James T. Austin
James Trecothick Austin (January 7, 1784 – May 8, 1870) was the 22nd Massachusetts Attorney General.[1] Austin was the son of Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, and Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts Jonathan L. Austin.[1] He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1824.[7] He graduated from Harvard College in 1802.[8]
James Trecothick Austin | |
|---|---|
| 22nd Massachusetts Attorney General | |
| In office 1832–1843 | |
| Governor | Levi Lincoln Jr. John Davis Samuel Turell Armstrong Edward Everett Marcus Morton |
| Preceded by | Perez Morton |
| Succeeded by | John H. Clifford (From 1849; Office Abolished from 1843–1849) |
| Suffolk County, Massachusetts Attorney[1] | |
| In office 1812[1]–1832[1] | |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Samuel D. Parker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 7, 1784[1] Boston, Massachusetts[1] |
| Died | May 8, 1870 (aged 86)[1] Boston, Massachusetts[1] |
| Political party | Anti-Federalist,[1][2] National Republican Party[3][4] |
| Spouse | Catharine Gerry[5] |
| Children | Ivers James Austin, born February 14, 1808, d June 11, 1889;[6] Marie Cornelia Ritchie Austin, b. March 8, 1821, d, December 6, 1864.[5] |
| Profession | Attorney[1] |
In 1837, he spoke at Faneuil Hall in praise of anti-abolitionists who had killed Elijah P. Lovejoy. He compared the mob to American patriots rising against the British and declared that Lovejoy "died as the fool dieth!"[9][lower-alpha 1]
Family
Austin married Catharine Gerry,[6] the eldest daughter[6] of Elbridge Gerry,[5] they had a son, Ivers James Austin, born February 14, 1808,[6] and a daughter, Marie Cornelia Ritchie Austin, born on March 8, 1821.[5]
Notes
- The phrase is a reference to 2 Samuel 3:33, "And the king lamented over Abner, and said, 'Died Abner as a fool dieth?'"
References
- Wilson, James Grant (1888), "Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, Vol. I., Aaron-Crandall", D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, New York, N.Y., p. 120
- Larned, Josephus Nelson (1902), "The Literature of American History: a Bibliographical guide", Houghton, Mifflin & CO., Boston, Ma, p. 157
- Massachusetts Historical Society (1907), "Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society Second Series, Vol. XX", Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, p. 499
- White, James Terry White, "The National cyclopaedia of American biography: being the history of the United States as Illustrated in the lives of the Founders, Builders, and Defenders of the Republic, and of the men and women who are Doing the Work and Moulding the thought of the Present Time, Volume XXII", James T. White & Company, New York, N.Y., p. 209
- Dwight, Benjamin Woodbridge (1871), "The History of the Descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass., Volume II.", Joel Munsell, Albany, N.Y., p. 1206
- Linzee, John William (1917), "The Linzee Family of Great Britain and the United States of America and The Allied Families, Volume II.", John William Linzee, Boston, Massachusetts, p. 768
- "Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter A" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
- "Founders Online: James T. Austin to Thomas Jefferson, 12 July 1811".
- Darling, Arthur (1924). Political Changes in Massachusetts, 1824–48. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press. p. 248.
Further reading
- Dwight, Benjamin Woodbridge (1871), The History of the Descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass., Volume II., Albany, N.Y.: Joel Munsell, p. 1206.
- Linzee, John William (1917), The Linzee families of Great Britain and the United States of America and The Allied Families, Volume II., Boston, Massachusetts: John William Linzee, p. 768.
- Wilson, James Grant (1888), Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, Vol. I., Aaron-Crandall, New York, N.Y.: D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, p. 120.
Bibliography
- The Life of Elbridge Gerry, with Contemporary Letters to the Close of the American Revolution. 2 Volumes, (1827–1829).