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London’s role as refuge for southern slave owners exposed in book

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Some of London, Ont.’s founding families are buried just feet from fugitive slave owners who fled their plantations.

“The headstones are over here,” says author and former newspaper reporter Brian “Chip” Martin as he recounts the difficult truths contained within an area of Woodland Cemetery dubbed Millionaire’s Row.

“He was a member of South Carolina’s legislature that voted [to] secede which helped start the war,” he explains pointing to a grave stone among the Manigault and Mazyck family plot.

Martin then takes a couple steps to Gabriel Manigault’s five-foot tall headstone, saying, “He was also a member of the South Carolina legislature. They owned a plantation, they owned slaves.”

The slave owners are buried just feet from the plots of some of London’s founding families including the Labatt family monument and the Harris family, of Eldon House and Harris Park.

“It’s discouraging to me that they may have been so readily accepted, and the fact they are lying here alongside the most prominent people of their day suggests that they were accepted in London,” says Martin.

The grave of Edward Mazyck is seen in London, Ont.'s Woodland Cemetery on Oct. 4, 2022. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

The Manigault and Mazyck grave markers show they were born in Charleston, South Carolina.

Research revealed that the prosperous and powerful family left their rice plantation and members gradually made their way to London after slavery was abolished.

Martin suggests his findings reveal a fuller picture of Canada’s complex history as a refuge for people escaping slavery, and as a safe haven for some slave owners.

“The most important thing to me is to open some eyes to the things, people, and places around us that played a role at a very important time in our history,” he adds.

A conversation with local historian Joe O’Neil about the graves launched Martin on a two-year journey investigating and writing his latest book.

It delves not just into the plantation owners’ final resting place, but how they lived their lives among Londoners.

It was discovered that Gabriel Manigault wrote two books steeped in racism during his time here, making it unlikely he was hiding from his past.

A records search found that some of their homes still stand in the Old North neighbourhood.

According to Martin, other southerners also found refuge in London.

Brian "Chip" Martin's new book 'From Underground Railroad to Rebel Refuge— Canada and the Civil War' exposes the role multiple cities, including London, Ont., had as a refuge for southern slave owners. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

A doctor from South Carolina lived on Piccadilly Street in the 1870s and had a practice on Dundas Street.

“He’d been an organizer of the Ku Klux Klan and he was wanted for murder and terrorism. There was an international incident involving him,” explains Martin. “The place he lived at in London is now a book shop.”

Oxford Books was surprised to hear from Martin about their connection to a book that will soon be for sale on their shelves.

Martin’s upcoming book, From Underground Railroad to Rebel Refuge — Canada and the Civil War exposes many connections in communities across Canada, including London.

It goes on sale in book stores later this month, and is available for pre-order online from Amazon and other book retailing websites. 

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