Chatham Vigilance Committee in Canada rescues a boy, Sylvanus Demarest, from an American enslaver
Sept. 27, 1858
Mary Ann Shadd Cary, a member of the Chatham Vigilance Committee, artwork by Dorcas Markwei, a Black-Canadian illustrator and designer.
From Wikipedia: "Members of the Chatham community were notified in September 1858 that a white man was traveling with a [B]lack boy through Canada and to Detroit, Michigan. W. R. Merwin transported a 10-year-old boy Sylvanus Demarest on a train from London, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan, in the United States. He was also known as Venus.
The fear was that Demarest was being kidnapped from Canada and into slavery in the United States. When they initially boarded the train, Merwin stated that Demarest was his slave. Elijah Leonard, who had been the mayor of London, Ontario, spotted the two travelers and had a telegraph sent ahead to Chatham. The train, making its scheduled stop for water in Chatham, was met by 100 people who entered the train and removed Demarest. Some of the people were armed.
Isaac Shadd, publisher of The Provincial Freeman and leader of the Chatham Vigilance Committee, led the rescue and was arrested in 1858 for his role. Another four blacks and two whites, who were also members of the committee, were arrested as well. They were charged by railroad officials for having caused a riot and "(indirectly) abduction". They were found guilty of rioting. Some of the people were able to pay assigned fines, and others were unable to do so and remained in jail for some time. It is also said that the case was dismissed when it was learned that Demarest was not a fugitive slave.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Merwin was his slaveholder from St. Louis, but it was found that Merwin had intended on selling Demarest, and he had never owned him. Demarest was found to have been born free. Even so, there were some white Canadians that were outraged about how the train was stormed to find Demarest.
After the event, he met up with his mother in Chatham and lived with the Isaac and Amelia Shadd before moving to Windsor."
The fear was that Demarest was being kidnapped from Canada and into slavery in the United States. When they initially boarded the train, Merwin stated that Demarest was his slave. Elijah Leonard, who had been the mayor of London, Ontario, spotted the two travelers and had a telegraph sent ahead to Chatham. The train, making its scheduled stop for water in Chatham, was met by 100 people who entered the train and removed Demarest. Some of the people were armed.
Isaac Shadd, publisher of The Provincial Freeman and leader of the Chatham Vigilance Committee, led the rescue and was arrested in 1858 for his role. Another four blacks and two whites, who were also members of the committee, were arrested as well. They were charged by railroad officials for having caused a riot and "(indirectly) abduction". They were found guilty of rioting. Some of the people were able to pay assigned fines, and others were unable to do so and remained in jail for some time. It is also said that the case was dismissed when it was learned that Demarest was not a fugitive slave.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Merwin was his slaveholder from St. Louis, but it was found that Merwin had intended on selling Demarest, and he had never owned him. Demarest was found to have been born free. Even so, there were some white Canadians that were outraged about how the train was stormed to find Demarest.
After the event, he met up with his mother in Chatham and lived with the Isaac and Amelia Shadd before moving to Windsor."