The Schaghticokes want the genealogical records that Francelia C. Johnson may have in her possession. One problem: Johnson - who has been known to assist strangers trying to find ancestors in local graveyards - said she has little interest in providing any information.
In the fierce battle over this Kent, Connecticut's long history, Ms. Johnson is the woman who literally knows where the bodies are buried. She doesn't seem to want to share that information with the Indian tribe and its casino investor. Now the Schaghticoke Indians are trying to push Francelia C. Johnson to tell what she knows about Indian families who have lived in Kent for generations. Johnson, an amateur genealogist and president of the local historical society with stacks of loose-leaf notebooks detailing her research, isn't budging.
"It's got me ticked off, to tell you the truth," said Johnson, a woman the tribe feels may have documents that could shed light on the Schaghticokes during the 19th century. "I think it's a fishing trip."
You can read more about this local battle on the Hartford Courant web site at http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-kentsqueeze.artjul21,0,7040269.story?&track=rss
