he Buxton settlers were
spoken of by the white people as good farmers, good customers and good
neighbors. There were white children attending the Buxton school and
white people in their Sunday church services.

Perhaps no finer testimony to the success of the whole undertaking is
recorded than that of Dr. Samuel R. Howe who came to Canada for the
Freedmen's Inquiry Committee.

"Buxton is certainly a very interesting place," he wrote.
"Sixteen years ago it was a wilderness. Now, good highways are
laid out in all directions through the forest, and by their side,
standing back 33 feet from the road, are about 200 cottages, all
built in the same pattern, all looking neat and comfortable;
around each one is a cleared place of several acres which is well
cultivated. The fences are in good order, the barns seem well
filled, and cattle and horses, and pigs and poultry, abound.
There are signs of industry and thrift and comfort everywhere;
signs of intemperance, of idleness, of want nowhere. There is no
tavern and no groggery; but there is a chapel and a schoolhouse.
Most interesting of all are the inhabitants. Twenty years ago
most of them were slaves, who owned nothing, not even their
children. Now they own themselves; they own their houses and
farms; and they have their wives and children about them. They
are enfranchised citizens of a government which protects their
rights.... The present condition of all these colonists as
compared with their former one is remarkable.... This settlement
is a perfect success. Here are men who were bred in slavery, who
came here and purchased land at the government price, cleared it,
bought their own implements, built their own houses after a model
and have supported themselves in all material circumstances and
now support their schools in part.... I consider that this
settlement has done as well as a white settlement would have
done under the same circumstances."[514]

The Buxton settlement had its part in the John Brown affair. A letter
written by John Brown, Jr., from Sandusky, Ohio, August 27, 1859, and
addressed to "Friend Henrie," (Kagi), speaks of men in Hamilton,
Chatham, Buxton, etc., suitable for the enterprise.

"At Dr. W's house (presumably in Hamilton) we formed an
association," he says, "the officers consisting of chairman,
treasurer an