the second son of Reverend George Austen, and his namesake. At three months of age he, was fostered with a neighboring family, where it apparently it became obvious that he was not developing like other children. In 1770, his mother recorded he had suffered a fit for the first time in a twelvemonth. Scholars speculate that he may have been suffering either from epilepsy or cerebral palsy with attendant deafness or partial deafness. Around 1779, he was sent to live permanently with a family called Culham in Monk Sherborne, about three miles from Basingstoke. He lived in relative comfort, the care he received was familial rather than institutional. The Austen family continued to care for him financially for the remainder of his life. His sister, Jane, however, never mentioned him in her copious letters. In 1827, his brother, Edward Austen Knight gave his entire inheritance from his mother for his brother's care. He succumbed to dropsy (edema) at the age of 71 and was interred in an unmarked grave in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Monk Sherborne. No family members attended his funeral and he was soon all but forgotten, omitted from Caroline Austen's 1867 memoir; from James Edward Austen-Leigh's 1872 memoir, and Goldwin Smith's 'Life of Jane Austen' (1890). He is also the only Austen sibling for whom no image is known to exist.
the second son of Reverend George Austen, and his namesake. At three months of age he, was fostered with a neighboring family, where it apparently it became obvious that he was not developing like other children. In 1770, his mother recorded he had suffered a fit for the first time in a twelvemonth. Scholars speculate that he may have been suffering either from epilepsy or cerebral palsy with attendant deafness or partial deafness. Around 1779, he was sent to live permanently with a family called Culham in Monk Sherborne, about three miles from Basingstoke. He lived in relative comfort, the care he received was familial rather than institutional. The Austen family continued to care for him financially for the remainder of his life. His sister, Jane, however, never mentioned him in her copious letters. In 1827, his brother, Edward Austen Knight gave his entire inheritance from his mother for his brother's care. He succumbed to dropsy (edema) at the age of 71 and was interred in an unmarked grave in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Monk Sherborne. No family members attended his funeral and he was soon all but forgotten, omitted from Caroline Austen's 1867 memoir; from James Edward Austen-Leigh's 1872 memoir, and Goldwin Smith's 'Life of Jane Austen' (1890). He is also the only Austen sibling for whom no image is known to exist.
Family Members
Advertisement
Advertisement
