Tales of Humanity and Hardship

I am often asked how I became involved with local history research. Recently, this question has been expanded to include, how did you get interested in local black history?

As with many researchers, I began with what was familiar to me: my own family history. As a native of Kitchener, I was aware that my ancestors had settled here in 1802. I knew that they had come from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Starting in 1800, most of the settlers to this area were from various counties in Pennsylvania and most were Mennonite. My ancestors were Quaker but within a generation or two had either converted to or married into the Mennonite faith. You could say that although I knew very little about my own family history when I started, I was “proud” of my heritage (or at least my perception of what I thought my heritage was). Now, the term “heritage” is a funny thing...the word heritage, as we are told means “something inherited from the past; a legacy.” Hmmm.  A legacy. Ok. What does “legacy” mean? Well, one definition states that it is “a bequest or an inheritance that is passed on from one generation to another.”  Ok, I think that sounds pretty accurate.

To further illustrate my point, I found a lovely quote from a woman by the name of Susan V. Bosak who is herself an educator and chair of “the Legacy Project.” She tells us that “Legacy is about life and living. It's about learning from the past, living in the present, and building for the future. “[The creation of a...] Legacy is fundamental to what it is to be human. Research shows that without a sense of working to create a legacy, adults lose meaning in their life. Exploring the idea of legacy offers a glimpse not only into human relationships and building strong communities, but also the human spirit.”

To me this seems very important. I mean, isn’t this why we study history in the first place? Simply put “don’t we want to know where we came from?”  I also like the notion of legacy as building strong communities and allowing us to glimpse into the human spirit. Now, these are the themes I would like you to keep in mind as you read through the posts in this blog, now and in the future: “legacy”, the building of strong communities and most important of all...the human spirit—something that ties us together, regardless of race, colour or creed.

So here’s the thing...as I began to read more about my own ancestors, I found out that there was more to the story. The “story” as I knew it was that white Pennsylvania Germans had settled here as farmers and brought with them a strong sense of community or “Freundschaft” which basically meant that they looked out for each other and lent aid where it was needed. In other words, if you needed a house or a barn built, then the whole community came out to build it. If your crops had failed, the community shared what it had with you and you would do the same, in kind.  I knew, too, that aboriginal peoples were already here and that in the early years, the Mennonites and First Nations peoples had enjoyed a relatively harmonious existence, trading goods and knowledge, etc. The story I didn’t know, was, I discovered, that very early on, there were historical accounts that mentioned persons of African descent that had arrived here when the Mennonites did. Some of whom had been brought here by the Mennonites—and, they were not slaves.

Take the example of “Isaac Jones.”

Remember Abraham Erb, “Father of the city of Waterloo,” and the impetus behind the construction of the 1820 log schoolhouse? If not, here is a quick refresher: Abraham Erb, originally from Franklin County, Pennsylvania (and a Mennonite) is generally accepted as the father of the city of Waterloo, having settled in Waterloo in 1806. Erb was a community builder who constructed mills and donated land for a school, church and graveyard. The school was indeed constructed and we know it today as the 1820 log schoolhouse in Waterloo Park. Well, in the latter part of the 19^th century, Ezra Eby (himself a descendant of Benjamin Eby) began to collect stories and information about the early settlers to Waterloo Township. Published in 1895, researchers have acknowledged a number of mistakes in the work (misspellings, dates, etc.) BUT the importance of this work is nonetheless crucial to our understanding of local history AND most certainly forms an integral nexus from which we, as researchers in the 21^st century, can tie the past to the present. Arguably, Ezra Eby is the “father” of local history for the Waterloo Region.... 

 (for a further look at his work see: http://ebybook.region.waterloo.on.ca/

But I digress.  Ezra Eby, in 1895, tells us a story about a young black lad named Isaac Jones that took place somewhere around 1806-7. Apparently, Isaac had been brought to Waterloo by Abraham Erb and the gist of the story is that he was out hunting some cattle, in the fall, in the woods. (To us, this might seem strange but in the early days, farm animals were mostly free range so perhaps the cattle in question had themselves gone off into the woods for a walk and Isaac was trying to find them). 

Well, apparently, Isaac accompanied by two dogs, lost his own way in the woods. Eby says that a great many went out to search for him and that the search parties were out for more than a week. Most of the search party then gave up in despair but two continued to search and after hearing the barking of dogs, found little Isaac half-dead from starvation and unable to walk. On their way back, they also lost their way, temporarily, but with great joy managed to get themselves and Isaac home, along with the two dogs who had never left his side. Mr Erb and his wife did not have children of their own and although we do know that they did adopt several children, we do not know, however, whether or not he ever adopted any black children, specifically.  

Over time, the communities of Berlin (or Kitchener, as we know it today), Waterloo and the outlying areas of Heidelberg, St Jacobs and Elmira continued to grow and prosper as more and more land was purchased by the Mennonites and cultivated for farming.  Politically, the Mennonites were pacifists and many of them were strong abolitionists (i.e. those who were opposed to slavery. As I have stated in an earlier post, slavery had officially been outlawed in Canada by 1830 and we know that the “Underground Railroad” delivered many an ex-slave to freedom here in Canada during its years of operation.

As the anti-slavery movement gained political support on both sides of the Canada-US border, some very brave individuals were taking action against slavery--risking everything to help those who searched for their freedom. The impetus for the Underground Railroad had been firmly established and abolitionists were comprised of both black and white activists who helped fugitive slaves. Most of the blacks who were abolitionists were free but some were slaves, themselves. One man who helped the fugitive slaves was William Still. 

William Still was just a boy when he assisted in the escape of his first slave.  He never knew the man's name; only that he was being hunted by slave catchers. In the years ahead, there would be hundreds more that he would help. Using railroad terminology, the abolitionists associated with this complex escape route referred to themselves as “conductors”. In his book “The underground railroad” Still kept meticulous but secret records of the many escapes slaves who passed through the Philadelphia "station." All told, in his fourteen years of work with the “railroad” he helped over 800 to escape to freedom in Canada, particularly southern Ontario.  After the Civil War, Still published the secret notes he’d kept in diaries during those years.  To this day, his book contains some of the best evidence we have of the workings of the Underground Railroad, detailing the freedom seekers who used it, including where they came from, how they escaped and the families they left behind.

For the free e-book of  Still’s “The Underground Railroad” see:  http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15263

Most of the earliest black communities in southern Ontario that sprang up were clustered around the Canada--US borders, with Detroit and Buffalo as two of the key termini or destination points for escape that led into Canada.  Many of these folks were assimilated into the local culture, at least for a time, and were contributing citizens. I do want to point out here, though, that not all blacks who settled here in the early days were slaves who came here via the Underground Railroad.

In 1828, a black man by the name of Paola Brown arrived in the town of Niagara and eventually made his way to Hamilton, where he became a leader among his people. He was aware of another black settlement in Oro Township but he and his neighbours felt this was too far away and so they petitioned for land (actually a township) to start a black community. They were unsuccessful but were determined to succeed. Dreaming of independent land ownership, Paola eventually made his way to Woolwich Township. By 1832, (and along with at 9 households totalling 34 people) he settled in Crook’s Tract (near modern day Winterbourne) and named their settlement “Colbornesburg”  where they successfully  established a church and a school. This was not land for which they held title--they were essentially squatters. 

Note: (Incidentally, the Oro township community was the only government sanctioned one of its kind, at the time, having resulted from the government’s attempt to settle Black Loyalist soldiers and their families following the war of 1812).

The land Paola and his people settled in Crook’s Tract needed to be cultivated. None of the settlers owned horses but at least 3 of the families owned oxen— which are better suited to logging and breaking soil, anyway. Life was very hard and by 1837 almost everyone had left the settlement. Paola Brown moved back to Hamilton and some of the settlers moved northeast of Waterloo and settled in Conestoga, while the majority settled along the boundary between Peel Township (Wellington County) and Wellesley Township (Waterloo County) in what became known as part of the Queen’s Bush settlement.

To be continued...

A "Man Without A Story" No More: Part II

This is probably going to go down in history as the world's longest individual blog post. As always, if you have any comments, questions or new information (aka corrections!) feel free to contact me.

I must confess that I have struggled for a way to accurately represent Levi’s “life facts.”  I eventually decided that a timeline might be an effective way to get the ball rolling. My caveat here is that this is very much an ongoing and progressive timeline—insofar as I am continuing to work on it (off-line) and will update it as new information comes to light.

 
 In the meantime, I will also post insights and comments on the life and times of this early Waterloo County settler and long-time occupant of the 1820 log schoolhouse. 

What has continued to surprise me (and warm my heart) is how Levi has been mentioned by other notable (historic) citizens of the time who were his contemporaries, neighbours and (obviously) friends who remembered him and his family members fondly and with respect whenever they did speak of him.  And so, without further adieu:

LEVI CARROLL—A Preliminary and Approximate Timeline

                        (Timeline also includes related data on the schoolhouse and local history)

·         Born c. 1799-1805 Maryland Levi’s parents are listed as: father-- Russ/Ross Carroll and his mother-- Mary M. Sims

Note:  There were Sims listed in Wellesley township –the Queen’s Bush area—a possible family connection?  (Further research needed).

·         1807 Abraham Weber/Weaver arrives in Waterloo County, Lot 16 and establishes his homestead. This is the Abraham Weber who employs Levi some years later (timeline pending further research).

Note:  According to the Uttley record, Weber “presents” Levi with “a piece of land” for a garden and a cabin following an accident “in the bush”—is this where Levi loses his left leg? In an account years later, Jacob Stroh says Levi “owned several acres between his dwelling and Agnes Street.” King Edward school is located today at the corner of Agnes Street and King Street, Kitchener. Back then, when Levi was living here, this would have been known as “Greenbush.” 

 

·         August 24, 1814 Levi was still living in Maryland when Rear Admiral George Cockburn advanced on Washington, DC. Levi was known to have told a story of his childhood memory when his “owner/master” carried him away (when he was about 5-6 years old) and hid him in a large storehouse to protect him from the British.

    

·         1820 The log schoolhouse is built on land donated by Abraham Erb. 

·         1835-36 Levi’s son Charles is born. Creasia is listed as his mother.

·         1836-37 Female child Carroll is born.

Note: No name or official records found yet. See note on 1861 census records. 

·         c. 1830-45 Levi comes to the Waterloo County area as an escaped slave.

     Note:   As previously posted, the Underground Railroad was known to be active during this period (and in this area). As early as 1829-30, Paola Brown (formerly of Cincinnati, Ohio) led a group of fugitive slaves and free blacks to the Winterbourne, Ontario area (known as "Crooks Tract" in Woolwich Township) and founded a small colony there (more on this in an upcoming post). As this timeline pertains to Levi Carroll, Levi’s approximate date of arrival also corresponds to a statement issued by his Greenbush neighbour, Mr. Henry Bachman (a letter carrier) upon Levi’s death in 1897, whereby Mr. Bachman said that Levi came to the area (Berlin) "some 60 years ago."      

 

·         1842 The log schoolhouse is deemed too small and is moved to Berlin, Ontario (Greenbush area).

          

           February 22, 1846 Levi’s first known marriage.

Note: There is a listing for Levi and Creasia (Lucretia Brooks--some research suggests that her name may have been Brown). The Gore District Marriage Register shows John Low, Wesleyan Methodist minister performs the marriage by banns.  The register states that both (Levi and Creasia) were of Waterloo. Witnesses Samuel Moxley and Joseph Sowder. Creasia’s religion is listed as “Episcopal.”

·       

            1851 census records- Listed Levi, age “30”, wife Creasia, age 50 and son Charles, born 1835-36 (aged 16).  Census says all 3 were born in the USA--- all listed as “Episcopal”. 
      Note: This is interesting not only because Levi is listed as being 20 years younger than Creasia at the point of their marriage but also assuming that Levi is Charles's father, Levi would have been, according to these dates, 14 when Charles was conceived. Clearly not particularly considering the estimate of his birth date at the time of his death and as recorded in other census records. Also, if Levi is Charles's father and if Creasia is Charles's mother then maybe Levi and Creasia were living together for years before being formerly married? Just a thought ...

           Between 1852-1854 Creasia dies-- No official death records found yet. TBD

·         Dec 17, 1854 - Levi marries Anna Emile Timlet , wife #2.

Note: Anna Emile was born c. 1825 so was around 29 when she was married (by Church Banns) by Rev. Wilhelm Friedrich Bindeman, a Greenbush neighbour of Levi’s. Marriage witnessed by Mary France and Rev. Bindeman, Berlin;  Anna Emile must have died before 1861 as she doesn’t appear in the census as having died during the previous year- 1860-61

                                                     Reverend Wilhelm Friedrich Bindeman

·         January 1, 1857 Waterloo incorporates as a “village.”

·         1861 census records Levi is listed as being a shinglemaker, and a widower. Along with him, there is only one child listed as living with him and one 24 year old female who had died in the past year.

    

        Children listed as living with Levi in 1861 census: 

1.       Female Child Carroll born c. 1836-37 (this may have been Creasia’s child and 

               would have been born right after Charles. This child is listed as having died 1860-61 (she

               would have been 24 just as the census lists). There is no mention of Charles who would

               have been c. 26 years old. Upon the death of Levi in 1897, Henry Bachman recalled that

               Levi said his son had been lost in a storm at sea many years before. Would this maybe   

               have been Charles? No records have been found yet.

Note #1: An interesting reminiscence about Levi's son Charles from Joseph Schneider's grandchildren—Louisa and her brothers, Samuel and David.  In later life they gave newspaper interviews regarding their childhood memories and they said that “Charly Carl” (sic) was Samuel and David’s friend with whom they used to play ball. Louisa recalled that they (her brothers) “really liked him” and that he attended school with them and was the only “coloured” (sic) boy in the school. They also said that” Charly” was teased by some of the other children.

Note# 2:  Something else that I have uncovered and find very thought provoking and certainly worthy of further investigation: two US military records for “Levi Carroll” aged 22 (not that far off from what Charles would be at this time), born in Frederick, Maryland who enlisted in the 19^th regiment of the US Colored Infantry on December 31, 1863 for a period of 3 years. His height is listed as 5’6 ½ “and his occupation is “farmer.”

 What is most striking about this information is that this "Levi" Carroll's enlistment birthplace is a close match to that of Levi and that the name “Levi Carroll” for a black man born in Maryland would not have been that common. I personally think that this sounds like Charles may have gone back to fight in the Civil War perhaps in honour of his father, potentially taking his name to enlist. What is also striking is that there is a town in Maryland called after its founder, Carrollton (a white Charles Carroll who did own slaves BUT was very sympathetic to abolition. Charles Carroll was a signatory ("signer") of the Declaration of Independence and therefore an historic figure of significant note. Remember Levi’s story of being protected at a tender age by his owner........? This may also explain where Charles was when the census was taken (in the US) and why he would not be listed as living with Levi. Also, the time period fits, too. Food for thought.

For more information on Charles Carroll, the founder of Carrollton, MD see: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Carroll_of_Carrollton

2.       Elisabeth Ann Carroll born 1852-53

Note # 1:   Presumably Anna Emile Timlet and Levi’s baby since Creasia would have been around 51-52 when this birth occurred and we know that Creasia died somewhere between 1852-54--unless Elisabeth Ann's listed birthdate is "off".  We know that Levi married Anna Emile Timlet in 1854 according to the marriage certificate so perhaps Elisabeth’s birth occurred just before the marriage OR if the dates are off, maybe Anna Emile died in childbirth AFTER the marriage. Another theory is that Anna Emile was really only 24 when she died (and that her birth date estimate is wrong and not c. 1825) insofar as it was she who potentially was the female who died in 1860 at the age of 24.  A death of a female someone, 24 years old,  is registered as having taken place the previous year (1860) due to a "p.sore throat"—strep? Elisabeth Ann is listed as 8 yrs old and as attending school.  Was the 24 year old who died Elisabeth Ann’s mother or sister who died? No records yet to prove any of these scenarios so  with further research pending, results to be determined...

Note # 2: In the 1861 census, another family is listed as living with Levi in the log house: a Henry Scott (blacksmith, 37) and a Mary Scott (22), both Wesleyan Methodist. Levi is listed as Episcopal Methodist.  All are listed as being able to read and write.

·         October 1, 1861 Levi marries wife #3: Margaret Moore Johnston (her parents Robert Moore and Senty Huston from the Queen’s Bush, Peel Township and her first husband was James Johnston, born c. 1822 and was of the Queen’s Bush area). He was 56 and she was 39, born in Montreal, Quebec, about 1822.

             

                  Children Listed as living with Levi:

                   Emiline Johnston “Caroll” born 1854-55(Levi’s stepdaughter, would have been 6-7 yrs)                    John Carrol born 1865-66 (Levi’s son presumably by Margaret)

 

·         1868 The town of Berlin buys two acres of land from John Hoffman (a self-made man and local political figure who owned a great deal of land in both Waterloo and Berlin--more on him in upcoming posts) in order to establish a municipal (Mount Hope) Cemetery.

Note:  In 1871 Berlin purchases an additional 10.5 acres from him to expand the cemetery (which is really two cemeteries-- the newer one as a Roman Catholic cemetery that was originally operated by Sacred Heart Church and the original (older one) that was located where modern day Grand River Hospital and KCI High School are. This would have also been near where the 1820 log schoolhouse or Levi’s “cabin” was located). As early as 1855 the first Mount Hope Cemetery (originally called Greenbush Cemetery) is listed on the map of Waterloo and was considered to be a protestant cemetery. In 1871 the Ontario legislation regarding schools changed, allowing for upper level grammar schools to become known as “high schools”. Around 1872 transfer of burials from the older Mount Hope Cemetery to the newer section began to take place.

    

·         1871 census records  Levi, labourer-68, Margaret- 53 and Emiline-16. Religion is listed for all as “Methodist” 

·        
            1876 Waterloo is incorporated as a “town.” Berlin High School (modern day KCI) also opens and as noted in the picture of Levi and his family is seen in the background.

·         1881 census records  Children living with Levi, Margaret and Emiline:  Melissie (9 in the 1881 census) and Bismark (5 in the 1881 census).  Emiline is listed as being 27 years old.  

Note: So here is a good question: whose children are Melissie and Bismark? Are they Levi and Margaret’s children or are they Emiline’s? If they are Emiline’s, who is the father?

·         April 14, 1884 Emiline marries James Aylestock/Aylestook, 40, from Elmira, born in USA (who listed his occupation as a barber).

Note: His mother was listed as being Sally Aylestook (sic),” born in slavery”. The marriage certificate says that James did not know his father’s name.   It is also interesting to note that her mother, Margaret, is NOT a witness at her wedding. Levi is listed as a witness along with “Elisabeth Thompson”.  The marriage took place in Berlin and was by license.

·         1886 Emiline and James had a son, William James-- born March 4, 1886

Note:  It is interesting to note that in the 1900 NY census somes years later, it states that James was born in June of 1884 (see below- 1900 NY census)

 

·         October 21, 1886 Death certificate registered in Toronto, Ontario on October 26, 1886 for a Charles David Carroll, aged 55

Note: I am not entirely sure that this is the same Charles Carroll (Levi’s son) but the name fits and the death certificate does state that this gentleman was “negro,” was the age of Levi’s son Charles and that he had been born in the US. It states that he died as a result of heart disease and paralysis (doctor’s notation was that the duration of illness was seven weeks). He had been employed as a waiter and his religious affiliation was Methodist. A (probable/possible) match?

·         September 1, 1890 The town of Waterloo, along with the assistance of the Board of Trade, acquires/purchases Jacob Eby’s 60 acre farm ( some sources say 65 acres) to build its first park (today Waterloo Park originally named “West Side Park”) from Jacob Eby’s widow, Elizabeth, for $74.00 an acre.

·         Feb 19, 1890 Margaret Johnston Carroll dies.

·         1891 census records List Levi, Emiline and William as the only ones living in the schoolhouse.  

Note:  Presumably James Aylestock must have died. No mention of the other two children: Melissie or Bismark, either.

·         1891 Levi, “having fallen on hard times since the death of his wife”, enters the House of Refuge along with Emiline and William.

·         August 7, 1893 Waterloo (West Side) Park opens.

·         1894 The Park Board purchases the 1820 schoolhouse (largely through the efforts of Isaac Erb Bowman who was a member of the Park Board of Management). 

·         1894 the log schoolhouse is moved to Waterloo Park

·         July 15, 1897 Levi Carroll (Karl) dies at noon in the House of Industry (poorhouse)-obituary published in the “Weekly News-Record”.

Note:  I found it interesting that Levi’s obituary is published twice. Once on the day of his death and again a few days later, listing him as someone known to “most citizens” of the area.

·         September 1, 1897 Willam Aylestock is discharged from the House of Industry at age 11

Note: William is possibly taken in by family in the Glen Allan area since a Wellington County Museum biography of the Aylestock family says that William was the only child on the 200 acre farm he grew up on but I have not yet found documents to confirm this as of yet. What is known is that William’s dad, James Aylestock, was indeed related to people from Wellesley area so this seems like a reasonable assumption.  

·         1900 census for NY state shows William, aged 16, listed as a servant in Brooklyn, NY.

Note:  The census lists his date of immigration as 1898. It certainly was not uncommon for people to go back and forth to the States during this time period. William would have been about 14 when he went. This same census has stroked out his age of 16 and written 15 beside it. His date of birth is also different: the Canadian birth record states that he was born March 4, 1886. This record says June 1884.

·         1909 William Aylestock, back in Canada, marries Jemima Ridella Lawson-“ Minnie”  (from Glen Allan). They eventually had 8 children. 5 of them were born in Glen Allan, Ontario and the last 3 were born in Lebanon, Ontario (just outside of Listowel, Ontario).

·         1943 Emiline dies in the House of Refuge of a heart attack. Body claimed by Hunter Keffer.

Note:  I will be posting more over time about the descendants of the Aylestock family. Several descendants of note (and incidentally Levi Carroll’s step-great granddaughters) was Addie Aylestock who became the first ordained woman minister of the BME and the first African-Canadian woman minister in Canada. Her sister, Rella Aylestock Braithwaite, an accomplished and celebrated writer/researcher of African-Canadian history, had a daughter, Levi's step-great great granddaughter Diana Braithwaite. Ms. Braithwaite is a  well known Rhythm and Blues musician who is responsible for the "Underground Railroad Music Festival" held at Glen Allan, Ontario in August each year. For more information on the festival, see: 

http://www.braithwaiteandwhiteley.com/music-festival.html

1967 William Aylestock dies in Listowel, Ontario at age 81

More, then, on this fascinating family (ancestors and descendants) in future posts...