Benjamin Derricks
Ben was born about 1824 in Pennsylvania, USA - 16 August 1902 in Williamsford, Grey County, Ontario
As a researcher, I felt it important to include Ben Derricks when documenting the story of the Early Black Settlers of the Negro Creek area. Ben was among the early Black residents of the Negro Creek area, and although he didn’t own a farm, his name does not appear on the list of petitioners vying for a crown grant of land, so he wasn’t technically one of the Early Black Settlers. Nevertheless, he did work in the Negro Creek area as a plasterer and general labourer. 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. Stories have circulated about the old man who lived in a dilapidated shack on the side of the road and speculation about his life was noted in a newspaper article.
Benjamin Derricks appeared to be a solitary figure, especially during his latter years. He struggled to make ends meet and survived on the most basic of provisions.
The 29 August 1902 notice of Ben’s death gave us the barest of information concerning Ben’s life. We are told that he had lived in Owen Sound about 50 years before his death and had resided in the village of Williamsford for many years. That his age was estimated between 86 and 114 years old. The notice also informed us that Ben had once been a jockey, but to date, I have not found any additional documentation that corroborates that fact. The article described Ben's unfortunate and tragic death. He lived in an old shack located east of the village, where he relied on the land for sustenance. Due to his financial situation, he had to bundle rags around his feet in place of shoes. It is believed that he accidentally caught fire while trying to keep his feet warm by placing them too close to the twig-fueled fire that burned in the middle of the floor. As a result, he suffered severe burns and was unable to move around. When his neighbors went to check on him, they found him in a terrible state, and he passed away shortly after from his injuries.
I have discovered Ben under various spellings of his surname of Derricks. Derix, Derixon, Derrickson, and Derri to name a few. Once I realized this was a surname that could be easily misspelled, I then began searching for Ben under multiple other variations, including Dixon, Dickson, and Dickerson.
According to the 1861 Canada Census[Ben “Derixson” was living in a one-story log house in Owen Sound with his wife Henrietta, and their two sons Solomon age 14, and Benjamin Jr age 5. The enumerator of this census identified everyone in the family as ‘m’ for mulatto. Ben was noted as being a 37-year-old labourer, and his wife was listed as being 31, and they were both born in the United States with their sons being born in Canada.
Ben was included in the Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Grey for 1865-66 on page 133 under the surname of “Derrickson”. He is listed as living east of the Garafraxa on Concession 1 on Lot 19 next door to the Douglas Family who are residing on Lot 20. With that information in hand, I turned to the land registry books for Holland Township. Ben’s name is not recorded for any part of Lot 19. I suspect that like many others he simply squatted on an unoccupied piece of land hoping to make a living as a farmer, which did not work out for him. It should be noted here that on Concession 1, part of Lot 17 and all the original surveyed lots of 18 and 19 eventually became part of the village of Williamsford by 1870.
In May 1871 when that years Canada Census was taken, Benjamin “Derix” was living with James Douglas Sr and his family on their farm located just south of the village of Williamsford on the east side of the Garafraxa on Concession 1, on Lots 20 & 21. He is listed as being 44 years of age and is now noted as a single male of African descent, born in the United States, and working as a labourer. There is no mention of his wife Henrietta nor his two sons.
In the 1881 census Benjamin “Derricks” is living alone as a 53-year-old African widower working as a plasterer in the village of Williamsford. The enumerator felt it important enough to point out in the last column, that Ben’s “house is on roadside.”
As of this writing, I have been unable to find a listing for Ben in the 1891 Canada Census. I have several theories as to why I cannot find him. Misspelled surname, away from his house or the area at the time the enumerator came calling? However, he does turn up in the Sullivan Township Tax Assessment rolls for 1892 and is listed as a 60-year-old resident whose house in Williamsford on Concession 1 on part of lot 18 was ‘free’ of rent or mortgage. The village straddled both Sullivan and Holland Townships divided by the Garafraxa Road, todays Highway 6. From that year on Ben is routinely listed in each Tax Assessment to at least 1897. His age differs wildly from one year to the next. In the 1893 Tax Assessment Ben’s age is still noted as being 60 years of age, but the very next year in the 1894 Tax Assessment he has aged disproportionately and is now 100 years old. When the 1897 Tax Assessment was completed, Ben was listed as 102 years old and still residing on a fifth of an acre on part of lot 18 in the village of Williamsford. It was also noted on each Tax Assessment that Ben owned his house, there was no rent paid or mortgage owed on it.
On page 2 of the 31 Jan 1895 edition of the Times newspaper in Owen Sound, under the column covering Sullivan Township business, there is a short paragraph informing us that “Councillor Batterman was empowered to provide 2 cords of wood for Ben. Derricks, Williamsford, he being sick and in needy circumstances.” These few lines give us insight into Ben’s life. He is unwell and unable to fully care for himself and is dependent on the charity of others. He is likely struggling to survive.
The Toronto newspaper, The Globe printed a photograph of Ben taken by a staff from the Post Office while on a bicycle tour of northern Ontario in their 15 September 1900 edition. The photo depicts an old man sitting on a wooden bench in front of a shanty dressed in ragged clothes. The caption below reads, “The foregoing illustration was taken at Williamsford, County of Grey. The subject is an aged negro, Ben Werricks. He is believed to be nearly 125 years of age, and escaped from slavery and settled in this country 75 years ago." I find it difficult to believe that Ben was 125 years old when the photo was taken, and I'm not confident that he arrived in Canada as early as 1825.
The 1901 Census shows Ben as 81 years old. This census record for Ben also indicates that he arrived in Canada in 1860 and is of African descent. However, unlike the other names listed on the same page, the enumerator did not note a specific date of birth for him. Although Ben is noted as being single, there is no information provided regarding his occupation or religion. However, the column provided for ‘colour’ has Ben listed as 'B' for black.
Ben’s death registration has his age noted as, “supposed 105” and his occupation as “jockey originally”. It is in this piece of historical documentation that his place of birth is revealed for the first time as Pennsylvania, USA, and under the column, for Name of Person Making Return it has “Different Sources” along with a notation that “age varies from 96 to 104”. I will suppose that the personal information was given to the Registrar by the neighbours that found Ben in his near-death condition.
To date, I have not uncovered any additional information concerning the whereabouts or what happened to Ben’s wife Henrietta, and his sons Solomon and Benjamin Jr.
Although Ben Derricks may not have been a prominent figure in history, his story, like that of many Black Ontarians, has been lost to time. However, like all those who have come before us, he too deserves to be remembered and have his name spoken aloud.
Researched and Written by Nancy M. Lee
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Northern Terminus Journal Vol. 9/2012, Heritage Obituaries, page 29
Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1027-1028, microfilm page 668.
Ancestry.com. Canada, City and Area Directories, 1819-1906 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013., microfilm page 71
Year: 1871; Census Place: Holland, Grey North, Ontario; Roll: C-9953; Page: 34, microfilm page 127
Year: 1881; Census Place: Holland, Grey North, Ontario; Roll: C_13262; Page: 14; Family No: 68, microfilm page 58
Canada, Ontario Tax Assessments Rolls, 1834-1899 – www.familysearch.org/ark:/61902/1:16654-QMLX
Canada, Ontario Tax Assessment Rolls, 1834-1899", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:665Q-BZ79, microfilm page 8
Canada, Ontario Tax Assessment Rolls, 1834-1899", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66N6-5RSS, microfilm page 11
Canada, Ontario Tax Assessment Rolls, 1834-1899", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66NH-SHRG, microfilm page 10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/146484433/ben-derricks-in-need/?xid=637
Year: 1901; Census Place: Holland, Grey (North/Nord), Ontario; Page: 2; Family No: 22, microfilm page 62
Canada, Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6DD-BWT, microfilm page 1429