Henry Austin (Texas settler)

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

Early life
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. He had five brothers and two sisters. One of his sisters was Mary Austin Holley.

Elijah Austin was a ship owner, a captain, and a shop keeper. He died of yellow fever in New York in 1794. 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.

Career
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.

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.

Personal life
Austin married Mary Tailer in 1814. They had three daughters and three sons.

Death
Austin died on January 23, 1852.