JosiahHenson(June15,1789–May5,1883)wasbornintoslaveryinCharlesCounty,Maryland.HeescapedtoOntario,Canadain1830,andfoundedasettlementandlaborer'sschoolforotherfugitiveslavesatDawn,nearDresdeninKentCounty.Atthetimeofhisarrival,OntariowasknownastheProvinceofUpperCanada(U.C.),becomingtheProvinceofCanadain1841,thenOntarioin1867,allwithinHenson'slifetimethere.Henson'sautobiography,TheLifeofJosiahHenson,FormerlyaSlave,NowanInhabitantofCanada,asNarratedbyHimself(1849),iswidelybelievedtohaveinspiredthetitlecharacterofHarrietBeecherStowe'snovel,UncleTom'sCabin(1852).FollowingthesuccessofStowe'snovel,Hensonissuedanexpandedversionofhislifestoryin1858titled,TruthStrangerThanFiction.FatherHenson'sStoryofHisOwnLife(publishedBoston:JohnP.Jewett&Company,1858).Interestinhislifecontinued,andnearlytwodecadeslater,hislifestorywasupdatedandpublishedunderthetitleUncleTom’sStoryofHisLife:AnAutobiographyoftheRev.JosiahHenson(MrsHarrietBeecherStowe’s‘UncleTom’)from1789to1876,withaprefacebyMrsHarrietBeecherStoweandanintroductorynotebyGeorgeSturgeandS.MorleyEsq.MP.HediedatDresden,Ontario.

　　Hensonwasseparatedfromhisfamilyasayoungboy,whenhewassoldaspropertyinanestatesale.Hensonroseinhisowners'esteem,andwaseventuallyentrustedasthesupervisorofhismaster'sfarm,locatedinMontgomeryCounty,Maryland(inwhatisnowNorthBethesda).HeescapedtoKentCounty,U.C.,in1830,afterlearninghemightbesoldagain.Therehefoundedasettlementandlabourer'sschoolforotherfugitiveslavesatDawn,CanadaWest.HensonalsobecameanactiveMethodistpreacher,spokeasanabolitionistonlecturetoursthroughoutBritainandBritishNorthAmerica,andworkedasapart-timeconductorontheUndergroundRailroadalongroutesbetweenTennesseeandOntario.HealsoservedintheCanadianarmyasamilitiaryofficer,havingledaBlackmilitiaunitintheRebellionof1837.

　　HensoncrossedintoUpperCanadaviatheNiagaraRiverin1830,withhiswifeandfourchildren.OntariohadbecomearefugeforslavesfromtheUnitedStatesafter1793,whenLieutenant-GovernorJohnGravesSimcoepassed"AnActtopreventthefurtherintroductionofSlaves,andtolimittheTermofContractsforServitudewithinthisProvince".Thelegislationdidnotendslaveryintheprovince,butitdidpreventtheimportationofslaves,meaningthatanyU.S.slavewhosetfootinOntariowasfree.BythetimeHensonarrived,BlackshadalreadymadeOntariohome,includingLoyalistsfromtheAmericanRevolution,andrefugeesfromtheWarof1812.

　　HensonfirstworkedfarmsnearFortErie,thenWaterloo,movingwithfriendstoColchesterby1834tosetupaBlacksettlementonrentedland.Throughcontactsandfinancialassistancethere,hewasabletopurchase200acresinDawnTownship,innext-doorKentCounty,torealizehisvisionofaself-sufficientcommunity.TheDawnSettlementeventuallyprospered,reachingapopulationof500atitsheight,andexportingblackwalnutlumbertotheUnitedStatesandBritain.Hensonpurchsedanadditional200acresnexttotheSettlement,wherehisfamilylived.

　　HensonandtheNorthStarhefollowedappearonastampissuedatDresden,Ont.,in1983,thecentennialofhisdeath.

　　JosiahHensonisthefirstblackpersontobefeaturedonaCanadianstamp