Cultural Landmarks of Hamilton-Wentworth

Enerals Griffin House

Location: 733 Mineral Springs Road, Ancaster, Ontario

The Enerals Griffin House was originally built in 1827 by John Lawrason. He sold the house and the fifty acres it was built on to George Hogeboom and his wife Henrietta Ryckman. During their time at the homestead, they had a son and daughter. In 1834, the couple sold the house to Enerals Griffin for £125.

The house is made up of four rooms and is built in a simple architectural style. The house includes two rooms on the main floor and two bedrooms on the upper floor. There is also a white washed dry storage area in the basement. A large open hall at the top of the enclosed staircase may have been used as a sleeping area. All of the rooms were lime-plastered and only the larger upper bedroom had the remains of pre-1850 wallpaper. There were two fireplaces located in the downstairs main room and in the larger bedroom upstairs.

The Griffin family oral history narrated the story of how Mr. Griffin entered Canada through the Underground Railroad. Mr. Griffin was a slave of Edward Lee in Virginia and was promised a "letter of passage" when Lee died. However, Lee had not made any arrangements for guaranteeing the freedom of his slaves and was on his deathbed, so Griffin decided to act to ensure his freedom. He wrote his own "letter of passage", took a horse, and began the long journey to Canada. When he reached Pennsylvania, he was interrogated by local officials, who did not believe his story or letter. They became even more suspicious when they discovered Griffin could read and write. They thought he had written the letter himself, so they demanded he copy out the letter. According to the story, the fear of being caught changed the characteristics of his hand writing, and the officials let him go.

He arrived in upper Canada in either 1828 or 1829. He eventually settled in the Niagara area and married Priscilla (1795-1850). Not much is known of Priscilla, except she entered Canada around the same time as Griffin. Historians believe that she was Caucasian, due to the fact that their son James, born 1833, was mulatto. It is unknown if they had more children, but some suspect that they had two more children named George and Hazel. Hazel later married into the Costello family.

Eventually, the young family signed the deed for the property in Ancaster on January 1, 1834. There were no records of hostilities towards the family. In fact, it seems the family was accepted and respected. They attended St. Andrews Presbyterian Church and were active in their community. Mr. Griffin lived in his home until he died in 1878. He is buried with his wife, Priscilla in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Graveyard in Ancaster. The family descendants continued to live in the house for over 150 years, until the Hamilton Region Conservation Authority (HRCA) acquired the property from the family in 1988.

The Conservation Authority wanted to restore the home to its former early 1800's condition. They wanted to duplicate the gardens, add driveways and paths to the house, renovate the out buildings, and collect relevant artifacts. The Town of Ancaster approved the proposed walkways and driveways which were estimated to cost $30,000. Renovations to the house were estimated at $90,000. The Ontario Government initially granted the Hamilton Region Conservation Authority $70,000 for the entire restoration of the home which included a library, meeting room, and a museum. However, the renovation coincided with a major trend in Ancaster to build museums and recognise landmarks, which angered many citizens, because of the increase in traffic and visitors. Thus, the parking lot was to be moved and the Provincial grant was to be decreased. Fortunately, a Hamilton Alderman spoke out against the changes and encouraged the HRCA not to scale down the project, due to the historical significance of the house. The Provincial grant of $70,000 was finally received in 1992. The Conservation Authority donated $50,000 to cover initial costs. The total cost for the renovations was $211,100.

During the summers of 1990 and 1991, the HRCA conducted two archaeological digs at the Griffin homestead and found over 4,000 artifacts which included ceramics, glass, hardware, bone fragments, and jewelry. As well, an old colour lithograph of Eastman Johnson's 1859 oil painting "Negro Life in the South" was found under wide pine paneling in a downstairs closet. The print was commonly referred to as the "Old Kentucky Home." There were also magazine pages that dated from 1890-1891. It was discovered that the exterior clapboard had been covered up by board and batten during the 1870's. In the 1950's, the board and batten was covered with stucco which has helped to preserve the original clapboard siding.

It was hoped the museum would be opened by 1993 in time for Ancaster's bicentennial. The museum was to be a place for learning about the Underground Railway and the experiences of African Americans. In 1993, a plaque was placed outside the house, which recognised the significance of the Griffin family and their homestead.

The site has become a stop on the Underground Railway Tour for Canadian and American students. During an average year, 20 to 30 buses arrive and over 2,000 visitors come to the museum every year. There has been discussions regarding the relocation of the museum to the Westfield Heritage Centre, however, it was decided to keep the museum in its original location. Today, the museum houses a portable exhibit featuring the Griffin House Project which includes information on the family and their 1991 reunion. "The Griffin House stands today as a testament to the bravery and determination of black men and women who journeyed to freedom in Southern Ontario," and is indeed an important cultural landmark of Hamilton-Wentworth.

References:
Ancaster Historical Houses - Griffin House. Hamilton Public Library: Special Collections, Clipping File.
Ancaster News. "Griffin House Gets Grant". February 28, 1995.
Ancaster News. "Griffin House Opens As A Tribute to Local Black History". February 22, 1995.
Ancaster News Journal. "Griffin Homestead Restoration Lauded by Black Activist". March 13, 1991.

The Hamilton Public Library would like to thank the Hamilton Conservation Authority, and in particular, Jennifer Dunkerson for graciously contributing information for this website and for all her assistance in taking us through the museums.