Henry Austin (Texas settler)

Texas settler (1781–1852)

For other uses, see Henry Austin.

Henry Austin (January 31, 1781– January 23, 1852) was a Texas settler.

## Early life[edit]

Austin was born in New Haven, Connecticut to Elijah and Esther (Phelps) Austin. He joined the merchant marine at the age of twelve, first as a cabin boy on a ship bound for China.[1] He had five brothers and two sisters. One of his sisters was Mary Austin Holley.[2]

Elijah Austin was a ship owner, a captain, and a shop keeper. He died of yellow fever in New York in 1794.[3] After the family learned that the estate was insolvent, Henry, at the age of fourteen, joined the crew of Captain Daniel Greene and embarked on a round-the-world tour on board the Neptune.[4]

## Career[edit]

Austin was a merchant in New Haven and New York City between 1805 and 1825, but by his own omission, some of those early business ventures were failures.[1]

In 1824, Austin received an invitation from Stephen F. Austin to settle and establish a business in his Texas colony. While not immediately taking up the offer, Henry did sail to other parts of Mexico in 1825, where he attempted various businesses.[5]

## Personal life[edit]

Austin married Mary Tailer in 1814.[1] They had three daughters and three sons.[2]

## Death[edit]

Austin died on January 23, 1852.[1]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Allen, Winnie (November 1, 1994). "Henry Austin". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
2. ^ a b Lee (1962), pp. 12–13.
3. ^ Lee (1962), p. 10.
4. ^ Lee (1962), pp. 17–19.
5. ^ Hogan, William Ransom (1934). "The Life of Henry Austin". Southwestern Historical Quarterly. 37 (3): 185–214.

## Bibliography[edit]

Lee, Rebecca Smith (1962). Mary Austin Holley: A Biography. Austin: University of Texas Press.

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