Refugee Home Society facts for kids

The Refugee Home Society was an organization started in 1851. It was created in Michigan, USA, and Ontario, Canada. Its main goal was to help formerly enslaved people. It helped them settle down, find a home, and live freely. The society's settlement was about 20 miles from Windsor, Ontario. This city is right on the border with the United States. The society made it easy for people to buy land. It also helped them get an education and build a community. By 1861, the settlement had three churches.

Why People Came to Canada

After the War of 1812, many formerly enslaved people sought freedom. They heard about places in Canada where they could live freely. A man named Levi Coffin visited Upper Canada in 1844. His visit encouraged even more people to come.

Many arrived in places like Amherstburg, Ontario and Windsor, Ontario. They came to farm the land and build new lives. Because so many arrived, several communities were created. These included Anderdon, Dawn, Dresden, Elgin, and the Refugee Home Society Settlement.

Building the Settlement

The idea for the Refugee Home Society Settlement came from Henry Bibb. He was the founder of a newspaper called Voice of the Fugitive. The American Missionary Association, a group that supported good causes, liked his idea. Henry Bibb and his wife, Mary E. Bibb, helped run the society.

The Refugee Home Society Settlement officially started in 1851. People who were against slavery, called abolitionists, in Michigan and Ontario supported it. They raised money to buy 2,000 acres of land. This land was in Maidstone and Sandwich Township.

The society sold small pieces of land to settlers. They made it easy to buy the land. They also provided important things like tools and training. Being 20 miles from Windsor helped protect settlers from slave hunters. Mary Bibb also started a school for the children in the community.

Famous Settlers

Among the settlers were John and Jane Walls. John was a formerly enslaved man. Jane was the wife of his former slaveholder. She left Rockingham County, North Carolina with her children. They wanted to live freely as a married couple. They built a farm in the settlement.

By 1861, the settlement had grown. There were about 60 families living there. Three churches were built: African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Baptist, and British Methodist Episcopal. A school was also built for the community. A teacher named Mr. Wheeler from Oberlin College taught at the school. Today, this settlement is part of the John Freeman Walls Historic Site and Underground Railroad Museum.

Why the Society Ended

The Refugee Home Society closed down in 1864. Some families moved to Haiti, and others went to different parts of Canada. The American Missionary Association stopped supporting the society.

The society likely ended because of its land rules. These rules were very strict and didn't allow many capable settlers to join. Also, the leaders within the settlement faced some problems. Despite these issues, the society still helped thousands of formerly enslaved people find freedom.

See also

• Lakeshore, Ontario § History
• List of Underground Railroad sites