DANIEL AUSTIN

Daniel Austin was the son of Daniel and Amelia Allen (Bowen) Austin. He was born September 20, 1842, at Brooklyn, New York. His father died April 8, 1845, of consumption, on a return voyage from Cuba, where he had been for the benefit of his health. After the death of his father, his mother removed to her old home at Woodstock, Connecticut, where Daniel attended the Academy until he was eleven years old, when he was sent to Lowell, Massachusetts.

Biography of Daniel Austin member of the Class of 1864 at Dartmouth College After remaining in the Grammar School for one year, he was admitted to the High School. At this time, or on March 29, 1854, his mother was married to Rev. Franklin W. Fisk, who was Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature in Beloit College, Wisconsin, at that time, but removed to Chicago, Illinois, in July, 1859, to accept the chair of Sacred Rhetoric in the Chicago Theological Seminary, where he still remains.

Soon after Daniel's admission to the High School, he joined his mother at Beloit, and attended the Preparatory School connected with Beloit College. His health breaking down, he was obliged to leave school and go upon a farm for a year. By this means, he regained his health sufficiently to resume his studies. In September, 1858, he joined the class of 60 at Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts. He graduated with honor, delivering the salutatory at the conclusion of his course. He then entered the Freshman class of Beloit College. His health again failing, he was obliged to leave before the close of the first term. Having partially regained his health, he expressed a preference for an Eastern College, and finally chose Dartmouth, where he entered at the beginning of Freshman Spring term, March 1, 1861. Hard study at Andover had broken down his health, and an attack of inflammation of the bowels had left his system illy prepared for the study necessary to attain a high scholarship. Indigestion and severe headache, from which he was free scarcely a day, prevented his close application. He possessed rare talents for the acquisition and retention of knowledge, but was forced by the condition of his health to give up close study and content himself with what be was able to accomplish. He thought of leaving college and entering upon a business life, but his mother and friends desiring him to continue his course, he yielded to their wishes. He left us at the end of Junior year, spending a few weeks among relatives in Connecticut, then joined a party of friends on a hunting and fishing excursion to Lake George, New York. They arrived at their destination on Friday, September 4, 1863, and encamped for the night. On Saturday morning came a return of his former disease, inflammation of the bowels. There being a physician in the party, everything was done for his comfort until the next day, Sunday, when he was transported up the lake to Bolton, where additional medical aid was summoned. On Monday he appeared better, and it was deemed safe and prudent to remove him to Brooklyn. On Tuesday they started, and arrived at Caldwell in the evening. He felt so much better that he insisted on walking unaided from the steamer to the hotel. During the night following, he was taken much worse, became delirious, and quietly expired on the morning of Wednesday, September 9, 1863. His remains were taken to Brooklyn and interred in Greenwood Cemetery.

If there was any one quality for which he was distinguished, it was his love for his mother. Being deprived of a father's care at such an early age, he was indebted almost wholly to his mother for the training which made him what he was. To please her seemed his highest ambition, her happiness was always his first consideration. She died in Chicago, May 10, 1881, aged fifty-nine years.
 

Submitted by Deborah Crowell