Augustine Heard was born into a wealthy merchant family of Ipswich; Massachusetts. His father; John Heard (1744-1834); had made his fortune by trading with the West Indies; and his half-brother Daniel (1778-1801) also worked in foreign trade with the West Indies and China.

Educated at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire; Augustine did not graduate and instead; in 1803; began working for a prominent Boston; Massachusetts merchant; Ebenezer Francis. Two years later; Heard embarked as supercargo to Calcutta on one of Francis' ships. Climbing the ranks of trading companies; Heard was; by 1812; captain of his first ship; the brig Caravan. He pursued his naval career for 18 years; becoming a renowned navigator.

In 1830; at the age of 45; Heard settled in Canton; China; where we became partner in the American trading firm Samuel Russell & Co. In 1834; he returned to Boston for health reasons; and managed his business from there. He also developed close ties with his nephews; the sons of his brother George Washington Heard; and developed a business relationship with them. set up his own company; Augustine Heard & Co. in 1840 with Joseph Coolidge and John Murray Forbes; friends and partners who had remained in Canton. The firm became very successful; and rapidly grew to become the third largest American firm in China. Pictures From History