The only known Negro Cemetery in the township is located in Kingsville between Roads 3 and 4, west of Division Road. It is the burial ground of early Black pioneer settlers of the Kingsville Gosfield area.
Black United Empire Loyalists were the first known Black settlers of Essex County. They had fought for the British in the American Revolution and in appreciation for their service received free land grants. Many other Blacks in the area had been brought here as slaves for Loyalist settlers.
There had been a Black settlement in this area associated with Salem (sometimes called New Salem) around Division Road and the 3rd Concession. A Black Baptist Church named Shiloh was also nearby. Little of the history for the Black settlement remains. But land records show that families of African origin were here from 1837.
Council designated the property under the advice of the Kingsville Heritage Advisory Committee, in 2005 under the Ontario Heritage Act. The Gosfield Cemetery memorial monument was unveiled at the dedication service on Saturday, September 3, 2005.
The Negro Cemetery is now a part of the tour of local African Canadian historic sites. That tour also includes the North American Black Historical Museum in Amherstburg, the John Freeman Walls Historic Site and Underground Railroad Museum in Puce, the Sandwich Baptist Church in West Windsor, and Uncle Tom’s Cabin in Dresden.
Image by ekavesh from Pixabay
I had the pleasure of talking with Elise Harding Davis who was the Curator of the Black Museum in Amherstburg.
As the Salem Black Cemetery was being dedicated Elise could not find tomb stones at the site that had gone missing over the years. No one in Kingsville would offer any help or advice to her situation. I had called her to share what knowledge that was passed on to me. My Grand Mother was from Maryland and grew up at a Plantation home. She married Carl Monk who was raised on 3rd concession and Division. Elise Harding Grandparents were also from Maryland.
They lived close by and the black Cemetery was near both the properties. My Aunt Mary was living in Victoria and I arranged a phone call with her and Elise. Aunt Mary remembered her GrandParents having had tea with Mame. She also had an Uncle George living there.
I arrange a call between Uncle Elmer Monk living in Winnipeg. Uncle Elmer remembered both GrandParents and Uncle George who he would play checkers with on the porch.
Elise went on to say the tomb stones were missing. Uncle Elmer remembered playing hide and go seek in the small Cemetary but it had been over 40 yrs since seeing it.
My Great Grandfather ran the Plantation in Maryland having two older brothers one that fought with the North and one that fought with the South. It was common for well to do families to send one of each to the two opposing military’s in case of a loss the other would inherit the property continuing the family business.
My Great Grandfather on the Pinkleton side was a gunner in the Civil war being involved in dozens of battles and surviving the war. He was high up in rank and belong to a special group of merchants that funded their own cannons and equipment.
Meanwhile back on the Plantation my Great Grandfather was involved with the Underground Railroad. Giving safe passage to slaves trying to get to Canada.
Where Elise Harding Davis History and Mine is coincidence is quite remarkable as the possibilities are more than chance.
My Grandmother was introduced to my Grandfather either by visiting his Grandparents in Maryland or by a possible encounter at the neighbours.
In Puce River which is about 20 Kms from Division and Concession 3 was a river that had erosion issues. Tomb stones started popping up with the spring rain. One of the Tomb stones belonged to Elizebeth Lee the half sister to General Lee and the Great Grandmother of Elisa Harding Davis. The history books in the South would not acknowledge her as her Mother was a Slave at the Lee Plantation. Elisa had stories she heard shared to her by her Mother and Grandmother about the Lee Plantations kitchen where her Great Grandmother was raised to work at. Today the Lee property is a military cemetery where many of Gettysburg were buried.
I was on Council when the Black Cemetery in Puce was designated as a historical Cemetary. Had celebrated it a few years by invitation to attend. One of the Stones nearby has inscribed Born a Slave died a Free Man
My Father had confederate money to play with as a kid.
My Great Grandfather on the Monk side owned the stage Coach business in Leamington in the 1880’s. His Property at one time extended into Kingsville.
My Dad had to put his Grandparents in a home when they were 90/91 yrs old in 1944. My Grandmother Myrtle Pinkleton Monk died in 1935 after giving birth to her six child at the age of 29.
My Grandfather went off to war in 1939 as a volunteer.