Fanny/Development

Rowley House.

William Riley's cabin.

William Riley stool from home floorboards NOTL.

Lewis Ross' barber ads in NOTL.

Mary Ann Riley upholstery ad.

Not to be confused with the front fanny.

Not to be confused with the rear fanny.

Introductory paragraph(s) goes here.

To Do
Dev thoughts: Susanna who? missing some end-quotes travelled or traveled? Virgina or Virginia? Black or black? White or white? Fanny the third? Photo or illustration? To do on this wiki-page: ☐ fill in content on this page: ☐ Project overview ☐ Story summaries ☐ Imagery ☐ Project development ☐ Team ☐ Technology ☐ etc. ☐ finish essay first draft ☐ develop script ☐ develop storyboards ☐ add explanatory information and links ☐ add sketches and designs ☐ find funding support ☐ get feedback ☐ refine ☐ refine ☐ refine ☐ utilize A.I. ? ☐ promote ☐ develop branding, logos, campaign strategies, designs, flyers ☐ prep promo materials ☐ launch promotion campaign Contact Jason@Projex.Wiki with help, ideas, info, questions, suggestions, to participate, etc.

5th email

PITCH

Title

The Pink House

Genre

Historic documentary, family saga, short video (perhaps animated).

Logline

A Queen Anne-style home, painted pink, captures the imagination of a tourist walking the streets of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Wanting to learn more about the house, she plugs into the audio tour and is immediately taken back to the 1800s, into a world where slavery is rampant and where courage and hope refuse to die.

Pitch

The Pink House/Fanny is a compelling narrative chronicling three generations, spanning from slavery to the continued pursuit of freedom and acceptance. At its heart, the story examines themes of pride, power, and self-determination, set within the context of a challenging and unforgiving world.

We follow William Riley, a young slave, whose strength and resilience finds him freedom in Upper Canada, and Fanny Rowley, his granddaughter, a bright young woman who reaches unprecedented heights of prominence and ownership. From the early 1800s to the late 1800s, the family went from owning a modest log home in Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Coloured Village, to owning one of the most prestigious properties the town has to offer.

Visually, the film will contrast the cold, harsh reality of living as a freed slave with the comfort of newfound wealth and influence. It will be evocative and atmospheric, a blend of historic facts and intimate human drama. A cinematic experience will be created that is both emotional and impressive.

Synopsis for The Pink House

The Pink House follows an 1800s Niagara-on-the-Lake (then Niagara) family from William Riley, an escaped slave to his granddaughter, Fanny Rowley, the largest female landowner in the town and owner of the spectacular Rowley House. This is a story of survival, of humanity’s darkest hour, and its enduring fight for liberty. It is a remarkable tale of resistance and where hope refuses to die.

William Riley lives in a world where he is born not a man but a piece of property to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. He is a slave. He lives in early 1800s Virginia, and one day his master decides to go on vacation via horse and carriage and visit Niagara Falls in Upper Canada (Ontario). Riley accompanies him as his driver and personal aide. In Canada, Riley realizes it is his once-in-a-lifetime chance to escape. He flees and heads 12 miles north to Niagara where he becomes a free man.

In Niagara, he shows strength and resolve and ultimately buys property, builds a home, and marries. He has three children and three grandchildren and becomes a notable figure in the community at large. Over the years, he and his family prosper and add to the development of the already vibrant Black community. One of his daughters becomes a successful upholsterer and mattress manufacturer and a son-in-law has a barber shop, the town’s only one at the time. By the time Fanny, Riley’s granddaughter is born in 1848, the Coloured Village has reached its peak.

4th email

The Pink House

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a picturesque and historically rich town in southern Ontario, Canada. It sits on the northern tip of the Niagara Peninsula, at the mouth of the Niagara River, where it flows into Lake Ontario. The United States is directly across the river, only a few minutes away. The town rests on a low-lying, flat terrain with gradual slopes and sandy beaches in places. Beautiful flowers line the streets, a scenic waterfront adds to the charm, and the old town features well-preserved architecture from the 19th century. Susanna, from upstate New York, was visiting there for the first time.

As she walked along King Street, she came to an abrupt stop, completely stunned by what she saw. It was the most exquisite and most elegant Queen Anne-style home she’d ever seen. It had gingerbread trim throughout, multi-angled roofs, an octagonal tower that was copper-capped, a wrap-around porch, stained glass, and its entire exterior was painted pink. What an extraordinary house! And it had an unmistakable feminine quality to it. But who had built it, and who had lived there? It was a house of mystery, one with a deep past. She felt compelled to learn more about it. Quickly, she took out her phone and turned on the online tour. The voice started.

“The Rowley House at 177 King Street was built in 1886 by Salmon Rowley, a rich, white Philadelphia businessman who immigrated to Canada in 1881. He had the house built for his wife, Fanny Ross-Rowley, a Niagara-on-the-Lake (then Niagara) resident of biracial heritage with family connections to slavery and the Underground Railroad. Rowley built the house as an expression of his love for her and titled it in her name.”

But there is so much more to the Pink House story. To understand its origins, it is necessary to go back in history, to 1802, to when it all started – and it all started in a most unlikely and remarkable way.

William Riley was Fanny Rowley’s grandfather and in 1802 he arrived in what is now Niagara Falls. He was a slave from Fredericksburg, Virginia. As the story goes, according to accounts preserved by his daughter, Mary Ann, Riley did not come to the Falls, as did most other slaves, via a secret network of routes that came to be widely known as the Underground Railroad; rather, he came as a slave with his owner. His owner had heard about Niagara Falls, that it was one of nature’s most remarkable sights, and he was eager to experience it firsthand. In a carriage pulled by six horses, Riley and his master travelled 460 miles north, Riley serving both as driver and personal attendant. Although Riley’s owner was said to be less harsh than others, Riley’s greatest fear was being auctioned off and sold again to a cruel master who would whip him and force him to endure exhausting work in the cotton fields.

When the two men finally arrived in Niagara Falls, the area was nothing but raw, wild, and untouched wilderness. What they saw was mesmerizing — a natural geological wonder, one that was over 12,000 years old. It was characterized by its immense size, its three forceful waterfalls, and its booming noise. It was truly a visual spectacle, with tons upon tons of water flowing over the falls every second.

It was around this time that Riley recalled something he’d heard the other day from a local escaped slave. It was about slavery in British North America (Canada), and that in 1793 it had been largely abolished, thanks to John Graves Simcoe, first Lieutenant-General of Upper Canada, an abolitionist himself. The old man even quoted Simcoe as saying, “…under no modification will I ever assent to a law that discriminates by dishonest policy between natives of Africa, America, or Europe.” These words encouraged Riley and he began to imagine a future, where he would never again be treated like a piece of merchandise. But then he remembered what else the escaped slave had said, “Though slavery had indeed been abolished, it did not, however, free those already enslaved.” And Riley was just that, enslaved by his Virginia master.

But being in Upper Canada and being a quick-witted, alert young man, Riley realized this was his one chance to escape—if he did not seize the moment, he would go back to Virginia with his master and be a slave forever. He’d heard about a town named Niagara, located 12 miles north of the Falls, which was home to a small community of former slaves and refugees. If he could reach that place, he would find support and safety. And so, one day, confronting his fears and challenges, quietly and quickly he slipped away from his owner. As he made his way on foot through thick forests, vast cornfields, and rough terrain, he stayed alert, always on the lookout for any signs that he might be discovered. He couldn’t believe it, but he was on his way to a place where he would finally be free from ownership and free from the degradation of slavery.

When Riley finally arrived in Niagara, what he saw was the most beautiful little town he’d ever seen, and it looked like it had a population of a few hundred. A line of buildings stood close to the street, some made of clapboard, some of brick, all one to two stories high. He noticed trees and flowers everywhere, and the small homes to the left were clean, well-kept, and made of shingles, which had weathered a dark gray. A few people were walking about, even a couple of Black folks, and then a horse and buggy rolled by. He still couldn’t believe it; this was Niagara, and Niagara would be his new home. Falling to his knees, he wept, and he couldn’t stop; he wept until his eyes burned. No one would take him back—ever; he was no one’s property anymore. And his future children and grandchildren would never see chains or live in bondage. And as for his master, he had since returned to Virginia, never to be seen again.

Riley quickly established himself in Niagara. He settled in the southwestern part of town among the few Black people who lived there. He took on various odd jobs and performed manual labor around town to earn a living. Records indicate that he once transported an individual, via horse and wagon, to jail, signing an ‘X’ in place of his name as proof of payment. Riley demonstrated both initiative and perseverance in establishing a stable life for himself.

Despite his freedom, Riley and other Black settlers continued to encounter considerable challenges. There was widespread discrimination in all facets of life, where jobs were low-paying, social segregation was the norm, economic conditions were poor, voting rights were limited, and land acquisition was restricted. And then, not to forget, there was the ever-present danger of slave catchers, especially along the Niagara River, a major crossing point. Nonetheless, Riley continued in his efforts, and he proved to be a dedicated and notable community builder.

In 1812 Niagara found itself in the throes of war. A military conflict had developed between the United States and Great Britain, and with it, its North American colony, Canada. Riley, along with other Black residents, played a key role in the resistance because more than anything they feared an American victory could lead to re-enslavement. The Coloured Corps, a contingent of 30 to 40 Black men, was formed in Niagara and they actively participated in crucial battles along the Niagara Front.

On December 10, 1813, Niagara was burnt to the ground by American troops. Homes, businesses, and churches were reduced to ash, and people were forced into the street in freezing weather conditions. Black residents, acting as laborers and carpenters, played a significant role in helping rebuild the town. The Colored Corps was also heavily involved in the reconstruction of infrastructure and fortifications.

• **********

In 1818, Riley fell in love with and married Fanny. Fanny was the servant girl of Pastor Addison of St. Mark’s Anglican Church and a white woman from Germany. Pastor Addison married them at his home at Lake Lodge. Though Upper Canada had no laws prohibiting interracial marriages, the love story of Riley and Fanny defied all social convention and shook the rules of both the Black and White communities. But Riley and Fanny stood united in refusing to accept the world’s definition of who they were and what they could mean to each other.

In 1819, Riley became a proud landowner. He purchased a one-acre lot for 50 pounds ($67.00 US) in Niagara and became the third Black man to own property. That same year he built a log house in an area of town, which ultimately, in 1837, came to be known as the Coloured Village. He lived there with his wife, Fanny, and their three children, Edward, Fanny, and Mary Ann. The family prospered. Mary Ann was an upholsterer and manufacturer of mattresses, and his son-in-law, Lewis Ross, had a barbershop, the only one in town at the time. Later, Riley’s grandchildren also came to live in the log house, one of whom was Fanny, owner of the future eye-catching/amazing pink house. William Riley died in 1860, and his log house was torn down in 1880; however, there is a surviving photo, the only surviving image of the house.

And finally, we come to the Pink House. Fanny, granddaughter of William Riley, was born in 1848. By the time she was born, the Coloured Village was a vibrant community of

• **********

By 1850 colored village had 200 residents. Blacks owned multiple businesses: livery stables, hairdressers, carpenters, mattress makers. Owned shops and houses.

3rd email

PITCH

Title: The Pink House

Genre: Historic, family saga, documentary, film/animation.

Logline: A Queen Anne-style home, painted pink, captures the imagination of a tourist walking the streets of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Wanting to learn more about the house, she plugs into the audio tour and is immediately taken back to the 1800s, into a world where slavery is rampant and where courage and hope refuse to die.

Pitch: The Pink House is a compelling narrative chronicling three generations, spanning from slavery to the continued pursuit of freedom and acceptance. At its heart, the story examines themes of pride, power, and self-determination, set within the context of a challenging and unforgiving world.

We follow William Riley, a young slave, whose strength and resilience finds him freedom in Upper Canada, and Fanny Rowley, his granddaughter, a bright young woman who reaches unprecedented heights of prominence and ownership. From the early 1800s to the late 1800s, the family goes from owning a modest log home in Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Coloured Village, to owning one of the most prestigious properties the town has to offer.

Visually, the film will contrast the cold, harsh reality of living as a freed slave with the comfort of newfound wealth and influence. It will be evocative and atmospheric, a blend of historic facts and intimate human drama. A cinematic experience will be created that is both emotional and

Synopsis for The Pink House

The Pink House follows an 1800s Niagara-on-the-Lake family from William Riley, an escaped slave to his granddaughter, Fanny Rowley, the largest female landowner in the town and owner of the spectacular Rowley House. This is a story of survival, of humanity’s darkest hour, and its enduring fight for liberty. Remarkable tale of resistance and where hope refuses to die.

William Riley lives in a world where he was born not a man but a piece of property to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. He is a slave. He lives in early 1800s Virgina, and one day his master decides to go on vacation via horse and carriage and visit Niagara Falls in Upper Canada (Ontario). Riley accompanies him as his driver and personal aide. In Canada, Riley realizes it is his once-in-a-lifetime chance to escape. He flees and heads 12 miles north to Niagara-on-the-Lake, where he becomes a free man.

In Niagara-on-the-Lake, he shows strength and resolve and ultimately buys property, builds a home, and marries. He has three children and three grandchildren and becomes a notable figure in the community at large. Over the years, he and his family prosper, adding to the development of the already vibrant Black community. One of his daughters becomes a successful upholsterer with advertisements in the Niagara Herald, and a son-in-law has a barber shop, the town’s only one at the time. By the time Fanny, Riley’s granddaughter is born in 1848, the Coloured Village has reached its peak.

Etc....

The Pink House

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a picturesque and historically rich town in southern Ontario, Canada. It sits on the northern tip of the Niagara Peninsula, at the mouth of the Niagara River, where it flows into Lake Ontario. The United States is directly across the river, only a few minutes away. The town rests on a low-lying, flat terrain with gradual slopes and sandy beaches in places. Beautiful flowers line the streets, a scenic waterfront adds to the charm, and the old town features well-preserved architecture from the 19th century. Susanna, from upstate New York, was visiting there for the first time.

As she walked along King Street, she came to an abrupt stop, completely stunned by what she saw. It was the most exquisite and most elegant Queen Anne-style home she’d ever seen. It had gingerbread trim throughout, multi-angled roofs, an octagonal tower that was copper-capped, a wrap-around porch, stained glass, and its entire exterior was painted pink. What an extraordinary house! And it had an unmistakable feminine quality to it. But who had built it, and who had lived there? It was a house of mystery, one with a deep past. She felt compelled to learn everything she could about it. Quickly, she took out her phone and turned on the online tour. The voice started.

“The Rowley House at 177 King Street was built in 1886 by Salmon Rowley, a rich, white Philadelphia businessman who immigrated to Canada in 1881. He built the house for his wife, Fanny Ross-Rowley, a Niagara-on-the-Lake (then Niagara) resident of biracial heritage with family connections to slavery and the Underground Railroad. Rowley built the house as an expression of his love for her and titled it in her name.

But there is much more to the Pink House story. To understand its origins, it is necessary to go back in history, to 1802, to when it all started – and it all started in a most unlikely and remarkable way. There was hardship back then, slavery and a quest for freedom. The Pink House is a story of survival and accomplishments. The Pink House is testament that where in the world where survival is an act of courage and where hope refuses to die.

William Riley was Fanny Rowley’s grandfather and in 1802 he arrived in what is now Niagara Falls. He was a slave from Fredericksburg, Virginia. As the story goes, according to accounts preserved by his daughter, Mary Ann, Riley did not come to the Falls, as did most other slaves, via a secret network of routes that came to be known as the Underground Railroad; rather, he came as a slave with his owner. His owner had heard about Niagara Falls, that it was one of nature’s most remarkable sights, and he was eager to experience it firsthand. In a carriage pulled by six horses, Riley and his master travelled 460 miles north, Riley serving both as driver and personal attendant. Although Riley’s owner was said to be less harsh than others, Riley’s greatest fear was being auctioned off and sold again to a cruel master who would whip him and force him to endure exhausting work in the cotton fields.

When the two men finally arrived in Niagara Falls, the area was nothing but raw, wild, and untouched wilderness. What they saw was mesmerizing—a natural geological wonder, one that was over 12,000 years old. It was characterized by its immense size, its three forceful waterfalls, and its booming noise. It was truly a visual spectacle, with tons upon tons of water flowing over the falls every second.

It was around this time that Riley recalled something he’d recently heard from an elderly escaped slave. It was about slavery in British North America (Canada), and that in 1793 it had been largely abolished, thanks to John Graves Simcoe, first Lieutenant-General of Upper Canada, an abolitionist himself. The old man even quoted Simcoe as saying, “…under no modification will I ever assent to a law that discriminates by dishonest policy between natives of Africa, America, or Europe.” These words encouraged Riley and he began to imagine a future, where he would never again be treated like a piece of merchandise. But then he remembered what else this old former slave had said – though slavery had indeed been abolished, it did not, however, free those already enslaved. And Riley was just that, enslaved by his Virgina master.

But being in Upper Canada and being a quick-witted and alert young man, Riley realized this was his one chance to escape—if he did not seize the moment, he would go back south with his master and be a slave forever. He’d heard about a town named Niagara, located 12 miles north of the Falls, which was home to a small community of former slaves and refugees. If he could reach that place, he would find support and safety. And so, one day, confronting his fears and challenges, quietly and quickly he slipped away from his owner. As he made his way on foot through thick forests, vast cornfields, and rough terrain, he stayed alert, always on the lookout for any signs that he might be discovered. He couldn’t believe it, but he was on his way to a place where he would finally be free from ownership and free from the degradation of slavery.

When Riley finally arrived in Niagara, what he saw was the most beautiful little town he’d ever seen, and it looked like it had a population of a few hundred. A line of buildings stood close to the street, some made of clapboard, some of brick, all one to two stories high. He noticed trees and flowers everywhere, and the small homes to the left were clean, well-kept, and made of shingles, which had weathered a dark gray. A few people were walking about, even a couple of Black folks, and then a horse and buggy rolled by. He still couldn’t believe it; this was Niagara, and Niagara would be his new home. Falling to his knees, he wept, and he couldn’t stop; he wept until his eyes burned. No one would take him back—ever; he was no one’s property anymore. And his future children and grandchildren would never see chains or live in bondage. And as for his master, he had since returned to Virginia, never to be seen again.

Riley quickly established himself in Niagara. He settled in the southwestern part of town among the few Black people who lived there. It wouldn’t be until the mid-1800s that the neighborhood would see significant growth (up to 400 people), caused largely by the abolition of slavery by Britain in 1833 and the increased Underground Railroad activity prompted by the U.S. Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Around that same time, the thriving community would come to be called the ‘Coloured Village.’ (The Niagara region was a major terminus for freedom seekers via the Underground Railroad./ The Niagara region served as a major crossing point for thousands of freedom seekers to Canada.

• • • • • • • • • • Riley was a hardworking, resilient and determined individual. He worked at odd jobs and did labor work around town to earn money. He is on record for transporting someone to jail, whereby he signed an ‘X’ in place of his signature for proof of payment. Riley demonstrated both initiative and perseverance in establishing a stable life during a time when Black settlers, though free, nonetheless, continued to face significant challenges. There was widespread discrimination in all facets of life: jobs were low-paying, social segregation was the norm, economic conditions were poor, voting rights were limited, and land acquisition was restricted. Nonetheless, Riley persisted in his efforts, and he proved to be a dedicated community leader.

• • • • • • • • • • When the War of 1812 broke out, a military conflict between the United States and Great Britain (and its North American colony, Canada), Riley was surely there to help protect the town. On Dec 10, 1813, when Niagara-on-the-Lake was burnt to the ground by American troops, undoubtedly Riley, along with other black residents, was there to help rebuild. The Colored Corps and Black Loyalists, were also heavily involved in the reconstruction of the town’s infrastructure and fortifications. They worked as laborers and carpenters to rebuild town – a collection of British classical, Georgian, and Regency-style architecture.

The burning of Niagara was a brutal chapter in the Niagara Frontier conflict. Blacks played a significant role in rebuilding NOTL after it was burned by American forces, December 10, 1813

Despite all these obstacles,---- in 1818 Riley married Fanny, a white woman from Germany, the servant girl of Pastor Addison of St. Mark’s Anglican Church. Pastor Addison went on to marry them at his home at Lake Lodge. Though Upper Canada had no laws prohibiting interracial marriages, it was socially reviled/unaccepted/discouraged. The love story of Riley and Fanny defied all social convention and shook the laws of both the black and white communities. But they stood united in refusing to accept the world’s definition of who they were and what they could mean to each other. (Depth in their exchange.

In 1819, Riley purchased a one-acre lot for 50 pounds ($67.00 US) in Niagara and became the third black man to do so. That same year he built a log house, (Show image of log house) in what ultimately came to be known as the Coloured Village. He lived there with his wife, Fanny, and their three children Edward, Fanny and Mary Ann. The family continued to prosper. Mary Ann went on to own and operate an upholstery business, with advertisements in the Niagara Herald highlighting her business, and his step-son came to own the only barbershop in town at the time. Later, Riley’s grandchildren, also came to live in the log house, one of whom was Fanny and owner of the soon to be built eye-catching pink house at 177 King Street. William Riley died in 1860, and his log house was torn down in 1880, however there is a surviving photo, the only surviving image of the house.

And finally, we come to the Pink House. Fanny was born in 1848. By the time she was born, village was a vibrant community of

2nd email

Title: The Pink House

Genre: Historic: Family Saga. Animation.

Logline: A Queen Anne-style home, painted pink, captures the imagination of a tourist walking the streets of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Wanting to learn more about the house, she plugs into the audio tour and is immediately taken back to the 1800s, into a world where slavery is rampant and where courage and hope refuse to die.

Pitch: The Pink House is a compelling narrative chronicling three generations, spanning from slavery to the continued pursuit of freedom and acceptance. At its heart, the story examines themes of pride, power, and self-determination, set within the context of a challenging and unforgiving world.

We follow William Riley, a young slave, whose strength and resilience finds him freedom in Upper Canada, and Fanny Rowley, his granddaughter, a bright young woman who reaches unprecedented heights of control and ownership. From the early 1800s to the late 1800s, the family goes from owning a modest log home in Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Coloured Village, to owning one of the most prestigious properties the town has to offer.

Visually, the film will contrast the cold, harsh reality of living as a freed slave with the comfort of newfound wealth and influence. It will be visually atmospheric, a blend of historic facts and intimate human drama. A cinematic experience will be created that’s both emotional and breathtaking.

1st email

This will be a history story, aimed at tourists - a family saga. Low-key with an 1800s feel. Below is a link to the house.

The Pink House

INTRO

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a picturesque and historically rich town in southern Ontario. It is situated at the mouth of the Niagara River, where it flows into Lake Ontario, with the United States directly across the water, only a few minutes away. Beautiful flowers line the streets, a picturesque waterfront adds to the charm, and the old town features well-preserved architecture from the 19th century. Susanna was visiting there for the first time, crossing over from Youngstown, New York.

As Susanna walked down King Street, she came to an abrupt stop, completely stunned by what she saw. It was the most exquisite and most elegant Queen Anne-style home she’d ever seen. It had gingerbread trim throughout, multi-angled roofs, an octagonal tower that was copper-capped, a wrap-around porch, stained glass, and its entire exterior was painted pink. What an extraordinary house! But who had built it, who had lived there? Obviously, it was a house of mystery, one with a deep past. She felt compelled to learn everything she could about it. Quickly, she took out her phone and turned on the online tour. The voice started.

“The Rowley House at 177 King Street was built in 1886 by Salmon Rowley, a rich, white Philadelphia businessman who immigrated to Canada in 1881. He built the house for his wife, Fanny Ross, a Niagara-on-the-Lake resident of biracial heritage with family connections to slavery and the Underground Railroad. Rowley built the house as an expression of his love for her and titled it in her name.

But there is much more to the story. To understand the origins of Fanny’s house, it is necessary to go back in history to when it all started. And it all started in a most unlikely and remarkable way.

References

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