Birth and Early Life:
Dennis Jackson was born around 1795 in Virginia, United States. As a Black man in the antebellum South, Dennis faced immense challenges, including the systemic oppression of slavery. Seeking freedom and a better life, he eventually migrated to Canada, where he became one of the early Black settlers in the Queen’s Bush Settlement, located in what is now Wellington County, Ontario.

Arrival in Queen’s Bush and Early Settlement (1843):
In October 1843, Dennis Jackson settled in Peel Township, specifically on the front half of Lot 11, Concession 2. This location is likely a few kilometers away from modern-day Drayton in Mapleton Township. Upon his arrival, the Queen’s Bush Settlement was a vast, undeveloped area covered with dense forests and thick underbrush. The land was challenging to cultivate, and settlers like Dennis had to clear the land themselves, often without the benefit of proper tools or livestock.

Population of Queen’s Bush:

• Population in 1843: When Dennis Jackson arrived in Queen’s Bush in 1843, the settlement was already home to a significant number of Black settlers. By the early 1840s, it is estimated that over 1,500 Black residents lived in the Queen’s Bush area, which spanned across Peel and Wellesley Townships. These settlers were predominantly African American refugees who had fled slavery in the United States and sought freedom in Canada.
• Demographics: The majority of the Black settlers in Queen’s Bush were formerly enslaved individuals or the descendants of enslaved people. These settlers had to overcome significant challenges, including the lack of formal land ownership, limited resources, and the need to clear and cultivate the land from scratch.
• Population in 1871: By 1871, the population of Black settlers in Queen’s Bush had significantly declined. The formal surveying and subsequent sale of the land forced many settlers to leave the area, as they could not afford to purchase the land they had improved. By this time, only a few Black families, including Dennis Jackson’s, remained in Peel Township.

The Church and Community Life (1844-1850s):

In 1844, just a year after Dennis Jackson’s arrival, Reverend Samuel H. Brown built a log church on his farm on Lot 16, Concession 4, in Peel Township. This church was initially part of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church but later became part of the British Methodist Episcopal (BME) Church after the Canadian AME churches split from the U.S. denomination in 1856.

Reverend Samuel H. Brown:

• Role and Influence: Reverend Samuel H. Brown was a central figure in the religious and social life of the Queen’s Bush community. Originally from Maryland, Brown moved to Canada and became deeply involved in the spiritual life of the Black settlers. His church served not only as a place of worship but also as a center for education, social gatherings, and mutual aid.
• Impact: Reverend Brown’s leadership helped to unify the community, offering support and stability in a challenging environment. The church he founded quickly became a focal point for the settlers, providing them with a sense of community and a place to gather for worship, celebrations, and important events like marriages and funerals.

It was likely in this church that Dennis Jackson married Elizabeth Hardin on March 7, 1850. The church’s existence provided a stable and comforting presence in the community, offering a place for residents to gather, celebrate, and find solace during difficult times.

Marriage and Family Life (1850 Onwards):

Dennis Jackson married Elizabeth Hardin on March 7, 1850. Elizabeth was born in 1817 in Tennessee, and their marriage was officiated by Reverend James Sims, a Baptist minister. The wedding was witnessed by Robert J. Evans and Broocks Edmonds. Dennis and Elizabeth had at least four children: Susan, Thomas, Major, and Rachel.

Reverend James Sims:
– Baptist Ministry: Reverend James Sims was an itinerant Baptist minister serving the Queen’s Bush and surrounding areas. He was known for his work with both Black and white parishioners, ministering to isolated communities in rural Ontario. Sims was instrumental in providing religious services and officiating key life events, such as weddings, in a time when formal church buildings were scarce.
– Connection to the Community: By officiating the wedding of Dennis and Elizabeth, Reverend Sims played a crucial role in their lives, further strengthening the bonds within the Queen’s Bush community.

Advocacy and Land Rights (1847):

Dennis Jackson’s commitment to his community extended to advocacy for land rights. In 1847, he was one of the signatories of a petition delivered to the Governor-General of Canada by Henry Miller on behalf of the Black inhabitants of the Queen’s Bush Settlement. The petition detailed the settlers’ struggles and improvements made on the land, despite their inability to afford formal purchase. The petitioners, including Jackson, requested more time to pay for the land by installments, emphasizing their loyalty to Queen Victoria and their contributions to the defense of the country during the 1837 rebellion.

Contents of the Petition (1847):

The petition that Dennis Jackson signed is a significant document, highlighting the plight of Black settlers in the Queen’s Bush area. Here is the full text of the petition as found in the historical record:

To His Excellency the right Honourable the Elgin and Kincardine, Captain general and governor-in-Chief of Her majesty’s provinces of Canada New Brunswick Nova Scotia and of the Island of Prince Edward and governor general of all Her Majesty’s provinces on the Continent of North America and High Admiral of the same.

The Humble petition of the Undersigned Coloured Inhabitants of the Queensbush in the townships of Wellesley and Peele most Humbly Therwith:

That your petitrs has settled on these lands for many years and under Every difficulty has mad Improvements on the lots of land that your petitrs hav taken up by making roads fencing and Cultivating these land Your petitrs Having no Capital to Comence with makes your petitrs not able to purchase these lands Except that Your petitrs will be granted time to pay it by instalments which Your petitrs will do if allowed to pay the same and we earnestly intreat your Excellency favour to grant your petitrs this their Humble request for if your petitrs is driven from our little Homes our distress will be great not knowing what to do. Many of your petitrs hav large families to suport and no means of suporting them if your petitrs Hs to leave these lands that your petitrs Has settled upon now we are loyal subjects to our soverign Queen Victoria every man and when the outbreak of ’37 took place we turned out to a man in defence of the Country and done our duty as soldiers and is ready and willing at any time to the same. We therfore leave our Case before Your Excellency in hopes that Your Excellency will give it a favourable consideration and as in Duty bound Will Ever pray.

Petitioners on the within mentioned lands:

Henry Osburn, William Gordon, Henry Miller, Dangfeld Lawson, Jeremiah Powel, James Dunn, George Tebla, Moses Pope, Johnson Johnson, Denis Johnson, Thomas Amess, William Craford, William Burton, John Smith, Hamilton Bailey, Benjeman Richardson, Joseph Mallot, Silvester Matton, Jacob White, Major Harder, John Palmer, Thomas Gilis, London Harris, Wildon Harris, Mark Harris, Mathew Harris, James Thomas, Luke Harris, Denis Jackson, James Howard, John James, John Francis, Major Mingo, Josep Anderson, James Thornton, Benjeman Willson, George Ross, Cornelos Tailer

Later Life and Legacy (1871 and Beyond):

By 1871, Dennis Jackson’s family was one of the few Black families still living in Peel Township. His legacy as a farmer was carried on by his son, Thomas Henry Jackson, and grandson, Fred Andre Jackson, who continued to farm in the same areas of Peel Township.

Given the strong ties between the community and the church, it is likely that Dennis Jackson was buried in the cemetery associated with the BME Church where his son, Thomas Henry Jackson, is confirmed to be buried. During this period, it was common for families to be buried together in the church’s cemetery.