was an
African-American cowboy best remembered for his ability to ride and train horses and for bringing the first cattle to
Southern Alberta in 1882, helping to create that province's important
ranchingindustry.
[1]
Ware was born into slavery on a plantation near
Georgetown, South Carolina. After the
American Civil War he left the Carolinas for Texas where he learned the skills of a rancher and became a cowboy. Ware's great stature and dedication to hard work made him a natural and allowed him to work his way up to Canada driving cattle from Texas to Montana and then into the great plains that would eventually become Alberta. Upon his arrival in Calgary he found work at the
Bar U and Quorn ranches
[2] before starting his own ranch near the Red Deer river.
[3] By 1900, he and his wife, Mildred Lewis (1871–1905
[4]), had five children. He moved from the
Calgary area to a spot northeast of the village of
Duchess, Alberta. In 1902 his first home was destroyed by the spring flood. He rebuilt on higher ground overlooking a stream, now called Ware Creek. Three years later Mildred died of
pneumonia in the spring; despite being a master horseman John was killed in the fall when his horse tripped in a badger hole crushing its rider and breaking his neck. Ware's funeral was reported to be one of the largest held in the early days of Calgary.
Like any folk hero there are a wide range of tales about his ability to eat, ride, shoot, and contribute to
Western culture. It is said that he was never tossed from a wild horse and that he popularized
steer wrestling, which would then become a highlight of the
Calgary Stampede. The story of John Ware is that of a remarkable figure in history who helped to lay the foundations of the ranching industry in western Canada and at the same time defying stereotypes. Born into slavery, Ware worked his way to being one of the most well-respected figures in frontier Alberta, crossing race lines thanks to his good nature and hard work.
cacs love rewriting history
the wild west??
