Frances Rouse was a slave who was likely owned by Sylvanius Prince or a member of his family. She was born in South Carolina around 1816. Sylvanius was a South Carolina slave owner. He was also the father Frances’ children (Edward N., Sylvester, Jonathan, Albert, and Elizabeth Prince). It is not known whether he assisted Frances and her children to come to Canada or whether they escaped. Sylvanius was descended from the Prince family who have been traced back to England in the 1500's. In 1637, Edward Prince settled in Virginia and in the 1650's was a county representative in the Virginia House of Burgesses. The family stayed until 1755 when they moved to upper South Carolina.
Frances brought her children Edward, Sylvester and Elizabeth to Canada by 1849 along with a family (Rouse) of free blacks that were neighbours in South Carolina. The children were fair skinned enough that they often passed for white at times in their lives. Two other brothers Albert and Jonathon may have come here for a short period. It is possible that one of her son's was a navy officer on the Thames River who had a diary that expressed his disgust at his brother having married a “Woman of colour".
Frances died Feb. 4, 1880 and her descendants remain in Buxton to this day.