In Ontario, few places are as closely connected to the War of 1812 as the Niagara Region. Monuments and military sites from the period are popular tourist destinations in the region and highlight the stories of individuals like Isaac Brock and Laura Secord. However, not all stories are as visible as theirs. This is particularly true for individuals of colour who participated in the conflict. Robert Jupiter was one such individual.
Note: This blog post contains content surrounding slavery, which may be upsetting or triggering for some readers. It also contains quotes from historic documents with terms that are unacceptable to use today but reflect the period in which they were created and the views of their creators.
Early Life
Little is known about the early life of Robert Jupiter. Robert (also referred to as Bob) was born sometime around 1759. It is unclear if he was born into slavery in the United States or taken to The United States as part of the Atlantic Slave trade, but we know that by the 1770s he was enslaved in Tryon County, New York. Slavery was commonplace throughout the Dutch and British colonies of New York state. It is estimated that in 1771, New York had the highest percentage of slaves in the North with around 11% of the population of the state being slaves. Robert would have been one of around 20,000 Black individuals living there at that time.
As with most research surrounding enslaved individuals, most of what is left in the historical record about Robert’s life while enslaved is from the point of view of the family who owned him. This presents its own set of issues but nevertheless provides some insight into the work Robert was doing for the family. Robert worked for the Servos family who owned a farm and mills along the Charlotte River. Robert likely would have helped with delivering goods from the mill amongst other labour-related tasks.
American Revolution
The Servos family was strongly Tory and aligned themselves with the British during the Revolutionary War. Their farm was well-known as a meeting place for members of the British military and their allies, including such figures as Joseph Brant. In 1778, patriot forces stormed the Servos farm with the intention of arresting the head of the family, Christopher Servos. When he resisted, patriot soldiers killed him. It is unclear if Robert witnessed this event, but accounts of the event suggest that besides members of the family, some ‘servants’ (both Black and White) were also in the house when the event occurred.
Regardless, the death of Christopher Servos ultimately was a turning point in Robert’s life. According to Servos family lore, Christopher’s eldest son, Daniel, who later became a lieutenant in the British Indian Department, gave Robert an opportunity after the death of his father: If Robert joined the Butler’s Rangers, he could have his freedom after the war.
Read the rest of the article on Honouring Bravery
Article written by Anthony Badame for Honouring Bravery.
