The Freedom Seekers: a new life in Ingersoll

By guest contributor: Vicki Brenner, Digital Literacy & Local History Technician, Oxford County Library

Harvey Cornelius Jackson (1827- 1897) was an African American, born in United States. According to the 1880 USA census, Jackson declares that his parents were born in Kentucky. In 1852, Harvey married Sarah Ann Gibbs in Champaign County, Ohio. The pair likely travelled to Ontario via ferry over Lake Erie from Sandusky, Ohio, perhaps seeking to flee persecution in America. Passed on September 18, 1850 by US Congress, The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was part of the Compromise of 1850. The act required that slaves be returned to their owners, even if they were in a free state, such as Ohio. The Jacksons were known to be living in the Port Burwell area and their first child was born in 1856. The couple went on to have a family of eight children, all born in Ontario.

Harvey Cornelius Jackson

  
Harvey Jackson supported the abolitionist cause and became involved by driving a stagecoach from Port Burwell to Ingersoll. The Daly House, a hotel built by Absalom Daly in 1858 in Ingersoll became stopover that played a key role in the transition of formerly enslaved peoples to a new life in Canada. The Daly House stood at 130 Oxford Street, now the location of Ingersoll Library. Peter VanPatter ran the Daly House stables, himself an American freedom seeker, assisted with processing the influx of people. The Daly House started the stagecoach service from Port Burwell, meeting ships inbound from Sandusky and Toledo, Ohio. Ingersoll hotel owner Absalom Daly, was a sympathizer to the cause of abolition. Slave hunters watched the Daly House hoping to capture escapees to collect a bounty under the United States Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

The Ingersoll Inn, formerly the Daly House, in Ingersoll c. 1920.

  
Ingersoll was a prime destination for formerly enslaved peoples because of employment possibilities. There was still much land to be cleared in the area as timber was in great demand for constructing buildings, roads and the Great Western Railway. The Ingersoll Wesleyan Methodist Church, built in 1854, became a source of refuge on the arrival in Ingersoll of the formerly enslaved. The church had a second story where the minister lived and the basement was used as a hiding place until other accommodations could be arranged. This church was located in the area of 110 Oxford Street.

The Voice of The Fugitive, 7 May 1851

Oxford Street Wesleyan Methodist Church, c. 1950

  
By 1855, the Harvey Jackson family had moved to Chatham, Ontario. As a member of the Provincial Union Association, he supported black self-help and opposed begging. Jackson organized and served as secretary of the Dawn Investigating Committee meeting at Chatham in August 1855. Apparently well educated, he advocated education and professional training for blacks, worked with William Howard Day and Harriet Tubman to aid fugitive slaves arriving in the province, and probably collaborated with John Brown during 1858, when the abolitionist was in Chatham to organize the Harpers Ferry raid. Shortly after Brown’s death, Jackson penned a “Response of the Colored People of Canada,” in which he defended Brown’s objectives and appealed for funds for the families of the “Harpers Ferry Martyrs”. Harvey C. Jackson had played an important role in noted abolitionist John Brown’s Canadian campaign recruiting and soliciting funds and had accompanied Brown on many of his routes across the area.

Resolution by a meeting of Chatham Blacks – Published in the Provincial Freeman June 30 1855 (The meeting was held 23, June 1855 at the First Baptist Church, Chatham, Canada West)

Broadside published by Harvey C. Jackson to raise money to help the families of those killed at Harper’s Ferry (source: “A Safe Haven: the story of the Black Settlers of Oxford County” by Joyce A. Pettigrew):

AN ADDRESS TO THE COLORED PEOPLE OF CANADA

“Fellow citizens: - You are all aware of the excitement recently created at Harpers Ferry, in the State of Virginia. In consequence of the bold and heroic attack upon slavery, made by Capt. John Brown and a few others, whose object was to break the chains of that accursed institution. You are also aware that their attempt was a failure, so far as the immediate emancipation of our kindred were concerned. But that bold attempt to liberate the slaves will be attended with the most important results. It has already enlightened public opinion more than all the anti-slavery speeches of the last ten years: it has caused anti-slavery newspapers and letters to penetrate the very centre of those despot states...........

Some persons may brand Brown’s effort as Brash, futile and wild, but they must acknowledge that it will be productive of much good, or renounce their judgement. Christianity never spread so fast at any other period than it did when the earth was made gory by the blood of martyrs. Brown and his confederates are martyrs to the cause of Liberty, and their blood will cry out from the earth and gain many advocates to Freedom. But, even supposing that the contrary was the case; the intent, the aim was good, in behalf of our oppressed race, and we should do our duty, - show the world that we appreciate such noble and philanthropic actions. By the martyrdom of Capt. Brown, and his noble confederates, a parcel of widows and orphans sharing the same sympathy toward our race, are left without means to meet the necessities of life, and it is for you to say whether you will assist in providing for the widows and in educating the orphans? I know you will assist. Coming ages will appreciate Capt. Brown’s worth, his greatness of soul.

Let there be a meeting called in every locality where colored persons resides. Let the “whites” be solicited to aid in the glorious and heavenly enterprise; let each locality remit what is collected to Mr. Samuel Sewel, 46 Wellington Street, Boston.................................”
Yours forthe cause of humanity.
Harvey C. Jackson, Simcoe, C.W., Dec.7, 1859.

According to the 1871 census, the Harvey Jackson family was living north of London, in London Township and he was working a gardener. Sarah & Harvey had 8 children, Calisthenese, Ida, Aristarchus, Harvey, Ophelia, Senta, Llewellyn & Lydia. By 1881, the family had moved back to the United States and Harvey was a minister in Canton, Ohio. Harvey Jackson died in 1897 and rests at West Lawn Cemetery, Canton, Stark County, Ohio, USA.