William Henry Jackson: Riel's Secretary - Donald B. Smith. - Article. - Spring 1981.

Biographical account of William Henry Jackson's {also known as Honoré Joseph Jaxon) involvement in the 1885 Rebellion as Louis Riel's secretary. Smith examines Jackson's political and religious beliefs, his trial and charge of treason felony and the question of his sanity.

Historical note:

William Henry Jackson (b. Toronto 13 May 1861; d. New York City, NY 10 Jan 1952), also known as Honoré Joseph Jaxon, was Louis Riel's secretary immediately before the Northwest Rebellion, After his family moved from Ontario to Prince Albert, SK, Will Jackson joined them, abandoning his Classics course at the University of Toronto. Having completed 3 years there, he was one of the best-educated men in the area. He became secretary of the local farmers' union, and in this capacity he met Riel in the summer of 1884. Sympathetic to the Métis cause, he went to live at Batoche, SK, to serve as Riel's secretary, converted to Roman Catholicism and later accepted Riel's new religion. After the failure of the rebellion, Jackson was tried and committed to the lunatic asylum at Fort Garry, MB. Escaping two months later, he walked to the American border and eventually settled in Chicago, Ill. As Honoré Joseph Jaxon he worked as a union organizer for over two decades. "Riel's Secretary" moved to New York after World War I, where he died.