James Mink facts for kids

James Mink was a respected businessman in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in the 1850s. He owned a hotel and a place for horses and carriages (called a livery) on Adelaide Street. This was near Toronto's St. Lawrence Market. Many farmers would stay at his hotel when they came to town to sell their goods.

James Mink came from a family that had experienced slavery. Despite this, he became very wealthy, just like his brother, George. James ran his hotel, livery, and coach service in Toronto. His brother George had a similar business in Kingston, Ontario from the 1840s to the 1860s.

Pioneering Public Transport

Both James and George Mink were pioneers in public transportation. They started the first public transit systems in their cities. James Mink's service ran from the Town of Yorkville all the way to the St. Lawrence Market in downtown Toronto. This helped people travel around the growing city.

Family Life

James Mink married Elizabeth, who was an immigrant from Ireland. They had a daughter named Mary, and possibly other children too. It was common at the time for a father to offer a "dowry" when his daughter got married. A dowry was a gift of money or property given to the groom. James Mink offered a large dowry for Mary's marriage.

Mary's Story

A businessman named William Johnson accepted the dowry and married Mary. They traveled to the United States for their honeymoon. However, after the wedding, Johnson sadly revealed himself to be a slave trader. He sold Mary into slavery on a tobacco farm in Virginia.

James Mink was determined to get his daughter back. While a movie about his life shows him pretending to be a slave to rescue her, this is not what really happened. Records show that James Mink worked with British government officials. They helped to buy Mary's freedom and bring her back home to Canada. She then lived with her family in Toronto.

James Mink in Film

James Mink's remarkable story was told in a movie called Captive Heart: The James Mink Story. The famous actor Lou Gossett, Jr. played James Mink, and Kate Nelligan played his wife, Elizabeth.