25 Facts About Joshua Glover

Joshua Glover was a fugitive slave who escaped from the United States to Canada in the 1850s.

Joshua Glover's escape from recapture was part of the chain of events that led to the Civil War and the end of slavery in the US.

Originally from the state of Missouri, Glover escaped slavery in 1852 and sought asylum in Racine, Wisconsin.

On March 18,1854, Joshua Glover was broken out of prison by a crowd of more than 5,000 people, and was secretly taken back to Racine through the Underground Railroad.

Joshua Glover settled outside the city of Toronto, in present-day Etobicoke.

The tale of Joshua Glover's dramatic escape spread in newspapers across the north, making him a local folk-hero.

Joshua Glover was born into slavery in Missouri in the early 19th century and was sold at auction more than once across the state.

At the auction, records show that Joshua Glover was publicly stripped and examined.

Joshua Glover became a foreman, working outside the fields with a group of five other slaves.

Two years after his escape, Joshua Glover is said to have been betrayed by his friend Nathan Turner, a former slave, who gave up his location to Garland.

Joshua Glover was suspicious as rumors had spread of slavers being in town and that the day before, marshals had come looking for him.

Severely outnumbered, Joshua Glover put up a fight, but was ultimately overwhelmed and badly beaten.

Joshua Glover was hit repeatedly with a club to the face by St Louis Police Deputy Marshal John Kearney, and the butt of a gun.

Joshua Glover was to be held here and brought back to St Louis the next morning.

Joshua Glover was escorted to a wagon and helped to escape town quickly.

Still recovering from his injuries, Joshua Glover was hidden and supported by the Underground Railroad throughout Racine County.

Joshua Glover likely left Racine hidden in a ship in early April 1854, heading for Upper Canada.

Joshua Glover continued to work for Montgomery into his early 60s, managing and working his land.

Joshua Glover rented from Montgomery, living in Lampton Mills, before buying his own property, becoming one of the first black homeowners in the area.

Joshua Glover was seen as active member of the community and is recorded as having attended the fall fair of Annual Agricultural Association of Upper Canada in 1858.

In 1884, now in his 70's, Joshua Glover was accused of having stabbed a white man.

Joshua Glover's sentenced was ultimately reduced to "wounding without intent" and Glover was sentenced to three months in prison.

In January 1888, Joshua Glover was admitted to the York County Industrial Home for the poor and destitute in Newmarket.

Joshua Glover died six months after, and his body was mistakenly donated due to an "administrative error" to the Toronto School of Medicine, a precursor to the University of Toronto.

Joshua Glover was buried at St James Cemetery, in the University of Toronto's medical research memorial, where a memorial plaque can be found.