Thornton and Lucie Blackburn escaped from Kentucky to Detroit in 1831.They lived there for 2 years when, in 1833, bounty hunters located, re-captured, and arrested the couple.The Blackburns were jailed but
Lucie was smuggled across the Detroit River to safety to Toronto Canada.
Thornton's escape required a crowd of about 400 men stormed the jail to free him.
Toronto
In 1834, Thornton reunited with his wife Lucie in Toronto.
Thornton created Toronto's first taxi service in 1837, named "The City". It became the nucleus of a successful taxicab company.
Thornton made a daring return to Kentucky to bring his mother, Mubby back with him to join another son, Alfred, Thornton's brother, who may have arrived in Toronto as early as 1826. The Blackburns continued to be active in anti-slavery and community activities, helping to build the nearby Little Trinity Church,[3] now the oldest-surviving church in Toronto. #Blackburns #BlackHistoryUniversity #detriot #RescueDetroit #UndergroundRailroad
#BlackHistory #Taxi #Toronto #thornton