Canadian Archaeologists Excavate Homestead of Black Rancher John Ware

AUGUST 20, 2025



Portrait of John Ware with wife Mildred and children Robert and Nettie in southern Alberta, ca. 1896
Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary

CALGARY, CANADA—Archaeologists returned to the former homestead site of John Ware, which continued to provide insight into the daily life of one of Canada’s most legendary ranchers and cowboys, according to a statement released by the University of Calgary. Ware was born into slavery in the American South but eventually rode north into Canada in 1882. Herding 3,000 head of cattle, he settled near Millarville, Alberta, becoming one of the first non-white ranchers in the area. The team uncovered structural remains of Ware’s home, including floorboards and a cellar, and personal items belonging to Ware’s family members. These included ceramic dinnerware, an ink bottle manufactured in England, and a thimble engraved with the word “REMEMBER,” which likely belonged to John’s wife Mildred. These discoveries point to a level of affluence that had not been attributed to the Ware family before. “This work is unique and new,” said University of Calgary archaeologist Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer. “Continued archaeological excavation at the Ware homestead can help counter the narratives that there was no historical Black presence on the prairies.” To read about excavations at the California homestead of a formerly enslaved man who settled on Palomar Mountain, go to "The Amazing True Story of Nathan Harrison."

https://archaeology.org/news/2025/08/20/canadian-archaeologists-excavate-homestead-of-black-rancher-john-ware/