![]() Parson Henry Sneed originally came to Alberta in 1905 to survey the land, before heading back to Oklahoma to tell others about Alberta and the Canadian prairies. Willis Bowen’s granddaughter, Myrna Wisdom, has said that her grandfather was the first Black man in Alberta to be given a permit to operate a post office, and that he also operated a blacksmith’s shop and a store ( see also Deanna Bowen). He went on to design and construct the city of Calgary’s light rail system, also known as the CTrain. One of Obadiah’s four children, Oliver Bowen, was an engineer. In 1999, Obadiah Place, as it came to be known, was recognized as an Alberta historic site.Ĭontemporary photo of Obadiah Place, Amber Valley. In 1938, he replaced his father’s homestead log cabin with a Obadiah and his wife Eva raised their family in Amber Valley. ![]() One of Willis’ sons, Obadiah, became a pastor in the community, although he also built roads and railways and worked in mines. Willis had a few different jobs in Alberta he worked on a ranch and on grain farms, and he also hauled freight. Willis and Jean Bowen and their children were originally from Oklahoma. Edwards passed away at the age of 90 in 1979. Of Alberta recognized J.D.’s involvement in sports, politics, community building and on various local boards with an Achievement Award in Humanities. He and Martha married in Alberta and raised 10 children. came to Alberta in 1910 when he was 21 years old. Jefferson (J.D.) Edwards and his wife Martha were two of the first people from Oklahoma to settle in Amber Valley. ![]() Courtesy Glenbow Archives/NA-316-1 Who Settled in Amber Valley?Īmong the settlers who established the community were the Bowen, Sneed, Murphy and Edwards families. Originally called Pine Creek, it was renamed Amber Valley in 1931.Ī family from Amber Valley, Alberta. Although prejudice, discrimination and racial segregation existed in Canada at that time, Black people from these southern states still made the trek north where the constant threat on their lives was not an issue.īy 1910, approximately 300 free men, women and children had moved to the Amber Valley area of Alberta. In Saskatchewan, the new settlers established roots in the Maidstone area. In Alberta, they established communities in Pine Creek (later renamed Amber Valley), Junkins (which became Wildwood), Keystone (later renamed Breton) and Campsie. They settled mainly in Alberta and Saskatchewan. They also arrived from neighbouring states, including Missouri. Some were drawn to Canada because of the government’s call for people to come settle prairie lands in Alberta, Manitoba andīetween 19, approximately one thousand African American men, women and children made their way north to Canada from the southern US, notably Oklahoma and Texas. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, African Americans, particularly those living in certain southern US states, faced extreme racial hostility, segregation and violence under the Jim Crow system ( see also Ku Klux Klan).
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