The Duckette Family

Daniel Duckett was born a slave in South Carolina in 1815 and he grew up in Kentucky. He escaped to Michigan, where owned a farm. A neighbour in Michigan betrayed Daniel and told the slave catchers about him. He was able to get away and escape to Canada. He arrived in Buxton in 1856. Daniel purchased 50 acres at Lot 9 on Concession 10. By 1861, Daniel had cleared only three of his 50 acres. He planted one acre with a crop, and used two for pasture land, but in 1862, he paid for his farm in full and got his deed. 

Daniel married Ansindey Ellen Button who was born about 1831 in Virginia.  In 1861, Ellen Button was living in Hamilton, Ontario.  She came to Buxton and married Daniel in 1863. In 1871, Daniel and Ellen took in a boarder, Joseph Clark, who was 32 and made his living as a barber. Other boarders who lived in Daniel’s house were Cornelia (age 18) and John (age 15), who were born in the United States.

In 1881, Daniel sold his farm to a Baptist minister, John Davis, for the sum of $1.00 on the condition that John would take care of Daniel for the rest of his life. The deed had a clause stating that if John did not honour the agreement, the land would be returned to Daniel Duckett.  In 1882, the deal with John Davis fell through.  Daniel resold the land for a $1000.00 and purchased a two acre lot in the village of North Buxton, near the mill and railroad.

Daniel Duckett died in 1886, leaving everything he owned to his friend William Berry who lived in Chatham.