The Refugee Home Society was an organization founded in Michigan and Ontario in 1851 that was designed to help former enslaved people become established in a community and remain free. It was located 20 miles from

Windsor, Ontario Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the souther ...

, the border with the United States. The settlement provided purchase of land an easy terms, education, and a community with three churches by 1861.

Background

The

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

and Levi Coffin's visit to

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...

in 1844, led fugitive slaves come in great numbers to

Amherstburg, Ontario Amherstburg is a town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario, Canada. In 1796, Fort Malden was established here, stimulating growth in the settlement. The fort has been designated as a National Historic Site. The town is ...

, where American officers were station near

Fort Malden Fort Malden, formally known as Fort Amherstburg, is a defence fortification located in Amherstburg, Ontario. It was built in 1795 by Great Britain in order to ensure the security of British North America against any potential threat of American i ...

, and to Windsor and

Sandwich, Ontario Old Sandwich Town (Olde Sandwich Towne) is located along the Canada–United States border, Canada–US border of the Detroit River, and was established in 1797.Windsor Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (WACAC). ''Historic Sandwich Town ...

by 1822. The African American refugees came to the area to farm the land and create successful lives. As a result, a number of settlements were created: Anderdon, Brion,

Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's horizo ...

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

Edgar Edgar is a commonly used English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Eadgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and ''gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the later medieval period; it was, however, rev ...

, Elgin, Elmstead, Gambia,

Gosfield Gosfield is a village in the Braintree district of Essex, England. It is located around two miles west of the town of Halstead. Places of note include the following: *Gosfield Hall: a country house and Grade I listed building, dating back to 154 ...

, Gesto, Gilgal, Haiti Village, Harrow, Ontario, Little River, Marble Village, the Matthew settlement, Mt. Pleasant, New Canaan, Ontario, Puce, Ontario, Rochester, Shrewsbury, Ontario, Union, Ontario and the Refugee Home Society Settlement.

Settlement

The Refugee Home Society Settlement was a proposal by

Henry Bibb Henry Walton Bibb (May 10, 1815 in Shelby County, Kentucky – August 1,1854 in Windsor) was an American author and abolitionist who was born a slave. Bibb told his life story in his narrative ''The Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb: An American ...

, founder of the ''

Voice of the Fugitive ''Voice of the Fugitive'' was Canada's first Black newspaper that was directed towards freedom seekers and Black refugees from the United States. Founded and edited by Henry Bibb and his wife Mary Bibb, it was first published on January 1st, 1 ...

'' newspaper. The

American Missionary Association The American Missionary Association (AMA) was a Protestant-based abolitionist group founded on in Albany, New York. The main purpose of the organization was abolition of slavery, education of African Americans, promotion of racial equality, and ...

supported the idea. Henry and

Mary E. Bibb Mary Elizabeth (née Miles) Bibb (1820–1877 or the early 1880s) was an American-born educator and abolitionist leader. She is considered by some to be the first female black journalist in Canada. She was a teacher and abolitionist in the United ...

managed society activities. The Refugee Home Society Settlement was established in 1851 and supported by abolitionists in Michigan and Ontario. The money they raised was used to purchase 2,000 acres of land for settlement in Maidstone and Sandwich Township. Lots in the settlement were sold on easy terms. They provided necessary supplies, tools and training. They also offered protection from slave hunters, by being located 20 miles from Windsor. Mary Bibb established a school for children. Settlers included John and Jane Walls, who were a former enslaved man and the wife of his deceased slaveholder, who left Rockingham County, North Carolina with her children to be able to live as a married couple. They lived on a farm in the settlement. By 1861, three churches were established: African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Baptist, and British Methodist Episcopal. A school was built for the community of 60 families. The school was taught by Mr. Wheeler of

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

. This settlement is now part of the

John Freeman Walls Historic Site The John Freeman Walls Historic Site and Underground Railroad Museum is a historical site located in Puce, now Lakeshore, Ontario, about 40 km east of Windsor. Today, many of the original buildings remain, and in 1985, the site was opened as an U ...

and Underground Railroad Museum.

Decline

The Refugee Home Society was dissolved in 1864. Some families migrated to Haiti and others to various parts of Canada. The American Missionary Association withdrew its support of the Society. Its failure was likely due to its narrow and paternalistic land policies that unfortunately excluded a great deal of potentially capable settlers. This was combined with the failure to obtain any significant leadership among the settlers which resulted in corruption and discredited its reputation, but not before aiding thousands of other refugees.

References

{{Reflist Organizations based in Windsor, Ontario Underground Railroad

Background

Settlement

Decline

See also

References