Clah , Arthur Wellington , 1831-1916

Arthur Wellington Clah (1831-1916) of the Tsimshian people was one of the earliest converts made by William Duncan (1832-1918) of the Church Missionary Society after the latter's arrival in 1857 at Port Simpson, B.C., Canada. He became a pupil-teacher, trader and preacher and was closely associated with Duncan whose life he saved from his unconverted fellow tribesmen. He also became a prominent member of the Metlakahtla Settlement set up by Duncan in 1862 about 15 miles to the south of Port Simpson, and when this was transferred to New Metlakahtla, Alaska, in 1887, Clah was one of the Tsimshian who relocated with it. Like Sir Henry Wellcome (1853-1936), who was an outstanding benefactor of the Metlakahtlans, Clah was active in pressing his people's land-claims against the Canadian government.