Leadership Profile: Chairman John Barnett
John Barnett, 1934‑2008
Tribal Chair 1982‑2008
Born in Portland, Oregon, December 2, 1934, Chairman John Raymond Barnett was raised in Naselle, Washington. He passed away peacefully in his sleep of natural causes on June 15, 2008.
While attending Naselle High School he worked as a logger during summer breaks, and continued to do so while earning a degree in Education at College of Puget Sound (Now University of Puget Sound) on a Basketball Scholarship and later while attending Western Washington University, where he earned a Master of Arts in Education Administration.
During the years that he taught junior high school at Hopkins Junior High in Aberdeen, he continued to spend summers working in the timber industry and moved up to owner of a wood products company and eventually left teaching to focus on his business.
Lifetime of service
The Tribe played an important role throughout his life. In an interview with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he noted that he attended his first tribal meeting at the age of approximately 8 years. In his words, he was “awestruck—as an eight‑year‑old would be—at all the Indians around me. A lot of Indian talk in Indian language. I was impressed immensely…”
His early participation led to a life-long commitment. Elected General Council Chairman in 1982, he worked in various leadership roles in the Cowlitz Federal Acknowledgment process from 1978 to 2002. On February 14th, 2000, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Kevin Gover, with a signature, closed the quarter of a century process by signing into law Federal Acknowledgment of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
And on February 18, 2000, the Department of the Interior published in the Federal Register that “the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, c⁄o Mr. John Barnett, exists as an Indian tribe within the meaning of Federal law.” The decision was challenged, but was reaffirmed on January 3, 2002.
Chairman Barnett’s care of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe did not stop with Federal Acknowledgement and he continued to serve the Tribe with full devotion until his death one week to the day following his 26th Anniversary as Tribal Chairman.
At the General Council meeting, on June 7, 2008, while reflecting on another positive development he humbly credited, as he had done many times before, the patient, persistent, and perseverant support of the Tribal membership, over the decades, with Acknowledgement of the Tribe’s Federal Recognition; which, he observed was "147 years overdue."
"If you'll recall, historically we've had to be a patient people. We had our lands taken away and it took us 150 years to say maybe we will be treated as other Indian tribes."—Chairman John Barnett, Cowlitz Indian General Council Meeting, June 7, 2008
The Cowlitz Tribe participated in the Chehalis River Treaty Council in March of 1855, but refused to sign a treaty because provisions did not offer a reservation in their aboriginal land. Later, the Cowlitz negotiated in good faith with federal agents during the Indian war and agreed to protect the trappers, traders and settlers residing in Cowlitz Country.
The Cowlitz people remained true to their word, but when the war ended the federal government simply ignored the Cowlitz people and opened Cowlitz Country to settlement.
An enduring legacy
The legacy of Chairman Barnett’s accomplishments will endure for generations. These include securing multiple federal funding sources; moving into the Tribe’s current offices on 9th Avenue in Longview; opening senior housing and an elders’ nutrition program; operating health clinics in Vancouver and Longview, both of which recently received a national three-year certification through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities – currently the only Tribe in the country to have accomplished this level of service care; creating scholarships for Tribal students; and establishing cultural and natural resources departments.
Chairman Barnett actively supported threatened and endangered species such as the Columbian white-tailed deer by securing a grant to protect their habitat. And this past spring, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service accepted the Tribe’s petition to list smelt populations in Oregon, Washington and California under the Endangered Species Act.
"No one else seemed to be taking action, and we didn't want to see this important part of our heritage disappear," Chairman Barnett stated. After salmon, smelt were the most important fish for generations of Indians living along Columbia River tributaries, he said. The Chairman called the decision "long overdue."
In December of 2004 Chairman Barnett helped reach a $309 million settlement with Pacific Corp and Cowlitz Public Utility Department to bring back salmon and steelhead to the upper reaches of the Lewis River and protect and enhance wildlife habitat for big game and other species in the Lewis River watershed as mitigation for the new 50-year Federal Energy Regulatory Commission dam licenses.
"It's good to see things like the canoe brought back into our culture; it's been missing for a long long time. I would personally like to see some canoe races on Mayfield Lake after the Canoe Journey."—Chairman John Barnett, Cowlitz Indian General Council Meeting, June 7, 2008
Chairman Barnett’s survivors include his son, David E. Barnett of Seattle; a daughter, Elizabeth Pearson of Kirkland and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Michael Barnett of Seattle, a sister, and brother, Werner Barnett of Vancouver, Washington, who was a longtime tribal council member.
Memorial Services
A public viewing was held on Friday, June 20, at Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.
A public graveside service with vault interment was held at 11:00 am, Saturday, June 21, in the Peaceful Hill Cemetery in Naselle, WA with Cowlitz Spiritual Leader, Roy Wilson officiating.
A public memorial service was held at 4:00 pm, Saturday, June 21, in the Little Theater at the Hoquiam High School.
A public Cowlitz Indian Tribal memorial service was held at 11:00 am, Sunday, June 22, 2008 at the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Housing Office, St. Mary’s Center, 107 Spencer Road, Toledo, Washington.
Commemorative Book
John Barnett made many friends during his life and all are invited to share their personal memories and photos for a commemorative book in his memory. A release form giving the Cowlitz Indian Tribe permission for non-commercial use of your photos and anecdotes will be posted on the Tribal website to download, sign and send. Digital format in high resolution is preferred but prints are also appreciated. Email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mail to John Barnett Commemorative Book, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, P.O. Box 2547 / 1055 9th Ave Suite B Longview, WA 98632.
Please contact Tribal Administration for details:
(360) 577-8140
Related Articles
Memorial Services Set for Cowlitz Tribal Leader, June 19, 2008, Centralia Chronicle
Cowlitz tribal Chairman John Barnett dead at 73, June 17, 2008, Newark Examiner
Series of weekend events scheduled to honor Cowlitz Chairman John Barnett, June 17, 2008, Longview Daily News
John Barnett, Cowlitz tribal chairman, former teacher dies, June 17, 2008, Grays Harbor Daily World
John Barnett, dead at 73: 'The big Finndian' led 3,600-member Cowlitz Tribe to federal recognition, June 17, 2008, Seattle Post‑Intelligencer
Tribal Chair Barnett Dies at 73: Cowlitz Indians, Federally Recognized in 2002, Tried to Help Vader School District, June 17, 2008, Centralia Chronicle
Cowlitz tribe mourns passing of Chairman John Barnett, Monday, June 16, 2008, Longview Daily News
Wash. tribal leader who worked with Mohegans dies, June 17, 2008, Norwich Bulletin
Cowlitz tribe's council chairman dies at home at age 73, June 17, 2008, Vancouver Columbian
Longtime Cowlitz tribal chairman dies at age 73: Leader - John Barnett helped secure federal recognition and worked on casino planning, June 17, 2008, The Oregonian
Cowlitz Tribal leader Barnett passes, June 16, 2008, Vancouver Columbian
