Hiram Wilson

Who was Hiram Wilson?

Hiram Wilson was an anti-slavery abolitionist who worked directly with escaped and former slaves in southwestern Ontario. He attempted to improve their living conditions and help them to be integrated into society by providing education and practical working skills. He established ten schools to educate free blacks in southwestern Ontario. Wilson worked extensively with Josiah Henson to establish the British-American Institute and the Dawn Settlement in 1841. Wilson was a delegate to the 1843 World Anti-Slavery Convention in London, England. Wilson eventually resigned from the British-American Institute and moved to St. Catharines, Ontario, where his home was the final terminal for the Underground Railroad.