▁father ▁was ▁lic ensed ▁to ▁trade ▁fur ▁at ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁H umber ▁River , ▁a ▁stopping ▁place ▁for ▁First ▁Nations ▁people ▁trav elling ▁from ▁Lake ▁Ontario ▁to ▁the ▁upper ▁la kes . ▁▁▁ ▁R ous seau ▁had ▁strong ▁t ies ▁with ▁Joseph ▁Br ant , ▁the ▁influ ential ▁Moh awk ▁leader ▁who ▁had ▁fought ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution . ▁▁ ▁His ▁second ▁wife , ▁Margaret ▁C ly ne , ▁was ▁Br ant ' s ▁adopted ▁daughter . ▁ ▁R ous seau ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁named ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁sons ▁Joseph ▁Br ant . ▁ ▁R ous seau ▁would ▁later ▁purchase ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁acres ▁of ▁Moh awk ▁land ▁through ▁Br ant . ▁ ▁John ▁Gra ves ▁Sim co e , ▁the ▁first ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁of ▁Upper ▁Canada , ▁granted ▁R ous seau ▁ 5 0 0 ▁acres ▁around ▁his ▁fur ▁trad ing ▁post ▁on ▁the ▁eastern ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁H umber ▁River ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁Sw anse a ▁neighbourhood . ▁▁▁▁ ▁R ous seau ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁mer ch ants ▁in ▁York , ▁Upper ▁Canada , ▁and ▁later ▁Hamilton . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁owner , ▁or ▁part - owner , ▁of ▁multiple ▁gr ist ▁mill s ▁and ▁ta ver ns , ▁in ▁King ston , ▁York , ▁An c aster ▁and ▁Br ant ford . ▁ ▁R ous seau ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁long - time ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁milit ia . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a