William and Susannah Steward House

Photo by Colin Semple - April 22, 2006

Photo by Alan L Brown - March 25, 2007

Plaque Location

The Region of Niagara
The Town of Niagara-On-The-Lake
On the south-west corner of Butler Street and John Street

Plaque Text

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.