Mary Johnson, Julia Thomas and Winnafred "Winnie" Smith Dancing

Mary Johnson was born in Angoon on May 10, 1900.  She was Kaagwaantaan of the Ch'aak Kudee Hit or Eagle Nest House.  At various times in her life she lived in Angoon, Hoonah and Sitka.  She was a Sitka resident where she passed following a brief illness.

Her maternal uncles had rebuilt the Eagle Nest House in Sitka before 1900 and it was still standing in 1993. According to clan lore, the original house was built after an epidemic killed all but one girl. She raised chicks as though they were her own children and became known as Ch'aak Tlaa or Eagle Mother. Mary was a direct descendant of her. The song for the Eagle Crest hat of the Kaagwaantaan came from her family.

Her first husband was identified as Albert Dick or Kaat daa. He was a head man of the Kak'weidi (Basket Point People). He died in 1935.  While living in Angoon, she was the town clerk.  She then moved from Angoon to Hoonah where she married Albert Judson, Sr.

She was a member of the Alaska Native Sisterhood serving in both Angoon and Hoonah.

A member of the Presbyterian Church, she was also active in the Salvation Army Home League. She sang in the choir.

She was a member of the Mount Fairweather dancers in Hoonah.

At the time of her death she was the oldest grandchild of the clan.

Julia (Lindoff) Thomas

Julia Thomas, Tlingit name Kootleik, was Kaagwaantaan, Kóok Hít (Box House), and was a noted skin sewer of moccasins.    

Winnafred Julia "Winnie" Brown

Winnafred "Winnie" Smith’s birth to Jack Paul Brown and Mabel Lawrence was originally recorded as 16 October, 1929 but a penciled correction gave her date of birth as 26 October, 1930.  Her Tlingit name was Ka- Guatle, she was K-gwaith eagle child of the Chuokeenidee Ka hit, Xáatl Hít (Iceberg House).

Winnafred spent her life in Hoonah and half of her childhood at Point Coriless in Glacier Bay. She spent many happy days as a young child there along with her brother Archie Brown Sr., Frank O. Williams, Frank O. Williams Jr., Adaline Burton, Alice Williams and Richard Williams. The other families that spent their summers at Point Coriless were the William and Ross Sheakley families.

Winnie's many accomplishments in her very active life included raising her 12 children, working in the fish and crab cannery and fishing out of a skiff. Winnie went back to high school and graduated in 1971, then went to college to become a Head Start teacher where she taught for 28 years.  She was deeply involved in her culture and spent hours compiling information on it.  Winnafred was also a lifetime member of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 12 of Hoonah.

Winnie was preceded in death by her father Jack Brown, husband William Lee Sr., husband Paul Smith Sr., daughter Alice Lee and son Robert Duncan Brown.  At the time of her passing she was survived by her children William Lee Jr., Jack Lee (Martha), Mildred Wright (Charlie), Doris Williams and Royanne Wright (Wesley) of Hoonah; and Frank Lee (Loveyann), Archie Lee (June), Mable Lee, Freddy Lee (Genie) and Francis Warden of Juneau. She was also survived by her stepmother Fannie Ermaloff, brother Jack Brown and sisters Lavina Ellison, Marietta (Rita) Leask and Myrna Yates.

Winnie was an aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother to so many they are too numerous to mention.

A service for Winnie was held in Juneau at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall.