Colonel James Walker

A Calgary pioneer as an N.W.M.P. officer and organized Calgary’s school, telephone system, Boy Scouts

Colonel James Walker

Born: April 14, 1846 at Carluke, Upper Canada (Ontario)
Married: May 17, 1876 at Galt, Ontario to Euphemia Davidson Quarrie
Died: Mary 21, 1936  at Calgary, Alberta
Buried: Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, plot C:02:003
Contributor: Jim Benedict

His Early Years

Col. James Walker was born April 14, 1846, near Carluke, Ontario. James was the fifth child of Margaret and John Walker. He attended School of Gunnery which is now the Royal Military College of Kingston, Ontario. Col. French was his instructor. Col French was eventually the Commissioner of the North West Mounted Police in the west.

The North West Mounted Police

The Force was originally named North West Mounted Rifles. The Americans objected to the name Rifles and so it was changed to the North West Mounted Police. James was appointed Sub Inspector under Inspector Walsh of D Company. He was then made Inspector and commanding officer of E Troupe and posted to Battleford. The home was not yet built. Sitting Bull and his tribe had arrived after the Custer Massacre in the U.S.

The Commissioner received $2,600 per year, a Sub Inspector received $1,000 per year. After Battleford, he was appointed to accompany Lt. Gov. Dewdney to pay treaty money to the Indians. He was in charge of the money trunk containing $100,000 in one dollar bills.

Calgary

On a trip back to Ottawa by wagon and walking, he was asked by John A. Macdonald to resign his commission and become manager of a ranch in Southern Alberta that Senator Cochrane and a group had purchased. He left the Cochrane ranch after two years and established the first saw mill in western Canada west of Winnipeg. He paid his workers $3.00 per day which was top wages; this made him very popular. He acquired 125 acres in Calgary and built his first and second house, both lost to floods of the Bow River. He then built the red brick house currently located on the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. In 1915 he took a Forestry Corp overseas to France and to Scotland to cut wood for the trenches. He was then seventy years old, the oldest to go overseas. He returned to Calgary in 1919.

James and Effie Walker

James and Euphemia “Effie” Davidson were married in Galt, Ontario on May 17, 1876.  They had one son, William James Selby Walker (1879-1952).

His Legacy

Col. Walker had many firsts in Calgary: First Immigration Agent, first telephone system, 1884 – 30 customers. Chairman of the Civic Counsel to incorporate the town of Calgary. The first president of the Exhibition Board responsible for securing the present site of Victoria Park, 94 acres at $2.50 per acre. He organized the Home Guard during the North West Rebellion. He supplied the lumber for the first Presbyterian Church (Knox). He helped organize the first school. He was chairman of the school board for six years and a member for 14 years. He organized the 1st Militia Unit, the 15th Light Horse.  He helped to organize the Boy Scout and Cadet movement. The first president of the Southern Alberta Pioneers Association.

To the local Indigenous tribe with whom he dealt, he was Pee-tee-quack-kee – “the eagle that protects.”  In 1975 he was named Calgary’s “Citizen of the Century,” a title well earned and well deserved.

Colonel Walker School

Col. Walker donated land for the Col. Walker School which is still operating.  His son, Selby, turned the Walker property into what is now known as the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary.  William James Selby Walker (1879-1952) was the spokesman for the Canadian National Parks Association.

Walker died March 31, 1936, shortly before his 90th birthday. His funeral was a military funeral conducted at Knox United Church. He is buried in Burnsland Cemetery. He was chosen Calgary’s “Citizen of the Century” in 1975.