Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. 18: Steward-Trowbridge

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Excerpt from Dictionary of American BiographyStewart, alvan (sept. 1, 1790 — May 1, lawyer, abolitionist, was born in South Granville, N. Y., the son of Uriel Stewart, who five years after the boy's birth moved to West ford, Chittenden County, Vt. Alvan attended dis triet school and in 1809 entered the University of Vermont, leaving there in 1812 to teach in Canada. After a visit home he was arrested as a spy in Schoharie County, N. Y., and upon his release went to Cherry Valley, Otsego County, N. Y., where he taught school and studied law. In 1815 he journeyed as far West as Paris, Ky and there spent a year teaching and studying. He then traveled in the South for a time, finally returning to Cherry Valley, where he was ad mitted to the bar. About 1832 he moved to Utica. Here he acquired a considerable reputation as a lawyer and was regarded as a most formidable adversary before a jury (proctor, post, p. Originally a Democrat, he became an aggressive protectionist, and in 1828 published a pamphlet, Common Sense, opposing Jackson on the tariff question....