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User:Geo Swan/Slavery in Upper Canada

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John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, put restrictions on Slavery in Upper Canada.[1][2] Under his administration the legislature passed an act that would did not allow slave-owners to bring slaves into the Province. Commentators sometimes characterize this law as marking Upper Canada as the first part of the British Empire where slavery was outlawed.

However, slave-owners who had already brought slaves into the Province could continue to hold those individuals in bondaage.[1][2] Their children were born into slavery, but would be freed, when they were 25 years old. Further, the act included a disincentive for slave-owners to free their slaves, they would be under an obligation to make sure their former slaves were not a burden on the public.

The Parliament of the United Kingdom passed a law prohibiting slavery throughout the British Empire, in 1834.[1][2]

According to some reports Amy Pompadour was the last person known to be legally enslaved, in Upper Canada.

Individuals reported to have owned slaves in Upper Canada
name notes
Peter Russell
William Jarvis
Joseph Brant
James Baby [3]
Alexander Grant Sr. [3]
Richard Duncan
Richard Cartwright [3]
  • Although owning slaves prior to the passage of Simcoe's act prohibiting the import of new slaves, Cartwright helped prevent a new act that would have overturned some provisions of Simcoe's act.[4]
John Solomon Cartwright
Reverend John Stuart [4]
Molly Brant [4]
Robert Hamilton
  • Although owning slaves prior to the passage of Simcoe's act prohibiting the import of new slaves, Hamilton helped prevent a new act that would have overturned some provisions of Simcoe's act.[4]

[3]

John McDonell [3]
Hazelton Spencer [3]
Peter Van Alstine [3]
David William Smith [3]
Hannah Jarvis [3][5]
Thomas Fraser
Richard Beasley
Richard Norton Wilkinson
Thomas McKee
Dr. Solomon Jones
  • Purchased a female slave from his brother.[6]
Daniel Jones
Timothy Thompson
Robert Isaac Dey Gray
Major James Gray
Benjamin Hardison
Adam Vrooman
Samuel Street
Thomas Butler
Adam Crysler
William Fairfield
Edward Jessup Jr.
Christopher Robinson
Individuals reported to have been enslaved in Upper Canada
name owner(s) notes
Peggy Pompadour Peter Russell
  • Reported to have repeatedly run away, and camped out.[1][2]
  • Russell paid to have her held in jail.[1][2]
Chloe Cooley
Henry Lewis

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f Adam Bunch (2013-05-28). "Toronto's first truly terrible leader — the slave-owning gambling addict Peter Russell". Spacing magazine. Retrieved 2019-06-13. Simcoe had wanted to abolish slavery right from the very beginning, but slave owners in the legislature —including, it seems, Russell — fought against it. In the end, they forced a compromise: they could keep the slaves they already had, but it would be illegal to bring any more into the province and the children would be freed when they turned 25. It was the first legislation in the history of the British Empire to actively limit slavery, but thanks to Russell and his allies, the law was watered-down.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Adrienne Shadd (2010). "The Journey from Tollgate to Parkway: African Canadians in Hamilton". Dundurn Press. pp. 48–50. ISBN 9781554883943. Retrieved 2019-06-13.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "An act to prevent the further introduction of slaves". Upper Canada History. 2013. Retrieved 2019-06-13.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b c d e "Slavery in Kingston - the story of Joseph Gutches". Speaking Stones. Retrieved 2019-06-13.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b "Henry Lewis: seeking freedom". Archives of Ontario. Retrieved 2019-06-14. Hannah Jarvis incorrectly wrote about the Slave Act that Simcoe... 'has by a piece of chacanery freed all the negroes...'{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Dennis Carter-Edwards. "JONES, SOLOMON, physician, office holder, politician, jp, judge, and militia officer". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved 2019-06-13. Apart from his own growing family, Jones was responsible for his mother as well as a female black slave whom he had purchased from his brother Daniel, and a wayward nephew who had run into domestic troubles.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)