John was born to John and Tamsen (Mead) Austin. He was their fourth child with other siblings being William, Phebe, Chloe, Truman, James, Rachel, Alanson Mead and Mahala.
August 5, 1805 in Dorset Vt, at age 21, John married Lucy French age 17, daughter of John and Catherine (Price Bearsdley) French. John Austin was a farmer as were his American ancestors. He and Lucy had nine children - Elizabeth b. 1807, Maria b 1808, Calista b. 1809, Harmon b 1811, James b. 1818, Ira (a Deacon) b 1819, Phidelia (Della) b about 1820, Harriet b 1825, Sophia b 1828.
In the year after they were married, they loaded their belongings into a wagon pulled by a team of oxen and headed to western New York state. They built a log cabin in West Hamburg south of Buffalo. By winter time they had not yet put a door on the cabin and just hung a blanket at the doorway to keep the wind out. One day in the winter, John left Lucy in bed with their 6 month old Eliza and headed to Buffalo. He left his rifle at the head of the bed near Lucy. While he was gone she heard something at the door and saw the blanket move. She fired the rifle once and reloaded it but heard no more. John returned just before dark and found a large black bear lying in the doorway. He called out to Lucy who responded that she was okay, so he rolled the bear out of the way and went inside. Later he dressed the bear and they had meat and a robe.
Lucy died in 1858 leaving John a widower for almost 8 years.
August 5, 1805 in Dorset Vt, at age 21, John married Lucy French age 17, daughter of John and Catherine (Price Bearsdley) French. John Austin was a farmer as were his American ancestors. He and Lucy had nine children - Elizabeth b. 1807, Maria b 1808, Calista b. 1809, Harmon b 1811, James b. 1818, Ira (a Deacon) b 1819, Phidelia (Della) b about 1820, Harriet b 1825, Sophia b 1828.
In the year after they were married, they loaded their belongings into a wagon pulled by a team of oxen and headed to western New York state. They built a log cabin in West Hamburg south of Buffalo. By winter time they had not yet put a door on the cabin and just hung a blanket at the doorway to keep the wind out. One day in the winter, John left Lucy in bed with their 6 month old Eliza and headed to Buffalo. He left his rifle at the head of the bed near Lucy. While he was gone she heard something at the door and saw the blanket move. She fired the rifle once and reloaded it but heard no more. John returned just before dark and found a large black bear lying in the doorway. He called out to Lucy who responded that she was okay, so he rolled the bear out of the way and went inside. Later he dressed the bear and they had meat and a robe.
Lucy died in 1858 leaving John a widower for almost 8 years.
John was born to John and Tamsen (Mead) Austin. He was their fourth child with other siblings being William, Phebe, Chloe, Truman, James, Rachel, Alanson Mead and Mahala.
August 5, 1805 in Dorset Vt, at age 21, John married Lucy French age 17, daughter of John and Catherine (Price Bearsdley) French. John Austin was a farmer as were his American ancestors. He and Lucy had nine children - Elizabeth b. 1807, Maria b 1808, Calista b. 1809, Harmon b 1811, James b. 1818, Ira (a Deacon) b 1819, Phidelia (Della) b about 1820, Harriet b 1825, Sophia b 1828.
In the year after they were married, they loaded their belongings into a wagon pulled by a team of oxen and headed to western New York state. They built a log cabin in West Hamburg south of Buffalo. By winter time they had not yet put a door on the cabin and just hung a blanket at the doorway to keep the wind out. One day in the winter, John left Lucy in bed with their 6 month old Eliza and headed to Buffalo. He left his rifle at the head of the bed near Lucy. While he was gone she heard something at the door and saw the blanket move. She fired the rifle once and reloaded it but heard no more. John returned just before dark and found a large black bear lying in the doorway. He called out to Lucy who responded that she was okay, so he rolled the bear out of the way and went inside. Later he dressed the bear and they had meat and a robe.
Lucy died in 1858 leaving John a widower for almost 8 years.
August 5, 1805 in Dorset Vt, at age 21, John married Lucy French age 17, daughter of John and Catherine (Price Bearsdley) French. John Austin was a farmer as were his American ancestors. He and Lucy had nine children - Elizabeth b. 1807, Maria b 1808, Calista b. 1809, Harmon b 1811, James b. 1818, Ira (a Deacon) b 1819, Phidelia (Della) b about 1820, Harriet b 1825, Sophia b 1828.
In the year after they were married, they loaded their belongings into a wagon pulled by a team of oxen and headed to western New York state. They built a log cabin in West Hamburg south of Buffalo. By winter time they had not yet put a door on the cabin and just hung a blanket at the doorway to keep the wind out. One day in the winter, John left Lucy in bed with their 6 month old Eliza and headed to Buffalo. He left his rifle at the head of the bed near Lucy. While he was gone she heard something at the door and saw the blanket move. She fired the rifle once and reloaded it but heard no more. John returned just before dark and found a large black bear lying in the doorway. He called out to Lucy who responded that she was okay, so he rolled the bear out of the way and went inside. Later he dressed the bear and they had meat and a robe.
Lucy died in 1858 leaving John a widower for almost 8 years.
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