Peel County, Canada

Our ancestors, brave Black settlers escaping the shackles of slavery in the United States, found refuge in a place known as the Queen’s Bush in Ontario, Canada. It was a vast, uncharted territory, a wilderness that embodied their hopes for freedom. With unyielding resilience, they turned this wilderness into a home. They cleared the land, erected houses and barns, planted crops, and gradually cultivated a community where none existed before. Their labor was the tangible testament to their desire for freedom and independence. Despite the harsh conditions and numerous hardships, they were a people carving out a new life in an unfamiliar land. Their community was a stronghold of mutual support, spiritual sustenance, and shared experiences. They established churches, which served not only as places of worship but also as social hubs, places for education, and even platforms for assisting those who were still trapped in slavery. Our ancestors, once the hunted, became the guiding stars of freedom, their homes acting as stations on the Underground Railroad. Yet, the promise of freedom was tainted by prejudice and discrimination. In their quest to make a living, to learn, and to own the land they tilled, they encountered resistance. Despite the odds, they persevered, standing tall in their pursuit of equality and justice. However, in the mid-1800s, the Queen’s Bush underwent significant change. The government decided to survey the land, and upon its completion in 1850, demanded payment from the settlers for the lands they had turned into homes. The cost was often too steep for many, including our ancestors. This policy led to considerable displacement. Some families managed to stay by purchasing their land outright, but others had to leave the homes they had built, migrating to different parts of Ontario or to other provinces. Over time, the Queen’s Bush was parceled out into smaller lots, its identity gradually dissolving into the present-day counties of Wellington, Grey, Perth, and Waterloo. But the spirit of the Queen’s Bush did not fade away. Its story, and those of our ancestors who dared to dream of freedom and a better life, became woven into the fabric of Canadian history. As we, the descendants of these courageous people, continue to tell their story, we honor their struggles, celebrate their resilience, and ensure that the legacy of the Queen’s Bush lives on in our hearts and minds.