Venture Smith

A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa, but Resident Above Sixty Years in the United States of America, Related by Hi Venture Smith

Venture Smith (1729-1805) was an African captive brought to the American colonies as a child. His history was documented when he gave a narrative of his life to a schoolteacher, who wrote it down and published it under the title A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture (1798). Venture Smith was born Broteer Furro in a place he recalls as Dukandarra in "Guinea". Clues in the narrative make it clear that he was from the savannah region-and the fact that he was sold at the seaport of Anomabu, in modern Ghana, suggests that he was probably originally from somewhere in modern Ghana, Togo, or Benin. He was the son of a prince who had several wives. As a young child he was kidnapped by a tribe of Africans who were employed by slave dealers. The young boy was purchased by Robertson Mumford for four gallons of rum and a piece of calico. Mumford decided to call him Venture because he considered purchasing him to be a business venture.