Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
"By the grace of God and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and so forth...", settlers began to take over the lands, assert their own boundaries and establish laws aimed at keeping the First Peoples off their traditional lands.
The government sold land, and instituted pre-emption (a method of acquiring provincial crown land by claiming it for settlement and agricultural purposes).
They told the Secwépemc (and others): "have no fear, the queens laws would prevail in this country, and everything would be well."
“This was their proposal, not ours, and we never accepted the reservations as settlement for anything, nor did we sign any papers or make any treaties about same.”
- SECWEPEMC CHIEFS
"In the meanwhile, white settlement progressed..."
HOW? LITTLE BY LITTLE...
A Crown Grant was the document issued by the provincial government that transferred ownership of Crown land to a private individual or organization.
FOR EXAMPLE: in 1897, a Crown Grant was issued to William Boyd after he bought the 70 Mile Road House property from Isaac Saul & William Innes, to whom the land had been pre-empted. The Boyd family operated that roadhouse, as well as a dairy farm at the Green Lake Meadows.
... AND LOT BY LOT.
The government "Land Registries" compiled details on all lot purchases and pre-emptions.
FOR EXAMPLE: the land for Boyd's dairy farm at Lot 655 was purchased by William Boyd on May 11, 1901 for $293 dollars ($1/acre). The crown awarded the grant (#94/110) on November 22, 1901.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
For centuries, Secwépemc Chiefs and Elders have spoken of a pathway toward building positive and equal relationships between the Secwépemc people and Western settlers.
"We believe it is not the desire nor policy of your government that these conditions should exist. We want to have an equal chance with them of making a living. We welcome them to this country. It is not in most cases their fault. They have taken up and improved and paid for their lands in good faith. It is their government which is to blame by heaping up injustice on us. But it is also their duty to see their government does right by us."
L to R Chief Petit Louis (Secwépemc), Chief Basil David (Secwépemc), and Chief John Chilahitsa(Nlaka’pamux)
AND SO BEGAN "THE FLYING U" GUEST RANCH.
William Boyd's son Jack was equal parts entrepreneur, rodeo cowboy and entertainer, well versed in the precolonial powers of saddle and song. When it came time for him to pick up the reins and run the business in 1922, Jack found himself a venturesome financier who believed in his idea and an entire industry was born.
The Flying U has been thriving ever since as an iconic retreat and reunion location that guarantees life-changing experiences for horse lovers, nature enthusiasts and community minded folks from all over the world.