"Emily Austin of Texas, 1795-1851" to be published by the TCU Press, March, 2009
I have recently written a biography of Emily Austin which will be published in March of 2009. Emily was the daughter of Moses Austin and the sister of Stephen F. Austin. She was born in 1795 and died in 1851. She first married James Bryan and, after his death, she then married James F. Perry. Emily and James Perry came to Texas and founded the Peach Point Plantation in during the early 1830s. Emily and her family left an indelible mark on Texas and the expanding American nation. Her historical journey was one of remarkable personal triumph as the rigors of frontier life shaped her into a uniquely self-reliant southern woman, one who fulfilled the role of the plantation mistress while taking a distinct hand in ambitious public ventures. Despite her ties to influential family members, including her brother Stephen F. Austin, Emily’s determined spirit allowed her to live on her own terms. In all of her notable activities, Emily principally remained a devoted daughter, sister, wife, and mother who proudly clung to her Austin roots. Utilizing her family’s written correspondence, I seek to provide insight into Emily’s multifaceted personality and the relationships that sustained her successes in life.
I have recently written a biography of Emily Austin which will be published in March of 2009. Emily was the daughter of Moses Austin and the sister of Stephen F. Austin. She was born in 1795 and died in 1851. She first married James Bryan and, after his death, she then married James F. Perry. Emily and James Perry came to Texas and founded the Peach Point Plantation in during the early 1830s. Emily and her family left an indelible mark on Texas and the expanding American nation. Her historical journey was one of remarkable personal triumph as the rigors of frontier life shaped her into a uniquely self-reliant southern woman, one who fulfilled the role of the plantation mistress while taking a distinct hand in ambitious public ventures. Despite her ties to influential family members, including her brother Stephen F. Austin, Emily’s determined spirit allowed her to live on her own terms. In all of her notable activities, Emily principally remained a devoted daughter, sister, wife, and mother who proudly clung to her Austin roots. Utilizing her family’s written correspondence, I seek to provide insight into Emily’s multifaceted personality and the relationships that sustained her successes in life.
