A wonderful thing about history is that there’s constantly more to discover. While Heritage Mississauga did extensive research on early Black residents in the past (available online, and even as comics), the recent release of the 1931 census has unlocked an additional name.
Along with mentioning the Vignale family in Lakeview, it brought the story of a train porter to the attention of Mississauga’s heritage community.
John Gilbert Bush was born in Oro Township, just north of Barrie. This area of Simcoe County was home to a longstanding Black farming community. Why?
Veterans of the War of 1812 received land grants for their service in defending Canadian sovereignty against an American president bent on expansionism. A militia known as The Coloured Corps fought at the Battle of Queenston Heights and the Battle of Fort George and helped build Fort Mississauga at Niagara-on-the-Lake. Their land grants were in Oro Township, just north of Barrie, Ontario. As a result, the area developed a strong, continuous Black community over multiple generations.
John’s father, Mark Bush, was the last person to lead services at the Oro African Methodist Episcopal Church, now a National Historic Site.