John Ware
John Ware was a prominent African American cowboy and rancher, renowned for his significant contributions to the cattle ranching industry in Alberta, Canada. Born into slavery around 1845 in South Carolina, he gained his freedom after the Civil War and later moved to Texas where he developed his ranching skills. Ware became a highly respected figure in the late 19th century, known for his exceptional abilities as a cowhand, particularly in horse handling. In 1882, he moved to Alberta, where he established himself as a key player in the region's ranching community, working for notable ranches and eventually claiming his own homestead.
Despite facing the racial prejudices of his time, Ware's reputation grew, making him a folk hero and a symbol of racial tolerance. His legacy includes several landmarks named in his honor and a 2012 commemorative stamp from Canada Post. In addition to his ranching successes, Ware's life has been the subject of various cultural works, including plays and children's books. He died in a tragic accident in 1905, just months after the death of his wife, leaving behind a rich legacy that continues to resonate in Canadian cultural identity.
Subject Terms
John Ware
Cowboy, rancher
- Born: ca. 1845
- Place of Birth: near Georgetown, South Carolina
- Died: September 13, 1905
- Place of Death: near Brooks, Alberta, Canada
- Significance: John Ware was a widely respected African American cowboy and rancher who serves as a folk hero and symbol of racial tolerance. He was among the first to bring cattle to southern Alberta and helped to create the province’s cattle ranching industry.
Background
John Ware was born enslaved around 1845 on a cotton plantation in South Carolina. Most of his life is only known through the accounts of other cowboys, and there is little historical record of his early days. However, it has been documented that John Ware was freed by the conclusion of the American Civil War in 1865. At some point, he moved to Texas to work on a ranch, though some sources suggest he actually grew up in Texas. Regardless, it was there that he was immersed in ranch life and learned the skills that would make him a legendary cowboy both during and after his lifetime.
Ware built up experience as a cowhand through the 1870s, working on drives along the Western Cattle Trail to bring herds of cattle to ranches in present-day Wyoming and Montana. Soon he was held in high regard for his skills as a cowboy, including horse handling. His career coincided with the major expansion of ranching throughout western North America, a period that would come to be seen as the golden age of cowboys. The wide landscape of Alberta, Canada, was one area prime for the development of new ranches. In 1882, Ware accepted a job to help herd about three thousand cattle from the United States to the North West Cattle Company’s Bar U Ranch, located southwest of Calgary, Alberta. He subsequently decided to stay in the area, where his skills were in high demand.
Cowboy and Rancher
From 1882 to 1884, Ware worked for several big cattle ranching operations, including the Bar U Ranch. This led to Ware being offered a position at Quorn Ranch near the Sheep River, which, in addition to raising cattle, specialized in raising horses. In recognition of his great skill and growing reputation, Ware was put in charge of the herd of horses. This was a prestigious position, as these horses were being raised for the luxury English market and came from valuable imported stock. In 1884 Ware claimed a homestead to the west of Calgary.
In the spring of 1885, a major roundup of the herds in the area was held, with cowboys from various ranches collaborating. Based in Fort Macleod, Alberta, the roundup comprised one hundred cowboys, five hundred horses, and fifteen chuckwagons and ranged down the Rocky Mountain foothills from near Calgary to Montana. Ware improved an invaluable asset to the group while representing Quorn Ranch, and several descriptions of him that would later contribute to his near-legendary status originated from this roundup.
Such positive accounts helped bring Ware a sterling reputation in the area, and he was highly sought after for work. Even before the roundup, Ware was interested in starting his own ranch and had registered his own cattle brand, the four nines (9999, also called the walking-stick brand; it would be reregistered in 1898 as the three nines). He began to build up his own herd, and by 1890 he had established his small ranch in the Calgary foothills.
Due to the increase in settlers coming to the area, around 1900 Ware moved his ranch to the more remote Red Deer River near Brooks, Alberta, which offered more grazing land. While he met initial success, a spring flood in 1902 destroyed his cabin. Ware was able to relocate to higher ground and build a new home.
On September 14, 1905, Ware was killed when he was thrown from his horse and crushed beneath it after the horse tripped on a badger hole. His funeral was attended by many of his neighbors and fellow ranchers and cowboys, reflecting his high standing in the community.
Impact
Ware was instrumental in bringing the ranching industry to prominence in Alberta, and achieved his success and renown despite the widespread racism of the time. In the years after his death, he became a folk hero, with many incredible feats and other tales attributed to him. He has become an important figure in Canadian cultural identity both as a legendary cowboy and a symbol of racial tolerance. Several geographic sites in Alberta were named after him, including John Ware Ridge, Mount Ware, and Ware Creek. Canada Post also created a commemorative stamp in his honor in 2012 to celebrate Black History Month. A play, John Ware Reimagined, directed by Cheryl Foggo, premiered in 2014. Foggo also produced a documentary of the same name that was released in 2020 for the National Film Board of Canada. During the same year, the children's book, Howdy, I'm John Ware, written by Ayesha Clough and illustrated by Hugh Rookwood, was published. In 2022, the Canadian government designated Ware a person of national historical significance.
In 2024, a team of archaeologists from the University of Calgary dug at the site where Ware's home once stood in Millarville, Alta. They hoped to find artifacts and clues about his life and the challenges he and his family faced.
Personal Life
In 1892 Ware married Mildred Lewis, who had moved with her parents to the Calgary foothills from Ontario. The couple would have six children, with one dying in infancy. Mildred died in April 1905 of pneumonia and typhoid, and most of the children were sent to live with relatives. Ware died only a few months later.
Bibliography
"Black History Month: John Ware's Legacy." Agriculture for Life, Canada, 9 Feb. 2023, www.agricultureforlife.ca/post/black-history-month-john-ware-s-legacy. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
Bonikowsky, Laura Neilson. "John Ware." Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 10 Aug. 2016.
Brereton, Elizabeth. Cowboy John: The Story of John Ware and Canada’s Cattle Country. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2009. Print.
Breen, David H. "Ware, John." Dictionary of Canadian Biography. U of Toronto, 2016. Web. 10 Aug. 2016.
Hardaway, Roger. "Ware, John (1845?–1905) BlackPast.org. BlackPast.org, 2015. Web. 10 Aug. 2016.
Hundey, Ian. John Ware. Markham: Fitzhenry, 2006. Print.
MacEwan, Grant. John Ware’s Cow Country. 3rd ed. Vancouver: Greystone, 1995. Print.
Tomlinson, Joelle. "Unearthing History at Homestead of Cowboy John Ware." Global News, 19 July 2024,
https://globalnews.ca/news/10633448/history-homestead-cowboy-john-ware/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.