Canada and the Underground Railroad
Numbers vary widely, but as many as 100,000 slaves escaped north via the Underground Railroad, the largest anti-slavery freedom movement in North America. Most often, in the 1850s, the destination was Canada West (what is today Ontario).
The Canadian Act to Limit Slavery of 1793 ensured that any enslaved person who reached Upper Canada (the name for Canada West at the time) became free upon arrival. While the act sounds like a victory, it did not free enslaved adults living in Upper Canada and they continued to be bought and sold until New York abolished slavery later that decade. Children, however, were freed upon reaching the age of 25, and newborns were free at birth. Slaveholders were required to provide security for freed slaves.
By the time Rose joins the abolitionist movement, the number of slaves reaching Canada had increased dramatically. While many Canadians were willing to help the new arrivals, others believed slaves should be sent back and that the United States needed to deal with its sins.
The slaves Rose encountered would have originated primarily in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. They crossed the Detroit River and entered Canada via Windsor. But there were other routes as well. Others crossed Lake Erie or Lake Huron.
The refugees (the term for escaped slaves) established communities, some segregated and some integrated, in towns and cities throughout Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. These include Niagara Falls and Toronto.
Anti-Slavery Society of Canada
Many anti-slavery societies formed in the Canadian colonies prior to the American Civil War, including the Anti-Slavery Society of Canada, which was founded in Toronto in 1851 by mostly Presbyterians and Congregationalists. Whites and blacks from the church and the business world comprised the organization, and members included professionals, the elite, intellectuals, orators and refugees. The society, which was active into the early 1860s, raised funds to feed, house and clothe refugees with the goal of providing them with opportunities.
Refugees escaped north to Canada hoping for a better life. Although Canadians were against slavery, prejudices existed and refugees faced discrimination. This attitude is reflected in some of the characters in this story, sometimes even by Rose herself.
Barrie (Rose’s hometown) was the terminus of an Underground Railroad branch. Refugees in Simcoe County settled in Shanty Bay, approximately six miles from Barrie. The community, named after its shanties, had a population of 500 in 1840, the only year I could find the village’s population information.
Where to Purchase Rose’s Assignment
This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s historical fiction novella, Rose’s Assignment.
Rose excels at sweet talking. Judith escapes north to Canada searching for freedom. Two dissimilar women suddenly find their lives connected. Available in eBook, paperback and hardcover. Full list of retailers.