Colonial Despatches

Marks was a German man who had originally immigrated to the Washington Territory but moved north because of interracial conflict. He settled on a small farm on Waldron Island with his family. In 1863, he made an agreement with Christian Mayer to move to Mayne Island and help cultivate Mayer's 100 acre farm.1

While moving the family's possessions to Mayne Island, Marks and his eldest daughter, Caroline Harvey, took shelter from a squall at Saturna Island. When camping on the beach, the pair were murdered and had many of their possessions stolen. Their damaged boat was discovered several days later by Mayer who then reported them missing to British authorities in Victoria.2A Lamalcha man, Ul-wahn-uck was later tried and hung for the murders.3

• 1. Arnett, Chris. 1999. The Terror of the Coast: Land Alienation and Colonial War on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, 1849-1863. Burnaby, B.C.: Talonbooks.
• 2. Ibid., 111
• 3. Ibid., 303-304