The Scipio Family


The Scipio family came to Canada from Pennsylvania, where Amariah worked as a basket maker. Amariah married Ellen and they had eight children: William, Dalmanuthe, James, Anna, Roxana, Amariah, Hannah, and Rebecca.  All the Scipio children were born free in Pennsylvania. After Ellen died, Amariah became a widow. His older sons worked as labourers on neighbouring farms. The younger children were all going to school.  Amariah Sr. came to Buxton in 1858 and by 1860, Amariah Sr. was farming part of Lot 12 on Concession 10, which was owned by James Points.  Amariah Sr. never owned land in Buxton, but farmed with his sons and sons-in-law throughout the years.  Amariah Sr. moved in with his daughter Roxana and her husband Jefferson Webb at Lot 9 on Concession 7.

In 1850 when the Fugitive Slave Act became a law, it was not safe for Black people in the United States.  Son Dalmanuthe decided to move to Canada West. He arrived in Buxton in 1851 and lived at Lot 8 on Concession 13 until 1857.  Dalmanuthe joined his family on Concession 8 in North Buxton.  Dalmanuthe married Martha Colwell in 1866.

William Scipio was born in Pennsylvania in 1827. He was the oldest son of Amariah and Ellen Scipio. In 1851, William married Sarah Travis, daughter of John and Christina Travis, in Pennsylvania.  In 1852, their first child was born, John. William worked with his brothers as a farm hand on a neighbouring farm.  William’s brother Dalmanutha moved to the Buxton Settlement in 1851. Dalmanutha must have sent good reports about Buxton home, because William Scipio moved to Buxton in 1855. He settled his family at Lot 10 on Concession 8.  William and Sarah had nine children in total: John, Charles, Elizabeth, Sarah Jane, Christina, Mary, James, Ruth, and Samuel. William and Sarah remained in Buxton until 1869.  They returned to the United States, with their children and they settled in Michigan.  Daughter, Ruth died in Michigan in 1870.  In 1872, their youngest child, Samuel, was born. In 1900, both William and Sarah were still alive and living in Michigan with two of their children, Mary and Samuel.

Son, James came to Buxton in 1858 and married Sarah Oxendrive in 1862.  He moved to Michigan after the Civil War.

Daughter, Anna married Sylvester Mallott in 1858, shortly after arriving in Buxton.

Daughter, Roxana came to Buxton in 1858 and married Jefferson Webb in Buxton in 1861.

Son, Amariah Jr. also bought land in Michigan in 1876, but he remained in Canada where he died from consumption in 1881.

Daughter, Hannah came to Buxton in 1858 and married Josiah McConnell in 1867.

Daughter, Rebecca came to Buxton in 1858 and found work as a domestic servant in Dawn Township.

In 1889, Amariah Scipio died in Buxton and buried in the Buxton cemetery. Some descendants of the Scipio’s remain in the area today, but most are scattered around the U.S.A.