Aspects of Slavery and Freedom Seeking in North Carolina
Freedom Seekers and Canada: a brief view
Drew, Benjamin. A Northside View of Slavery: The Refuges : Or, The Narratives of Fugitive Slaves in Canada. J. P. Jewett, 1856.
Places in Canada where fugitives and blacks dwelt:Chatham: 234-239
"At Chatham ," said Mr. John Little, “ the fugitives are as thick as blackbirds in a corn -field . ” Here, in deed, more fully than anywhere else, the traveler realizes the extent of the American exodus. At every turn, he meets members of the African race , single or in groups; he secs them building and painting houses, working in mills, engaged in every handicraft employment : here he notices a street occupied by colored shopkeepers and clerks : if he steps into the environs, he finds the blacks in every quarter, busy upon their gardens and farms."
"The white population of Chatham is reckoned at four thousand : the number of colored persons in the town may be safely estimated at eight hundred. If to this estimate is added the number residing in the neighborhood , the total amount cannot be less than two thousand. A gentleman, holding an office in the town, and who, having been one of the earliest settlers, has seen the town grow up around him , remarked of the colored population, “ They are as good a body of people as you can find anywhere : ” and their general appearance, and attention to business confirm his opinion.
Fear that blacks will become saucy:
Among that portion of the whites who put a high value on their prejudices, and a lofty estimate on their own personal importance, there seems to be a dread that some terrible and unpardonable crime, termed " sauciness " may yet become rife among the blacks. A white farmer in the vicinity of Chatham , manifested in conversation a great dislike of the colored residents. His main objection to them seemed to be, that, on one occasion , as somebody had told him, four or five of them kept the side-walk, whereby a white woman was obliged to step off, —" that's the way 't is with ' em , — they'll get so saucy, by and by, that there'll be a rebellion ."On mentioning this circumstance to a colored man, he answered, " I have had to step off fifty times for impudent white fellows, -but I do not blame all the whites for it : but if a colored man does any thing out of the way, his fault is tacked to the whole of us. " And this is too much the case.
In another part of Canada, a white man expressed lively fears that the negroes would yet become " saucy." He explained this term as applicable to " language which would be well enough from a white man, but out of the way from a negro, -because a man won't take from one of them, what he would from a white man." “ And why should he not ? " Why —he won't. "
Separate ways of doing:
In 1832, there were in Chatham, but two or three shops, and a few houses. The oldest deed on record is dated 1801. In 1837, two steamboats commenced plying to Detroit, one occasionally extending its trips to Buffalo. The facilities thus afforded to trade, proved highly conducive to the prosperity of the town : but Chatham " took its great start " in 1852, while the Great Western Railway was constructing. Colored people began to come in at the first settlement of the town : at present they are increasing in a greater ratio than the whites. They maintain separate churches, and attend a separate public school. This the writer visited, and found fifty pupils of both sexes in attendance under a colored teacher. A private school is taught by Mr. Alfred Whipper, a colored man . This school appeared to be in very good condition : fifty eight colored pupils of both sexes were present.
It was in Chatham, that the writer first heard of the Associations called True Bands. A True Band had just been formed here, enrolling at first three hundred and seventy - five members, and it was continually receiving accessions of numbers. On inquiry, the following was furnished as an answer to the question, what is meant by a True Band ?
A True Band is composed of colored persons of both sexes, associated for their own improvement. Its objects are manifold : mainly these : —the members are to take a general interest in each other's welfare ; to pursue such plans and objects as may be for their mutual advantage ; to improve all schools, and to induce their race to send their children into the schools; to break down all prejudice ; to bring all churches as far as possible into one body, and not let minor differences divide them ; to prevent litigation by referring all disputes among themselves to a committee ; to stop the begging system entirely ; (that is, going to the United States, and there by representing that the fugitives are starving and suffering, raising large sums of money, of which the fugitives never receive the benefit, - misrepresenting the character of the fugitives for industry, and underrating the advance of the country, which supplies abundant work for all at fair wages ;) to raise such funds among themselves as may be necessary for the poor, the sick, and the destitute fugitive newly arrived; and to prepare themselves ultimately to bear their due weight of political power."
Queen Bush: 189-197
THIS name was originally given to a large, un-surveyed tract of land, now comprising the townships of Peel and Wellesley, and the country extending thence to Lake Huron. While it was yet a wilderness, it was settled mainly by colored people, about the year 1846. The following, communicated by a resident of Galt, gives the main features of the settlement of the Queen's Bush. The testimonials following Jackson's, are from that part of the scarcely reclaimed wilderness now known as the township of Peel. 189
Happenings in Queen Bush, testimonies:
WILLIAM JACKSON. My father and myself went to the Queen's Bush in 1846. We went four and a half miles beyond the other farms, to Conestoga, where he cleared up and had a farm ; for years scarcely any white people came in, but fugitive slaves came in, in great numbers, and cleared the land. Before it was surveyed, there were as many as fifty families. It was surveyed about two years after we went there. The colored people might have held their lands still, but they were afraid they would not be able to pay when pay -day came.
Under these circumstances, many of them sold out cheap. They now consider that they were overreached — for many who bought out the colored people have not yet paid for the land, and some of the first settlers yet remain, who have not yet been required to pay all up. Some colored people have come in from the free States, on account of the fugitive slave bill, and bought land . The farms are usually from fifty to one hundred acres. The timber is hard wood. The soil is productive, and it is a good wheat country.
A great many who sold out went to Mr. King's settlement, and to Owen Sound. The health of the colored people was very good —there was hardly any sick ness at all : indeed, the climate of Canada agrees with them as well as with the white people. It is healthy for all.
I have heard white people who lived at Queen's Bush say, that they never lived amongst a set of people that they had rather live with as to their habits of industry and general good conduct. I never knew of but one to be taken before a court, for any thing but debt, and I lived there seven years.
In regard to riding in coaches or cars, I never had any trouble in Canada. I have heard of some who have suffered from prejudice, but I never did. The amount of prejudice is small here, and what there is grows out of slavery : for some, when they first come, feel so free, that they go beyond good limits, and have not courtesy enough. But I find that they get over this after a while.
THOMAS L. WOOD KNOX .
I was born free in the eastern part of Pennsylvania, but removed to Pittsburg. I should not have left the States only that I was not treated with respect. I would go to market with provisions off a farm I rented in New Brighton. When I got into Pittsburg, other farmers would drive in with their teams into the tavern yard, and get their breakfasts and go and sell out, before I could get any thing to eat : so that by the time I would get to market, the best of it would be over. The same thing would run through all the conduct of the whites. In the place where I went, they were opposed to my coming, —but after four years they were grieved to have me come away. But I could not stand it, and left for Canada. I have been in Canada eleven years — eight in the Queen's Bush. When I came here it was a complete wilderness : I took hold and cleared a farm. I would rather have remained in my native country, among my friends, could I have had such treatment as I felt that I deserved. But that was not to be, and I came into the wilderness.
Most of the colored people living here are doing as well, if not better, than one could reasonably expect. Most of the grown people among them are fugitive slaves. I know of but one, free -born , from Pennsylvania, and that is myself. The number here I cannot speak of with any certainty. Many have removed to Owen's Sound and other places : there may be now five hundred persons . All are equal here : I have been about here a great deal, but have seen no prejudice at all.
JOHN FRANCIS.
I was twenty-eight years old when I came into the Queen's Bush from Virginia. My usage down South was hard. I was sold three times : first, for debt ; then I was traded off : the third time I sold myself to myself.
I came in ten years ago. Then there were few families. More kept coming, —colored people, —there were not many white. The land was not surveyed. We settled down where we saw fit. We knew nothing about price nor terms. After considerable many settlers had come in, we called a meeting, and sent a man to get a grant of the land if he could ; or, if not that, to find the terms. The answer was, that we were on clergy reserves, and they could give no grant. Still we kept at work , clearing and planting. The land came into market about seven years ago, being surveyed and a price set on it.
Then came a land agent, to sell and take payments. He put up public notices, that the settlers who had made improvements were to come and pay the first instalment, or the land would be sold from under them. The payment was to be in ten annual instalments of 15s.6d, currency, 5s. to the dollar. It was then hard times in Canada, and many could not meet the payment. The agent, as we now know, transcended his powers, for some people, white and colored, still hold their lands, not having made payments. The agent had a percentage for collecting. His course in driving people for money, ruined a great many poor people here in the bush. Fearing that the land would be sold, and they get nothing for their betterments, they sold out for very little and removed to other parts. The agent himself told me he would sell my land unless the instalment was paid. I sacrificed my two cows and a steer, to make the payment that I might hold the land. Others did not do that and yet hold. One man, fearing to lose all he had done, sold out for ten dollars, having cleared eight or ten acres that property is now estimated at $ 15,000 . Some borrowed money on mortgages, and some paid a heavy per cent. for money to meet that instalment: which was very hard on the poor settlers who had their hands full in trying to live, and clearing land so that they could live. But it was done: and it has kept many back by trying to meet that borrowed money, and others by their moving where they would have to begin again : that is what has scattered the colored people away from here. There are now