Old Pomphrey the First Former Slave to Settle in Dundas

by Stan Nowak

In 1840s Dundas, it was common to hear the Town Crier heralding the day's events—including the local news, funerals, auction and bargain sales, and council edicts. But one particular Crier would always conclude by proclaiming, "For I say God save the Queen and all the Royal Family for I am one of them myself". When anyone within earshot heard that concluding remark, they knew that it was Old Pomphrey trumpeting that day's events.

His last name was actually Pomfret, but in Dundas he was known as Old Pomphrey, or Old Pomp. He didn't remember his first name, although at times he thought it was Sam. He came to Dundas from the United States via "The Underground Railroad" in 1843, and was the first escaped slave to arrive and settle in Dundas. He claimed to have been born in slavery in 1875.

He earned his living as a handyman of sorts and was paid on a piece work basis. His various jobs included sawing wood, white washing, and ringing the town bell along with working as the Town Crier. He may even have been Dundas' first Town Crier. He was also employed as a chimney sweep until he had one arm shot off while helping Colonel William Notman and his Dundas Volunteer Foot Artillery Company fire a royal salute to Her Majesty Queen Victoria on the 24th of May, 1843.

When the Town Hall was being built, he donated his entire life savings of about $40.00 towards the cost of construction of the building in 1848. But, along with being the first escaped slave to settle in Dundas, and arguably becoming the Town's first Crier, Old Pomphrey also achieved the dubious distinction of becoming the first occupant of the new Town Hall jail when he was arrested—for fighting. Mr. Pomfret would've been about 73 years old at the time—with only one arm! It really must have been some fight. I couldn't find any record of what befell the other party.

Not much else is known about Sam Pomfret. His life is in Dundas documented briefly by T. R. Woodhouse in Volume III of his "History of the Town of Dundas". Old Town Hall records show that he paid $2.00 in 1848 for the burial of two dead dogs. It is also known that up to his death sometime after 1866, he was forever thankful for his freedom from slavery and the comparatively privileged life he had in Dundas for the last twenty-plus years of his life. Woodhouse concludes his story on Old Pomphrey by noting simply, "He was a good man".

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