The day was July 4, 1848 and the Lockport Union School was opened. It was a "first" in local education, and as it turns out, perhaps a worldwide first. Before the opening of this public high school, built at a cost to the taxpayers of $15,000, those who wished education beyond the elementary level had to pay to attend a private school. It is know believed to be the first public high school in the United States, if not the world.
Many of us still remember the school and its location. The corner of Chestnut Street and Washburn. It was torn down to build a supermarket there (which has been since been closed and boarded up). The property had been acquired by Lockport Savings Bank to allow it to expand. However, now that the bank has moved its headquarters out of town and changed its name to that of "First Niagara" the boarded up building on the historic site is surplus to the bank's needs.
Although it was a public school, the Union School still charged a very modest tuition. $2 per semester for junior residents and $3 per semester for senior residents. Non-residents were charged $3 (juniors) and $4 (seniors) per semester. There were also some extra charges for certain subjects: Latin and Greek $1 each; French $1.50; German, Italian, and Spanish $2.50; Drawing or Painting $2; Bookkeeping 50-cents; Music $8; and Piano $2. Except as just noted the $2 tuition, which later became free tuition, provided for the following courses of instruction:
 | English (reading, spelling, geography, writing, arithmetic, history, and grammar). |
| Commercial business education. |
| Mathematics |
| Classical Latin and Greek and the Antiquities |
| Modern Languages |
| Natural Science (including use of apparatus, maps, charts, and biological specimens) |
| "Normal" - for those who intended to become teachers |
The school library was established with 1444 books, many of which had been donated.
We welcome additional comments from our readers.
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African Americans in 19’th Century Lockport By David L. Dickinson,
November 19, 1858 - The Lockport Daily Journal and Courier: "Killed by the Cars - The Express train from the east on Tuesday evening struck and instantly killed a negro who was walking on the tracks, about two miles east of Port Byron." {A reference to a Lockport newspaper believed to be the Democrat and Courier is more explicit. It refers to the victim as a fugitive slave who, to make sure of his way to Canada and freedom, walked the railroad tracks leading west to Niagara Falls and beyond.}
November 17, 1859 - The Lockport Journal and Courier stated: "U.G.R.R. -- Fugitive slaves are continually finding their way through to the land of refuge, by means of the underground R.R. Two of them passed through here day before yesterday and are now safe in Canada."
September 11, 1861 – The Niagara County Intelligencer: "Fred Douglas will speak in the Christian Church at Orangeport Sunday next (15’th instant) at 10:30 o’clock A.M. He will speak in Lockport at 2 P.M. on the same day, at the Union Hall."
Lockport’s African American Population of the mid 19’th Century
These three brief vignettes give us some idea of the issues of the day involving slavery, the Abolitionist movement, and the Underground Railroad. These events point out the extraordinary rather than provide insight into the day to day lives of Lockport’s African American population. Looking back over 130 years or more, it is difficult to picture Lockport of the mid 1800’s. However, there are ways to look at the Town of Lockport in order to get a better understanding of its African American population. There is the long, grinding reduction of data to be found in old census records, an historian’s fields of dreams. But if one is willing to do it, some interesting insights can be gained.
In 1850, the whole Township of Lockport contained a total population of 12,323, of which 213 or 1.73% were listed as of African American heritage. Not surprisingly, most of the black population lived in Lockport village. The African American population was equally divided between males and females. Forty-five percent of the African American population of the Town of Lockport were under eighteen years of age. There were thirty-eight identifiable African American households headed by an adult man and woman or a widow/widower with children. These basic statistics carry through the next twenty-five years through the 1865 census with little variation. In 1865 the total African American population of the Town of Lockport had only risen by nine people to 222.
In such a small population such as Lockport, one must be careful of using percentages. A small shift in population can alter the percentage distribution s greatly. Now forewarned, let’s examine mid-19’th century Lockport’s African American population.
In 1850, 47% of the Town of Lockport’s black males twenty years of age and older were born in New York State. 26% had been born in the South, including the states of Maryland and Kentucky. 14% had been born in some other northern state; 8% were born in Canada, 4% had been born some other place, predominately in the Carribean. Females in the same age range tended to be born in NYS (33%) or some other northern state (35%) with only 15% being born in the South or one of the border states of Maryland or Kentucky. However, 17% had been born in Canada.
When compared to similar statistics from 1850 to 1865, trends emerge. While total population growth is virtually nil, increasingly the adult African American population of Lockport is more likely to have been born in the South. Compared to 26% of adult males born in the South and Border States in 1850, by 1865 the percentage has swelled to 38%. For adult females, the shift is from 15% in 1850 to 25% in 1865. A classic case is the Leonard family who lived in Lockport’s third ward in 1865. They were a family of nine, all of whom, except the youngest, had been born in Virginia prior to 1861. The new baby boy, born a month before the census was taken in June, 1865, was born in Niagara County. His name was Abe.
The occupations of the Town of Lockport’s African Americans of the mid 19’th century were quite varied. In 1850, most were laborers but there were also five barbers, four boatmen, two shoemakers, two gunsmiths, a butcher, a miller, a cabinetmaker, a mason, a cooper, a carpenter, two hostlers, a porter and a farmer. The 1855 census listed occupations but also listed the category "owner". Nineteen heads of households were listed as "owners" in 1855. The population, although constantly changing as we would expect of any population, nevertheless also showed stability. Fourteen heads of house- holds appearing in the 1850 census can be traced throughout all the census data to 1865. Most of them came to Lockport in the late 1830’s or early 1840’s.
In the Uniform of the United States
There are two categories of occupational entry on the 1865 census that stand out. They are "FUSA" and "USA". The first stands for "former U.S. Army" while the second simply stands for "U.S. Army" meaning that the person was, in June of 1865, still in the Union Army. Four African American men in the 1865 Town of Lockport census are occupationally marked "USA". They are Ferner C. Dawson (probably Turner C. Dawson), George Seaton, Peter Sanders, and Martin Van Hoosen. To date, we only know that a Turner C. Dawson, credited to the Town of Pendleton, served in place of a John C. Leuthers . (During the Civil War, if a man was drafted but did not want to serve, he could hire a substitute to go in his place.). Both Seaton and Sanders appear on the 1863 draft list for the Town of Lockport but Seaton’s 1865 census entry specifically describes him as a "Soldier, USA". Martin Van Hoosen, "colored person - USA", was born in Massachusetts about 1810 according to the census, but had lived in Orleans County prior to 1845 to as late as 1858.
A search of the Adjutant General’s Report of New York State units and soldiers in the Civil War fails to identify any of these soldiers. The Lockport Draft List of 1863 may include additional African American names. One such person was a George Sasnett who, in the 1865 census, was listed as George Sarsnatt, born in Ontario County, New York about 1845. Further attempts will be made to locate and identify these African American men of Lockport listed as soldiers in the 1865 census. If verified, their service in the Army during the Civil War would add a new chapter to Niagara County’s long history of military service.
The story of "Junior R" began in 1923 at the old Harrison plant on Washburn St. where Lockportian, Wellington W. Muir, was engaged in engineering and research activities. Although he was assigned to Harrison, he was under contract to United Motors, Inc. of which Harrison was a subsidiary from 1916 to 1918 when United Motors and Harrison became a part of General Motors Corporation. During one of his business trips to Harrison, John J. Raskob, a prominent industrialist, financier and General Motors vice president, asked Mr. Muir to design and build a special car for his son John Raskob, Jr. The result was a unique car, truly the only one of its kind. It featured an all-aluminum body and various components from other car manufacturers such as Chevrolet, Cadillac and Oakland. The "Junior R" was enjoyed by Mr. Raskob's son for two years and was given back to Mr. Muir as a personal gift from Mr. Raskob. During the intervening years, Mr. Muir licensed and drove the car regularly. In 1971 he decided the "Junior R" should go back home where it was built and so presented the car to Harrison. The car was taken to the Engineering Dept. garage where restoration work was started. Every effort was made to keep the restoration authentic by retaining original components wherever possible. The original radiator, a famous Harrison "Hexagon," was cleaned and flushed and even after almost a half century required only the repair of a few minor leaks. New tires were mounted and a new battery was installed. The leather seats were reupholstered and a new vinyl coated top was made. The four cylinder engine was torn down for a complete overhaul and the electrical system was rewired. Several of the components were repaired or rebuilt in the engineering sample shop. Many of the engine parts were nickel plated, just as they were when the car was built in 1923. Then "Junior R" was painted to closely match its original color.
Some years later the Junior R was donated to the Niagara County Historical Museum where it on public display today. The picture below is one view of the auto.
Our Readers Comment
I wish to add some information to what Dick Lang covered in his posting awhile back. I just caught up with it.. Lockport had a very significant designer, inventor and engineer in Mr.Muir. He was very good friends with John J. Raskob. A present for the Rascob's son he designed and hand built the 'Junior R'. It stayed in the Rascob's family and then did go back to the Muirs. I had the chance to ride in it when I was a youngster. It did eventually go to the Smithsonian Institute. It was not the only hand built car he put together. The Muirs had no children. I spent several evenings on his ham radio in the attic talking to folks all over the world. Some three acres behind his house on Walnut Street were an Antenna Farm. I think they were originally, Mr. & Mrs., from Sweden but nicer folks you couldn't ask for.
John K. Miller
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