Theophilus Gould Steward facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Theophilus Gould Steward
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| Born | April 17, 1843 Gouldtown, New Jersey, United States |
| Died | January 11, 1924 (aged 80) Wilberforce, Ohio, United States |
| Buried |
Gouldtown Memorial Park
Gouldtown, Cumberland, New Jersey |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 25th U.S. Colored Infantry |
| Relations | Dr. Susan Smith McKinney (wife) |
| Other work | Author, educator, clergyman |
Theophilus Gould Steward (born April 17, 1843 – died January 11, 1924) was an important American writer, teacher, and religious leader. He served as a chaplain in the United States Army. He was also a Buffalo Soldier with the 25th U.S. Colored Infantry.
Contents
The Life of Theophilus Gould Steward
Early Years and Education
Theophilus Gould Steward was born in Gouldtown, New Jersey. His parents, James Steward and Rebecca Gould, were free Black people. They believed strongly in education. Theophilus went to public schools in Gouldtown.
A Life of Service
In 1863, Steward became a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). This church was very important for African Americans. After the American Civil War, he helped set up AME churches in South Carolina and Georgia.
He was also involved in the time called Reconstruction in Georgia. This was when the United States worked to rebuild the South after the Civil War. He moved to Macon, Georgia, in 1868 to lead an AME church there.
After his church burned down, he worked hard to build a new one. The new church's foundation was laid in 1870. About 2,000 Black people from Macon came to celebrate.
Steward later graduated from the Episcopal Divinity School in Philadelphia. In 1881, he earned a special degree called a Doctor of Divinity from Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio.
From 1872 to 1891, Steward started a church in Haiti. He also preached in many places in the eastern United States.
Military and Academic Career
In 1891, Theophilus Steward joined the 25th U.S. Colored Infantry. He served as their chaplain until 1907. A chaplain is a minister who serves in the military.
He served in Cuba during the Spanish–American War. He also served in the Philippines. The 25th Infantry Regiment was one of the famous "Buffalo Soldier" regiments. These were regiments of African American soldiers.
Steward was also a founding member of the American Negro Academy. This group was started in 1897 to celebrate the memory of Frederick Douglass. It was a group of Black scholars and activists. They worked to fight against unfair ideas about race. They also promoted equal rights for Black people. Steward was active in this group until he died in 1924.
After his military service, Steward became a professor. From 1907 until his death, he taught history, French, and logic at Wilberforce University.
Family Life
Theophilus Steward was first married to Elizabeth Gadsden. They had eight sons together. After Elizabeth passed away in 1893, he married Dr. Susan Smith McKinney. She was a very important person. She was the third African-American woman to become a doctor in the United States.
Steward was also a cousin to AME bishop Benjamin F. Lee.
