Thornton and Lucie established Toronto’s first taxicab service

A Legacy of Freedom and Enterprise: Thornton and Lucie Blackburn
Discovered on a walk through Toronto Necropolis Cemetery

While walking through Necropolis Cemetery in Toronto, I came across the family plot of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn—two extraordinary Black entrepreneurs whose lives and legacies left a lasting impact on Toronto and Canadian history.

The Blackburns were the founders of Toronto’s first taxicab service, which they named The City. In 1837, they launched a horse-drawn cab service with a single horse and a carriage, painted yellow with red trim—a vibrant and visible symbol of Black enterprise at a time when freedom and opportunity for people of African descent were far from guaranteed.

In addition to their groundbreaking business, the Blackburns also owned six rental properties, often providing affordable housing to newly arrived immigrants and freedom seekers fleeing slavery in the United States.

From Enslavement to Freedom

Thornton Blackburn was born into enslavement in Kentucky, where as a child he worked driving carriages and as a porter. It was there he met “Ruthie”, later known as Lucie—a Caribbean-born enslaved woman who worked as a nursemaid.

Together, the couple escaped slavery, making a dangerous 300-kilometre journey from Kentucky to Michigan, and ultimately found their freedom in Canada in 1833, just four years before founding their business in Toronto.

Despite the odds, the Blackburns achieved remarkable success. When they passed away, they left behind an estate worth $18,000—a substantial amount for the time, equivalent to about $688,000 CAD today when adjusted for inflation.

Final Resting Place

• Thornton Blackburn died in Toronto on February 26, 1890, at the age of 77–78.

• Lucie Blackburn died on February 6, 1895, aged 89–90.

Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) colours were inspired by The Blackburn’s original taxicabs.