Richard Austin (colonist)

Richard Austin (1598–1638) was an early puritan colonist who arrived in Massachusetts in 1638 on board a ship called the Bevis. Richard Austin is the immigrant ancestor of a family named "Austin" that prospered, ultimately settling parts of Missouri and Texas; noteworthy descendants include Stephen F. Austin, Moses Austin, Emily Austin Perry, Guy Morrison Bryan, Moses Austin Bryan, Stephen Samuel Perry, and hundreds of others. Richard settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts. There are few references to Richard Austin, but in 1651, Richard Austin or a descendant by the same name held some public offices in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

Puritan religious conviction resulted in Richard Austin's the decision to leave England for New England. Shortly after arrival, Richard's wife's brother, Edmund Littlefield "broke from his congregation" to then settle in Exeter in New Hampshire.

The ship manifest for The Bevis lists Richard Austin as a Taylor from "Bishopstocke" (also known as Bishop Stoke), traveling with his wife and 2 children.

Most information about Richard is derived from genealogical research. Austin records go back to Kent, England in 1522. The Richard Austin who came on The Bevis is technically Richard Austin, II, the son of Richard Austin—who ironically is the son of Stephen Austin, born November 17, 1557, in Tenterden, Kent, England, and his wife Margaret Wrigley, born in the same city on May 1, 1550.

Richard's wife, Elizabeth Betsy (last name unknown) was born in 1610 in Titchfield, Hampshire, England, and died in Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Betsy Littlefield in 1630 at Hampshire, England, UK. Richard was born in 1598 to Richard Austin and his wife Annis in Titchfield, Hampshire, England, and died after 1638 in Charleston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. Richard was buried in Watertown, Massachusetts.

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