Austin Steward

Steward made his way to Rochester, New York. Initially he worked for Darius Comstock, president of the Manumission Society, and took classes to increase his education.. In 1831, Steward went to British North America, devoting himself to aiding fugitive slaves. He was interested in a new settlement, the Wilberforce Colony (named in honor of William Wilberforce), located north of present-day London, Ontario. The Colony had been founded in 1829 by African-Americans fleeing the Ohio Black Codes, as well as rioting in Cincinnati.. His life and work are also included in educational efforts focused on slavery, emancipation, and African American leadership in New York. == Business Career in Rochester ==

In his narrative, Austin Steward describes his time in Rochester as the period where he finally achieved real independence through business. After settling there, in 1817 he started what became a successful business in Rochester. As his business expanded, Steward was able to improve his financial situation. He didn't start off wealthy - he gradually increased his income by being careful with his money and reinvesting it. He notes that his success enabled him to acquire property and maintain a level of independence. His narrative treats this period as the height of his economic achievement. After building wealth in Rochester, Steward chose to invest heavily in the Wilberforce settlement in Canada. He explains that he invested a large amount of money he made from his business to this project. However, the project failed due to financial and organizational problems, and he lost a lot of his money made from his business in Rochester. == Family and Later Life ==

Steward states in his autobiography that his family consisted of his parents, Robert and Susan Steward, himself, and a sister named Mary. He later married Patience (referred to in his narrative as Patience Butler). Steward’s indicates that they had several children together, though he does not provide a complete list of names or any additional information. His narrative shows that the family experienced repeated loss with the deaths of multiple children at young ages. Steward's and Patience's daughter Barbara Ann Steward became the most documented of their children. She was educated and was a teacher at her fathers school for Black children. She entered public life at a young age and became involved in Black reform networks in the 1850s. She is documented as part of a younger generation of Black women who were active in antislavery and educational organizing during this period. She later became known for her participation in Black convention which included discussions of education, labor, and racial equality across the United States and Canada. Barbara Ann Steward died of typhoid fever in 1861.Her death occurred during a period when typhoid was widespread in American towns due to limited sanitation. Austin Steward later died of typhoid fever on February 15, 1869, and was buried in Canandaigua, New York. ==References==