Nathaniel Austin

Nathaniel Austin as christened/born September 15, 1764 in Sheffield, Berkshire, Massachusetts. He was the son of Gad Austin and Susanna Callendar. Nathaniel died on May 6, 1803 in Chenango Forks, Chenango, New York and is buried in Chenango Forks, Chenango, New York. He married Humillis Owen on April 1, 173 in Sheffield, Berkshire, Massachusetts. They had 10 children: Seymour Austin, Sylvanus Austin, Stephen Austin, Orrameal Austin, Arva Owen Austin, Susannah Austin, Susannah Austin, Harriet G. Austin, Chauncey Austin, and Alvah Austin. Nathaniel lived in Sheffield, Massachusetts and moved to Sherborne in 1793. Nathaniel and his brother Stephen were partners for many years raising sheep. They purchased 150 acres of land in what is now Sherburne, New York in 1792. Nathaniel’s sheep mark was registered in Sherburne on December 22, 1797. Stephen and Nathaniel were also both corporate members of the Sherburne Federal Library in 1800. Nathaniel’s last great enterprise started with a petition, sent to the legislature, which sought to tax the various towns along the Chenango River so that the waterway could be cleared allowing lumber shipments access to ports to the south such as Baltimore, Maryland. In 1893, a large boat named then “Ark”, and loaded with pine staves and shingles was launched and taken on down the river. Both Nathaniel and his son Seymour contracted yellow fever on the trip. Nathaniel died but Seymour recovered and returned home.