John Carmichael Haynes

Who was John Carmichael Haynes?

John Carmichael Haynes was an Irish-born rancher, judge and public servant in British Columbia.

He was born in Landscape, County Cork, the son of Jonas Haynes and Hester Carmichael, and came to Victoria, British Columbia by way of Panama in 1858. Haynes and Thomas Elwyn were named special constables by James Douglas to restore order at Hills Bar following disturbances by gold miners there. Haynes next served as a constable at Yale. In 1860, he was asked to assist William George Cox at Rock Creek near the border with the United States. Later that year, Cox sent Haynes to Similkameen, where he established a customs house. In 1861, he was sent to Osoyoos Lake and he became deputy collector of customs in March of the following year. In 1864, he went to the Kootenay District as a justice of the peace and assistant gold commissioner. He was named to the Legislative Council in 1864. Haynes served briefly as district court judge at French Creek in 1866. In 1870, he was sent to Wild Horse Creek as magistrate and district court judge. Despite his complaints about the insufficient salary and inconvenience of the move, he served there until 1872.