In 1865, the Land Ordinance allowed European settlers to purchase allotments of property. Various parcels of land were put up for sale at that time and that included the land that J.C. Haynes then legally purchased. He worked alongside and employed numerous Native Indians over the years on his ranch. Upon his sudden death in 1888 from complications due to appendicitis whilst traveling back from Victoria, the Natives treated his body with utmost respect and dignity, wrapping it in blankets and securing it in a dug out canoe (which is still on display in the Osoyoos Museum) for transport home via the Similkameen River. This is hardly the way a dishonest thieving man would be cared for by the very people Chief Louie is insinuating Judge Haynes mistreated and stole from. Upon J.C.’s death, the aforementioned property was foreclosed on and his widow and children eventually went to England.

Once old enough, the Judge’s son Valentine (Val) Haynes came back to BC and went to work in the southern interior. He slowly saved money (hard to do on a cowboy’s salary) and re-purchased land in the South Okanagan, as well as entered into various 100 year lease agreements with the Government. During this time, the McKenna-McBride Land Commission (1913) came into effect. It was then that the Government determined that the size of the reserve was too large, based on the acre per person allotment previously set and the reservation size was ultimately reduced.

Eventually, Val Haynes married Elizabeth Runnels, a Native Indian woman from Colville who worked in Conconully Court as a Native Interpreter and was greatly respected by both white and Native people. It is worthwhile to note that many OIB families trace their roots back to Colville, as we do. Over the years, Val paid for medicine, clothing and food for the Natives in the area and was widely known for his generosity to them. He never turned away anyone in need and even paid a local doctor to give medical care to any member of the Indian band who needed it. Val’s daughter Alice Haynes Thompson (1911-1996) carried on the legacy of her father with regards to care and support of OIB members. Like her mother, she was respected by whites and Natives, she even regularly sat with the OIB elders. She was very proud of her grandfather’s and father’s pioneer legacy, but was very much in touch with her Native heritage and traditions. She spent a lot of time in Nespelem, WA with the family there, whilst also setting down deep roots north of the border, continuing on the ranching business her father had established.

The Haynes legacy is thickly intertwined with local Natives and the closeness of that bond is under attack by the inflammatory statements made by Chief Louie. The Haynes family’s door has always been open to anyone who ever needed a warm meal, blanket and/or a safe place to stay. Ironically, members of Chief Louie’s own family have resided in the Haynes family home, eating and staying with them for a period of time. Not only do the Haynes descendants have Native blood running through their veins, they also consider many of the OIB members to be some of their closest and dearest friends.

The Haynes Land Agreement which was settled in throughout the 1990s was a negotiated agreement between the Federal Government and OIB with regard to the land SOLD by the Government to Judge Haynes and his son Valentine – that settlement does not mean that either of them were thieves or dishonest men. Neither J.C Haynes, nor his son Val, were personally responsible for the Government’s 1865 and 1913 laws that allowed for European settlement and/or the decrease in size of the reservation. It would seem that Chief Louie is is perpetuating inaccurate versions of history and is unfairly using our family as a scapegoat for other historical injustices carried out against the Natives.

The Chief’s statements made against our family are a slap across the face and have been interpreted by some in the community as “reverse” racism. Nothing positive will come from calling the Haynes men thieves and quite frankly, it is nothing short of slander and defamation of character. Chief Louie is entitled to his opinion; however, the land was never stolen – it was lawfully purchased pursuant to the laws of that time – and the Haynes descendants are greatly distressed over the besmirching of the Haynes’ legacy.

We feel that addressing these issues and publicly responding to Chief Louie is an important step in bringing together “whites” and Natives. The divide between sides has been exacerbated recently with discussion of the aforementioned topics and it is our intent to move forward in a harmonious manner, cultivating positive, strong and lasting bonds with our OIB family and friends.