Benson Flores, sometimes called Ben Flores (c. 1848 – April 11, 1929), was one of the early Filipino Canadians to settle in Bowen Island, B.C. He was the first known Filipino to migrate to Canada on record.[1][2]
Benson Flores | |
|---|---|
| Born | c.1848 |
| Died | 1929 |
| Nationality | Filipino people |
| Other names | Ben |
| Occupation(s) | fisherman, trapper |
| Signature | |
 | |
The exact location of Benson Flores' birth is not known although it is believed he was from the Philippines together with other fishermen who ferried locals around the area and fished to make a living in Snug Cove.[3][4][5]
According to the Bowen Island Museum and Archives, Flores operated the first boat rental in Snug Cove.[6] He was referred to as "Old Ben."
Flores suffered from bladder and kidney disease. At age 81, he died on April 11, 1929, in Vancouver General Hospital. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Horne 2 Mountain View Cemetery (Vancouver).
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Cabana, Ysh (17 June 2022). "Benson Flores". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ Lopez, Joseph (2021). "First Filipino Canadian: Benson Flores Arrived 1861". CanadianFilipino.Net.
- ^ Pablo, Carlito (5 November 2021). "Vancouver journalist turns accidental historian and traces earliest recorded Filipino in Canada to Bowen Island". Georgia Straight. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
- ^ Howard, Irene (1973). "Bowen Island, 1872-1972". Bowen Island, B.C.: Bowen Island Historians. p. 36.
- ^ Malek, Jon (2021). Filipinos in Canada (PDF). Canadian Historical Association. p. 8.
- ^ "Old Ben – Snug Cove's First Boat Rental operator". Bowen Island Museum.