History tells us that he was a well-known character in and around the village of Williamsford, Grey County from the mid-1860s until his death in August 1902. Although Ben’s face was familiar to everyone in the community, little is known about his personal life.

William Gordon was noted as being one of the original three black settlers on the first concession of Sullivan Township settling on Parts 2 and 3 of Lot 20 as of 20 June 1842.

Fielder Bowie arrived in Sullivan Township around 1843-1844. Based on the 1846 birth year of their oldest child Abraham, we surmise that he married Anne Pearce (Pierce), a widow around 1845. Anne brought at least two children to the union from her previous marriage

The circumstances of how Scott came to know his future wife and her family are unclear. We do know that he met and married Rachel Miller around 1846-47. She was the youngest daughter of Henry and Priscilla Miller who had settled on a farm in 1842 on the west side of the Garafraxa Road where Negro Creek crosses.

Thomas Henry Miller the well-known and beloved resident of Owen Sound came to Ontario from Maryland, U.S.A., with his parents Henry and Priscilla Miller, his baby son Thomas Henry Jr., and his two younger sisters Catherine and Rachel around 1836-37 settling in York Township for a time.

Lewis and his family most probably arrived on Concession 2, Lot 27 in the spring-summer of 1849 after hearing the news that the government had surveyed more lots on the east side of the Garafraxa. History tells us that it was very challenging trying to establish a farm in Grey County, with short planting and growing seasons

Isaiah Chuckee was a young runaway slave who had been born in Africa and put on a slave ship bound for the Americas. For some reason, Isaiah was not included when the rest of the ship’s human cargo had been unloaded upon docking at their destination, instead, he was kept on a man-of-war ship for years.

Elias Earls lived to the ripe age of 102 years. He passed away from natural causes on 6 Dec 1894. It is recorded that he was born in 1792 in Kentucky, USA and that he was a farmer. His son Joshua II was the informant.

Gasaway and Milinda, and their two small children; William Henry age 6, and Emily Ann age two had settled on a 200-acre double lot farm located at Concession 2, Lots 59 and 60. He had built a one-story log house for himself and his family and was also housing the local schoolteacher

To appreciate the history of James Douglas Sr and his family in Holland Township, we need to discover the history of the land itself.

James and his family moved to Holland Township and bought a 50-acre plot of land on the east side of the Garafraxa Road on Con 1, 1st Division of Lot 20

Henry Miller was born abt. 1792 on a plantation in Maryland, USA. As Miller family folklore goes, his wife Priscilla was free but there arose such grave circumstances that the family felt they needed to flee north. He and Priscilla found a safe haven here in Ontario along with their son Thomas Henry, two daughters Catherine and Rachel, and young grandson Thomas Henry Jr. in the spring of 1836 settling in Toronto for a time.

William’s name appears on page 8 in the History of Sullivan Township as part of a list of the earliest settlers noted as settling on Con 1, Part 1 of Lot 20 on 20 June 1842. William is one of only three black pioneer settlers on this list.