William Henry Jackson – Grey Owl’s “Metis” Equivalent

Prince Albert Tales ( February 2011)

William Henry Jackson – aka – Honore Jaxon – Grey Owl’s ‘Metis’ equivalent

Grey Owl, a self-made aboriginal, famous for his conservation efforts, and for his ‘creative and romantic’ portrayal of a North American Indian, was in reality Archibald Belaney, an English immigrant to Canada. His story captured the imagination of Canadians, Europeans, and Royalty.

Not many of us know the story of an English Prince Alberton, who prior to Grey Owl’s emergence on the stage of Canadian History, rose to notoriety as a self proclaimed Metis, and one who served in the ‘cabinet’ of none other than Louis Riel.

He was born William Henry Jackson, and came from Ontario to live in Prince Albert. When Riel, in 1884, called for fair treatment for his people, Jackson sided with that cause, moved to Batoche, and commenced to call himself Honore Jaxon, Metis.

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Both Grey Owl and Jaxon were driven by the force of admiration. Admiration for a culture that each man found captivating.

Grey Owl put it this way “…the trust and confidence of simple living creatures, the company of native men, these have been my inspiration and guide. Without them I am nothing.”

Jaxon put it this way: “ The Indian character is more generous, more willing to share…. Let the Indian acquire the white man’s science and let the white man copy the Indian’s character.”

Jaxon acted as Riel’s secretary and assisted in the drafting of appeals to Ottawa outlining Metis rights. History unfolded; Riel’s Resistance Movement failed in 1885. Jaxon was captured with Riel and faced a charge of High Treason. If found guilty Jaxon, along with Riel, looked at the Hangman’s noose.

Jaxon’s brother, Eastwood Jackson, called for Honore to be found not guilty on the grounds of insanity, pointing to his younger sibling’s eccentric Metis impersonation as grounds for the defence. The courts agreed and Honore was sent to an asylum in Winnipeg.

Honore was not long in escaping. fleeing to the United States, he again took up the cause of the Metis and any group facing disenfranchisement by what he perceived as an unjust larger society. Jaxon was to die in New York city in 1952, a destitute street person, but a person who never gave up the cause of fostering a way of life where all receive equal right to dignity and fair treatment.

Honore Jaxon, like Grey Owl, followed a dream – a dream that society would do well to acknowledge.