Austin Steward

Austin Steward (c. 1793 – February 15, 1869) was an African-American abolitionist and writer. Born into slavery in Prince William County, he was taken at age seven with the William Helm household to New York in 1800. The family later settled in the town of Bath, New York, in 1803. Steward escaped slavery at about age 21, settling in Rochester, New York, and then moving to British North America. His autobiography, Twenty-Two Years a Slave, was published in 1857.

Steward and his family were enslaved by planter Capt. William Helm. Steward was seven years old when he was assigned his first duties as a house servant to Helm. Steward taught himself to read in secrecy, but he was discovered and severely beaten.

Helm moved his family and the Stewards to New York in 1800. Although it was a free state, it had a gradual abolition approach and slavery was still permitted. After continued abuse when hired out to a brutal taskmaster, Steward determined to escape, which he did in 1814.