VF 16a William and Susannah Steward House



 


 


 


 

This modest house at the southwest corner of John and Butler Streets was the homestead of former slaves and Black settlers William and Susannah Steward (a.k.a. Stewart), who lived in Niagara-on-the-Lake's so-called "coloured village" from 1834 to 1847. By 1861, the village eventually included more than 100 black residents (Power and Butler 1993). Built by Steward himself, the tiny house is now privately owned.

A plaque on the homestead site reads,



William and Susannah Steward House

William, an African American teamster, and Susannah Steward (also spelled Stewart) lived in Niagara from 1834 to 1847. The Steward home was part of Niagara's "coloured village", a vibrant community of former Canadian slaves, Black Loyalists and African American refugees. Later, the Stewards divided their lot for sale to Robert Baxter, a local black resident. In 1837, William Steward was one of 17 local Blacks who signed a petition asking Lieutenant Governor Sir Francis Bond Head to refuse to extradite Kentucky fugitive Solomon Moseby. Moseby was rescued from the Niagara Jail by more than 200 African Canadians. In 1847 they moved to Galt (now Cambridge) where they lived for the rest of their lives. The Stewards' modest cottage is an excellent example of local vernacular architecture. It serves as a compelling memorial to these hardworking people who contributed to the building of Niagara-on-the-Lake and to protecting Black American refugees in the region.





 


 


 


 


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