Robert Wilson (ship captain) explained

Robert Wilson
Birth Date:1806
Birth Place:Ireland
Death Date:1888
Known For:Helping escaped slaves to freedom
Occupation:Ship Captain

Robert Wilson (1806  - 1888)[1] was a Great Lakes ship captain operating out of Oakville, Province of Canada who helped black slaves from the United States escape to freedom as part of the Underground Railroad.[2]

Wilson was born in Ireland. His mother moved the family to Canada in 1817 after the death of her husband.[3]

Wilson was the master of the Lady Colborne, a schooner that shipped grain on the Great Lakes.[4] Slaves would be picked up from Ashtabula, Ohio and hidden in the hold with grain shipments.[5] [6] Following the American Civil War, African Americans in the Oakville area celebrated Emancipation Day at George's Square in the town, and would also visit the home of Wilson.[7] The home at 279 Lawson St. was known as the "Mariner's Home" as it was open to ill and homeless sailors during the winter.[8]

The Captain R. Wilson Public School is named in his honour.[9] [10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Captain Robert Wilson, 1806-1888.. images.oakville.halinet.on.ca. 30 November 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110706192313/http://images.oakville.halinet.on.ca/details.asp?ID=29391. live. 2011-07-06.
  2. Web site: The Underground Railroad. Lerech. Deborah. oakvilletrails.ca. Town of Oakville. 30 November 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091223030303/http://www.oakvilletrails.ca/earlyvillage-essay5.htm. dead. 2009-12-23.
  3. Web site: Mariners' Home - 1862 (279 Lawson Street). Oakville Historical Society. 30 November 2009. 2008-09-12. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080912133615/http://www.oakvillehistory.org/html/TrafWalk/trafWalk4-a.htm.
  4. Web site: History of Houses from Old Oakville. oakvillelra.ca. Oakville Lakeside Residents Association. 30 November 2009. https://www.webcitation.org/5lfvYLzey?url=http://www.oakvillelra.ca/OLRA/Old_Oakville_files/History%20of%20Houses%20from%20Old%20Oakville%20Loop.pdf. dead. 2009-11-30.
  5. Book: Winks, Robin W.. The Blacks in Canada: a history. McGill-Queen's Press. 1997. 245. 978-0-7735-1632-8. 2009-11-30.
  6. Book: Vogt, Roy. Whose Property?: The Deepening Conflict Between Private Property and Democracy in Canada. University of Toronto Press. 1999. 374. 978-0-8020-8186-5. 2009-11-30.
  7. Web site: Underground Railway to Oakville. 2006-03-30. ccah.ca. Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. 30 November 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20080626003610/http://www.ccah.ca/Default.asp?id=18&l=1. dead. 2008-06-26.
  8. News: Name for new school has foundation in Oakville's history. 2004-04-02. Oakville Beaver. Metroland Media Group. 7. 30 November 2009.
  9. Web site: About Captain R. Wilson. Halton District School Board. 30 November 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100930091646/http://www.chatt.hdsb.ca/~CRWPS/FOV1-000F1A76/. dead. 2010-09-30.
  10. Web site: What's In A Name?. Halton District School Board. 30 November 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100924054127/http://hdsb.ca/Schools/Pages/ABriefExplanationofNamesChosenforSchools.aspx. dead. 2010-09-24.

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