John Ferry Sr.

Born in Shoal Bay in 1885, John Ferry came from the Kweeha branch of the Lekwiltok whose traditional territories are around Phillips and Frederick Arm on the mainland. John Ferry represented the Kweeha to the McKenna Bride Commission in 1914. This commission was charged with addressing the Indian Reserve question in B.C. In his blunt presentation to the commission, Ferry laid claimed to the entire Phillips River watershed on behalf of the Kweeha. He stated, “We want 150 acres for each man. The white man gets that and we should like to have the same.” John Ferry was Elizabeth (Glendale) Quocksister’s step-father. He gave her the camera that is believed to have taken many of the photographs in this exhibit.