Black History Month: Nelson Able (c.1822-1875)

You may recognize the name Nelson Able; we’ve shared his story before – particularly the fancy dinner party he threw for his friends in 1863. Born around 1822 in Virginia, he was enslaved until his escape in 1850 via the Underground Railroad. After settling in Dundas in 1851, he established the Hamilton-Dundas Stage Coach in 1854, which he ran until shortly before his death in 1875. He was a well-respected and esteemed member of the Dundas community. This year we found a few more examples of just how true that was.

We finally located his obituary printed in the Dundas True Banner on May 13, 1875. This eloquently written account of his life highlights his time in Dundas and the deep connections he made within his community. Although we haven’t been able to locate his grave yet, we now know that he was laid to rest in Grove Cemetery by local undertaker Isaac Latshaw and his funeral was paid for by Lieutenant J.F. Smith thanks to additional information found in Latshaw’s Account book from 1848-1881. This obituary also helped point us in the right direction to make another discovery, but more on that next week!


Obituary Transcript:
Death of Nelson Able
On Sabbath afternoon, the mortal remains of Nelson Able were deposited in the Grove Cemetery in the presence of a very large number of our citizens. For months past, poor Nelson had been struggling for an existence under an attack of consumption, and almost up to the hour of his death, which took place on Friday evening at about eight o’clock, he had hopes that he would be able to conquer the disease and live. It was ordered otherwise, however, and at the age of about 48 this much respected and useful public servant was called upon to pass “that bourne from whence no traveller returns.” Nelson took up his residence in Dundas about 25 years ago, he having previously been a slave on a plantation near Raleigh, in Virginia. While a slave he had a kind master, and notwithstanding the strong feeling of respect and admiration which Nelson ever manifest for British institutions, he used to love to talk to those with whom he was intimate of the fine times he had when a boy “down south,” never having been engaged in any other occupation than that of coachman for his master, and in whose company he was in the habit of spending a good deal of time in making tours through the county. He thirsted for liberty, however, and assisted by kind friends he succeeded in escaping from slavery, and found a home on British Soil. – During his long residence in Dundas, 23 years of which time he constantly drove his stage twice a day to Hamilton, he earned for himself a reputation for strict honesty and trustworthiness which did not fail to secure for him the respect of his fellow citizens. He was possessed of strong impulses and prejudices, but no more painstaking or faithful public servant could be found than Nelson. By steady industry he had succeeded in accumulating considerable property, and prior to his death he presented Alex Moore, who had been very kind to him during his illness with $350, and to Mr. Geo. Ball, who had recently purchased his stage line, he gave $800, or the amount of the purchase money which he (Ball) had agreed to pay for the property, and to Mrs. Logan the whole of his furniture, &c. In addition to this he was possess of the dwelling house where he resided, and had, we believe, some money in Stinson’s Savings Bank, Hamilton. By the death of Nelson Able Dundas has lost an honest man and a much respected citizen.