Discover Ontario's history as told through its plaques
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The Wilberforce Settlement 1830
Photo by contributor Anonymous - Posted June, 2008
Photo from Google Street View ©2015 Google - Posted February, 2015
Plaque Location
The County of Middlesex
The Township of Lucan Biddulph
In Lucan, between 2 historic barn buildings
at the far end of a parking lot between the post office and the Lucan Area Heritage & Donnelly Museum
171 Main Street
Coordinates: N 43 11.275 W 81 24.269 |
 |
Plaque Text
In 1829 a group of fugitive Negro slaves in Cincinnati decided to seek a more secure refuge in Canada. In 1830, with the help of Quakers in Oberlin, Ohio, they purchased 325 ha of land in this vicinity from the Canada Company. A settlement was established, the first in Biddulph Township, and groups from New England and New York State joined those from Ohio. By 1833 there were thirty-two families, two schools and a sawmill in this settlement, which was named after the great British abolitionist William Wilberforce. One of the earliest Negro colonies in Upper Canada, its population dwindled rapidly in the 1840's although some families remained for more than a generation.
Another plaque at this location
The Founding of Lucan
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Settlements
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Black History
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> Posted May 4, 2010
This was really great information. Thanks for the help!
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