. Vitolo-Haddad's fraudulent claims were revealed on September 4, 2020.

Kay LeClaire: Tbh, this CV and Sawyer stuff is hitting hard. My mom forced us to bleach our skin. She used Ambi “dark spot corrector.” It was so traumatizing, and when I quit a few years ago, she told me I would get spotted like a cow. There is some permanent damage, especially on my hands and face. For CV to claim that’s what happened is gut-wrenching.

Anonymous #1: Oh shit, I’m sorry. They were so reckless with how they appropriated experiences that weren’t their own. I can’t imagine not understanding how harmful that is, to be able to perpetuate those lies.

Kay LeClaire: Yeah, and like, this invalidates my lived experiences. People around here will associate this part of me with CV’s excuse. Me neither.

Quote
Facebook Conversation with Anonymous #2

Anonymous #2: Hi Kay! I wanted to reach out because I’ve admired a lot how you embrace your native roots. My <removed> had indigenous Latin Americans <removed>. I wonder if you know of any good ways to find out more about these kinds of histories or if there are any good groups in the midwest for conversing more about these histories. I have been <removed> encouraging me to seek out my history to see where these feelings and energies come from. Thanks for reading, I know this is a lot to offer a mere stranger, and I understand if you don’t have the emotional labor to spare. I appreciate your regardless. <heart emoji>

Kay LeClaire: Boozhoo <removed>. Thanks for your message– I’m so happy to connect! I was raised in my culture, then hardcore abandoned it from late high school through college and a bit after (honestly earlier too: I started bleaching my skin and hair when I was 11). I didn’t think I could be a professional person and indigenous, so I sort of gave up. It wasn’t until I started handling my PTSD diagnosis that I realized so much of my strength came from my culture and I was losing so much by acknowledging it. I don’t know much about Central and South American Indigenous peoples, but I consider us all family. <removed> is very into recovering <removed> indigenous Latinx history. I totally recommend going to one of <removed> workshops or reaching out, just be respectful of <removed> mental energy: <removed> but genuinely loves so many people and wants to help. I’m also down for tea if you want to talk reconnection. I’m part Cuban, but don’t claim Taino (because my ancestors probably killed them, not gonna lie), but am still working out what it means to be a settler, Indigenous, and Latinx all at once <heart emoji>
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on January 03, 2023, 02:13:04 pm
Kathryn Le Claire provided a statement to Robert Chappell from Madison365.

January 3, 2023: Madison Indigenous arts leader, activist revealed as white - By Robert Chappell, Madison 365

https://madison365.com/indigenous-arts-leader-activist-revealed-as-white/ (https://madison365.com/indigenous-arts-leader-activist-revealed-as-white/)

Quote
“I am sorry,” they wrote. “A lot of information has come to my attention since late December. I am still processing it all and do not yet know how to respond adequately. What I can do now is offer change. Moving forward, my efforts will be towards reducing harm by following the directions provided by Native community members and community-specified proxies. Currently, this means that I am not using the Ojibwe name given to me and am removing myself from all community spaces, positions, projects, and grants and will not seek new ones. Any culturally related items I hold are being redistributed back in community, either to the original makers and gift-givers when possible or elsewhere as determined by community members. Thank you.”

LeClaire declined to answer follow-up questions, including who gave them their Ojibwe name and what information came to their attention.

I've attached a screenshot from a TikTok that KL made on 2/23/2021. In the comments, KL states "my name was given by an elder near Cass Lake, Minneapolis (sic)."
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on January 03, 2023, 05:55:34 pm
I was interviewed for the Madison365 article and would like to clarify the intention behind an included quote about Native American population growth that I'm concerned could be misinterpreted. My personal belief is that the United States Census Bureau needs to ask more specific questions on the census to accurately document Native American population growth. I do believe some of those questions should be "Are you an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe? Which tribe or band?" I believe there should be additional questions and clarifying language about whether you identify as Native American (but are not an enrolled member) that would help pinpoint organic population growth versus erroneous self-identification. I also believe that tribes need to unite on this issue - Native American population data from the 2020 census is a harbinger of significant trouble ahead.

The article "How the Native American population in the US increased 87% says more about whiteness than about demographics" by Circe Sturm does a great job explaining the issue I was referencing in my Madison365 quote:
https://theconversation.com/how-the-native-american-population-in-the-us-increased-87-says-more-about-whiteness-than-about-demographics-170920 (https://theconversation.com/how-the-native-american-population-in-the-us-increased-87-says-more-about-whiteness-than-about-demographics-170920)


I do not believe that tribal enrollment or blood quantum are necessarily capable of indicating who is truly Native American. Personally, I am happy that some bands of the Minnesota Chippewa are reviewing enrollment criteria. My general belief is that if your closest ancestor with a DOCUMENTED connection was born before 1820 (at the latest) that you may need to think about your reasons for wanting to identify as Native American. I have an ancestor that was born in Switzerland in the 1700s and have taken a DNA ancestry test that indicates I'm possibly* 2% Swiss - I'm not going to add "Swiss" to a professional bio or include that information when I fill out the U.S. Census. Also, there is a significant amount of information online that may falsely lead people to believe they have a Native American ancestor and lead to inaccurate self-identification. Google "Chief Moytoy" to better the size of the problem. How many white people may be inaccurately claiming Cherokee ancestry based off false information?

I would like to thank Robert Chappell from Madison365 for telling the story of "nibiiwakamigkwe" aka Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire. Native American identity is a sensitive issue that many journalists would not have even entertained covering - much less covered it in such a well-researched and thorough manner. Initially, I was hesitant to participate beyond confirming the sources of information used in this thread, but felt comfortable the story was in good hands after talking to Robert Chappell. 

To be clear - the quote below was not intended to infer that tribal enrollment is the only important factor in determining who is Native American.


Quote
AdvancedSmite, the New Age Fraud Forum user who uncovered the deception, said the appropriation of Native identity is a larger issue than any one person.

They noted that the self-identified Native American population grew by 85% between the 2010 and 2020 census, from just over five million to well over nine million.

“That’s not population growth,” they said. “It’s a major issue. The government needs to ask if you are an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe.


“You can’t assume … that Kay LeClaire is an isolated incident … the pretendian problem is a long term, strategic issue,” they wrote in a later email to Madison365, adding that people who falsely claim Indigenous heritage are then passing that false claim on to their children, who may unwittingly accept it, perpetuating a falsehood through generations. “It’s a fight for our future and identity.”

*DNA tests (like Ancestry and 23andMe) only provide estimates of ancestry composition. Ancestry estimates are subject to fluctuation when companies update their reference panels. In my opinion, any ancestry estimate below 3% needs to be considered possibly inaccurate without solid genealogical documentation. That documentation should be obtained through solid genealogical research using the Genealogical Proof Standard.
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Sparks on January 03, 2023, 07:37:26 pm
The article "How the Native American population in the US increased 87% says more about whiteness than about demographics" by Circe Sturm does a great job explaining the issue I was referencing in my Madison365 quote:
https://theconversation.com/how-the-native-american-population-in-the-us-increased-87-says-more-about-whiteness-than-about-demographics-170920 (https://theconversation.com/how-the-native-american-population-in-the-us-increased-87-says-more-about-whiteness-than-about-demographics-170920)

There is a thread in here about that article and links to a book by Circe Sturm:

http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=5575.0
[How the Native American population in the US increased 87% (in ten years)]
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Diana on January 04, 2023, 12:15:17 am
Great job Advancesmite 👏. My hat is off to you.
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Advanced Smite on January 08, 2023, 09:22:29 pm
Thanks, Diana :) One down…more need to go. I didn’t expect the email I set up for questions about sources used in this thread would receive tips about other potential fakes. It makes me, literally, sick to my stomach to know how many actual Native Americans in Madison (and across Wisconsin) are terrified of facing retribution at school or in the workplace for calling out the issue. These are not “low blood quantum” situations. These are people with NO blood quantum and NO connection. Some are unbelievably bold. One fake in Madison made a decision that was in incredibly poor taste this past week. Not quite a "nibiiwakamigkwe" yet - but this person has been ramping up over the last year. 

To the people misrepresenting themselves and speaking for us when you are NOT one of us – I’m going to offer you some advice. STOP NOW. It isn’t too late to accept responsibility and move on as yourself. I promise it will look better if you’re one of the first to come forward. I don’t even care if you blame incorrect family lore or a misguided affinity for Native American culture. I do want you to contact any organizations, institutions, and media outlets to which you have misrepresented yourself and take responsibility though.

If you decide to take your chances and keep playing Indian, I want you to know everything has been saved.
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Sparks on July 05, 2023, 11:18:38 pm
There was a follow-up by Robert Chappell on January 18, 2023:

https://madison365.com/indigenous-community-looks-to-heal-weeks-after-a-pretendian-is-exposed/

Quote
Indigenous community looks to heal weeks after a “pretendian” is exposed

Madison’s Indigenous and arts communities are working to disentangle themselves from a web left behind by Kay LeClaire, a white woman who has been claiming to be an Indigenous two-spirit person for at least five years.   

Since we first reported on LeClaire’s deceptions, the story went viral internationally. But much of the public’s attention has moved on, leaving artists, Indigenous people, businesses, nonprofit organizations and even government agencies to pick up the pieces.

As Madison365 first reported on January 3, LeClaire had been claiming Anishinaabe and Metis heritage since at least 2017. They used that identity to claim positions of leadership in Indigenous communities, including membership and co-ownership of giige, an Indigenous and queer artists’ collective. LeClaire also successfully applied for a number of grants, fellowships and other positions based on the false claim of Indigenous heritage.

LeClaire told colleagues that they identified as “two-spirit,” a gender identity specific to Indigenous people, but did not identify as non-binary. Nonetheless, LeClaire still uses they/them pronouns.

LeClaire apologized in a statement emailed to Madison365, but has not yet directly acknowledged that they lied about being Indigenous.

Following the money
LeClaire has been paid at least $67,000 over the past four years for roles and opportunities they were given based at least in some measure on their claim of Indigenous heritage. The bulk of that was their wages at giige, where they served mostly administrative functions 20 hours per week, earning a total of $60,716 since 2019, according to tax records shared with Madison365.

Nipinet Landsem, another cofounder and member of the collective, said the organization also paid a buyout of an undisclosed amount when it separated from LeClaire.

LeClaire was Community Leader in Residence at the University of Wisconsin School of Ecology’s Center for Design and Material Culture from May through December 2022, for which they were paid $4,876.56. Officials there said Indigenous heritage was not required for that residency, but it was a key part of how LeClaire presented herself in her application.

LeClaire claimed to have made a “jingle dress” for an Overture Center exhibit; they actually purchased the dress from a maker on Etsy. An Overture Center representative confirmed that LeClaire received a stipend for participating in that exhibit; Overture did not disclose the amount but said it was less than $1,000.

LeClaire “participated in a one-day workshop in September 2022 where Wisconsin Historical Society staff met with members of Wisconsin’s Native community to discuss Native perspectives and input as it relates to Society programming,” WHS spokesperson Colleen Lies said in an email to Madison365. For that, LeClaire was compensated $599. Since learning LeClaire is not Indigenous, WHS has donated $599 to the Wisconsin Indian Education Association.

Jennifer Bastian of Communication Madison confirmed in an email that LeClaire was a member of the Communication Press editorial board from March through July of 2021, but was not compensated for that service. Communication did pay LeClaire $100 to design a t-shirt. Additionally, LeClaire was a guest on Conduit, a “live-streamed series that connected arts, culture, and community in Madison at the beginning of the pandemic,” produced by Tone Madison, Communication and Underbelly Creative. The producers collected donations from listeners and passed those along to the guests; LeClaire, who spoke specifically about their Indigenous heritage on that stream, raised $80.

Bastian said Communication has donated $100 to a Native-owned business, $90 to the UW Indigenous student organization Wunk Sheek and $90 to Little Eagle Arts Foundation.

LeClaire also apparently received a settlement after claiming racial discrimination when they were fired from Monroe Street Arts Center; the center, LeClaire and LeClaire’s attorney all declined to disclose the amount of that settlement.

LeClaire was nearly paid another $13,500 before the deception was exposed. They had been approved for a $10,000 fellowship in Springboard for the Arts’ Rural Regenerator program, for which they claimed to be Indigenous and provided a rural address, even though they currently live in the city of Madison. LeClaire was set to join the 2023 cohort of that fellowship, but the $10,000 will go to the remaining members of giige instead.

Dane Arts Mural Arts (DAMA) had also contracted with LeClaire to pay $3,500 for them to create a mural on the side of the giige building on Williamson Street. Landsem said LeClaire asked Landsem to draw the art based on LeClaire’s concept, and only begrudgingly agreed to split the stipend with Landsem.

DAMA Executive Director Veronica Figueroa told Madison365 that LeClaire never cashed or deposited the check DAMA had written for their half of the commission, so they simply canceled that check and have committed to pay Landsem for the project.

LeClaire was also a member of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force Data Subcommittee, under the auspices of the state Department of Justice. They were not compensated for that work, but was able to contribute to policy recommendations. Subcommittee Cochair Dr. Jeneile Luebke said LeClaire identified not only as Indigenous but as a victim of trafficking – a claim Lueble now doubts.

“What I find so disturbing about this is having people weigh in on recommendations that we’re giving as a task force when they truly may not have that lived experience that they’re speaking from,” Luebke said.

Luebke said LeClaire’s relative silence has been hurtful, too.

“It’s just hurtful because I kind of expected there to be some kind of a statement or a response of some sort. But (they) just disappeared, and people are just kind of left hanging,” she said.

LeClaire did provide a statement to Madison365 for inclusion in our first story, and a second statement for this story.

“I apologize for taking up space, voice, and opportunities for Native people. I am sorry for the pain and anger that I have caused, most especially to Indigenous communities and to those who placed trust in me,” LeClaire said in an email. “I have vacated all community spaces, positions, projects, and grants.”

They declined to answer several specific questions, including whether or not they consider themself to be Indigenous.

They did answer one question specifically, though: in a previous statement to Madison365, they said they would no longer use the Indigenous name that was given to them. Asked who gave them that name, they at first demurred, but in a second statement said the name was given to them in their teenage years by an Ojibwe woman who has since passed away, and whom they declined to name.

“I do not want this situation to further impact her family,” LeClaire said.

Landsem and Cunningham said that’s not what LeClaire told them; they said LeClaire’s earlier story was that they’d been given the name by an uncle during a train trip.

“We are resilient.”
“I think that one thing that we’re missing here is that we’re giving too much attention to her, and not really giving attention to the aftermath of this,” Figueroa said.

That aftermath has not only left Indigenous communities in need of healing, but also left rifts in Madison’s arts community as well.

A former employee of the Monroe Street Arts Center, for example, said LeClaire turned other arts community members against them after they were fired.

“Kay had gone around and spoke poorly of multiple of us, and we had kind of been shut out of multiple arts communities, because they supported Kay,” said the employee, who asked to remain anonymous. “As much as now the community knows, none of us still feel like we know how to reach out or know how to reintegrate ourselves into those things, because we got shut out for so long. And now trying to get back into it would almost feel harmful to us and to those people, because we’re all healing from the same thing.”

Luebke from the MMIW Task Force said her subcommittee met and decided to remove LeClaire’s name from its forthcoming report. And, more importantly, the Task Force’s work will go on.

“We will not let this situation with Kay impact our work,” she said. “We are resilient. Our commitment to addressing violence will continue without interruption.”

The studio, which has since rebranded as Red Clover Tattoo Collective, has also served as the clearinghouse for many cultural and culturally-related items – mostly clothing and jewelry – that LeClaire had collected and is now returning. Landsem and co-owners Mar Gosselar and Bear Cunningham said LeClaire is still in possession of some items.

Figueroa, the executive director of DAMA, noted the many boxes of Indigenous clothing and other items filling the studio space during a recent visit, and noted the time Landsem has spent sorting and distributing those items.

“It’s a lot of things that they didn’t have to do, but they did,” Figueroa said. “This wasn’t their fault. It wasn’t any of our fault that we trusted somebody that totally failed us.”

“We are going to continue being involved in the community and being a space for queer and Indigenous and other marginalized folks to do art, get tattoos,” Landsem said. “Kay was in control of how we interacted with the community in a lot of ways, because that was supposedly (Kay’s) job. So we’re gonna rebrand. We’re gonna open up a space for folks to use … We’re not going to change anything about our core ethics.”

Photos and photo captions in there not included in quote.
Title: Re: Nibiiwakamigkwe AKA Kay LeClaire AKA Kathryn Le Claire in Madison, Wisconsin
Post by: Sparks on July 05, 2023, 11:33:34 pm
Some other interesting links to note:

https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/the-pretendian-among-us/

Quote
The Pretendian Among Us
Another race-faker was outed late last year when newagefraud.org exposed local activist Kay LeClaire’s familial lineage. Kay was proven to be German, Swedish, and French Canadian—not the Indian tribes they claimed, including Métis, Oneida, Anishinaabe, and Haudenosaunee.

by jilip nagler | Mar 1, 2023 | 3 comments

https://www.wisconsinacademy.org/contributor/kay-leclaire

Quote
Kay LeClaire
UPDATE: Recently, evidence has been uncovered that shows Kay LeClaire, who also went by the name nibiiwakamigkwe, has been falsely claiming to be an Indigenous person with Tribal membership. This is a terrible act of racial fraud inflicting grievous injury to Indigenous people.

The Academy offered a free workshop on cultural appropriation in October 2022, in coordination with an exhibition at the Academy’s James Watrous Gallery and in partnership with UW-Madison’s Center for Design and Material Culture and the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection. Kay LeClaire was one of the workshop leads as part of their residency at UW-Madison's Center for Design and Material Culture and was not paid by the Academy. With the free workshop, we sought to fight cultural appropriation and increase engagement with Indigenous cultures in a respectful and ethical manner. We were deceived by Kay LeClaire and take responsibility for and deeply regret providing them with a platform.