Toronto’s first Black millionaire slave James Mink is finally being recognized by City Council more than 150 years after his death.
Mink, a businessman, was born in 1792 and died in 1868. He was said to be one of the wealthiest people in Toronto during the 1830s until his death.
He and carpenter John Tinsley, who arrived here from the U.S. and became a successful business owner, and a woman named Peggy, are being recognized with honorary plaques for their good deeds generations ago.
U.S. star Louis Gossett Jr. played slave millionaire James Mink in Hollywood movie Captive Heart.
Mink was the son of Tobe and Eve Mink, who served as slaves to Johan Herkimer, before moving from the U.S. to Kingston after the Civil War.
He was born between 1792 and 1795 in Upper Canada. Very little is known about his childhood and when he obtained his freedom.
Movie poster for Captive Heart, based on the life of James Mink starring Louis Gossett Jr.
Mink had a strong business acumen and moved to Toronto in 1840s with his brother George remaining in Kingston.
The brothers received government contracts for their horse carriage business to deliver mail, passengers and even prisoners between Toronto and Kingston.
He ran the Mansion House Inn and Livery Stable at 21 Adelaide Street East.
“Through all his business endeavours, James Mink became extremely wealthy and he was an active member of the Black community in 19th-century Toronto,” according to one report. “His inn was used as a polling station in elections.”
He and his wife, Elizabeth, had a daughter, Mary Mink.
Unfortunately the Minks’s good name was allegedly tarnished by people who were not happy about his success and sought to bring him down.
It was incorrectly reported that Mink had published an advertisement in a newspaper seeking a white husband to marry Mary.
JAMES MINK and his brother transported most goods, including prisoners, in their horse wagons.
“The myth follows that a man replied, married Mary, and sold her into slavery in the United States requiring James to pay a large ransom to secure her freedom,” according to the myth.
In reality, Mary had married a Toronto man in 1852 and continued to live in the city. By then the damage had been done.
James Mink retired to Richmond Hill and died in 1868. He is buried in Toronto’s Necropolis.
Also being honoured is John Tinsley (1782-1892) was born a free Black man in Richmond, Virginia. He trained as a carpenter and millwright and came to Canada in 1842.