''For the
Midsomer Murders
''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of I ...
character see
Tom Barnaby
Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Geoffrey "Tom" Barnaby (born 20 April 1943) is a fictional detective created by English writer Caroline Graham as the protagonist in her ''Chief Inspector Barnaby'' novel series and adapted into one of the main ...
''
Thomas Barnaby (17 March 1841 – 23 March 1907) was a
Micmac chief from the
Eel Ground First Nation
The Eel Ground Band or Eel Ground First Nation is a Mi'kmaq First Nation band government of 977 people located on the Miramichi River in northern New Brunswick, Canada. The community comprises three reserves (Eel Ground #2, Big Hole Tract # 8 (so ...
band near
Newcastle, New Brunswick
Newcastle is an urban neighbourhood in the city of Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada.
Prior to municipal amalgamation in 1995, it was an incorporated town and the shire town of Northumberland County.
Situated on the north bank of the Miramichi R ...
.
Barnaby was instrumental in the change from a family tradition of leadership in the band to elected leadership. Despite a provision in the Indian Act of 1876 for elections, the traditional chief, John Julian, persevered until his death. In an election in 1888, Thomas was elected by a one-vote margin.
He was considered to have given enlightened leadership to the band and was often consulted by the district Indian superintendent after he had lost a subsequent election. There is no written record from the band's point of view, but a large attendance at his funeral would give testament to his standing within the community.
External links
Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
1841 births
1907 deaths
19th-century First Nations people
Mi'kmaq people
People from Northumberland County, New Brunswick
{{NewBrunswick-politician-stub