Individual Details

Early Vital Records of Massachusetts from 1600 to 1850
Methuen, Essex, Massachusetts

ASTEN (Austin) -- Births
Sarah, d. Jonathan and Hannah, Apr. 2, 1767.
Hannah, d. Jonathan and Hannah, Feb. 14, 1768.
Jonathan, s. Jonathan, Feb. 25, 1770.
Daniel, s. Jonathan and Hannah, Aug. 9, 1771.
Benjamin, s. Jonathan and Hannah, Mar. 25, 1773.
Olive, d. Jonathan and Hannah, Nov. 21, 1774.
Caleb, s. Jonathan and Hannah, Nov. 17, 1777.
Dorcas, d. Jonathan and Hannah, Jan. 18, 1779.
Percis, d. Jonathan and Hannah, Jan. 29, 1781.
Alice, d. Jonathan and Hannah, Feb. 27, 1783.
Charlotte, d. Jonathan and Hannah, Sept. 19, 1784.


From FamilySearch:
The Jonathan Austin born 1773 (son of Abial Austin and Joanna Woodbury) that had been attributed as Mehitable's 2nd husband was an error. That Jonathan LTLF-7LY died in Illinois in 1850. His grandchildren were named after his parents and the middle name "Woodbury" is frequently used among his children/grandchildren. That left a vacancy in place of Mehitable's 2nd husband Jonathan. While searching around for other Jonathan Austin's it was difficult to ignore the father-in-law of Mehitable's daughter Clarissa. That Jonathan Austin LT1S-HMQ was widowed in 1793 and in the more likely age bracket for Mehitable's suitors. He can be placed in Francestown NH during the late 1780's which is near enough to the Surry/Alstead area where Mehitable is during the early 1790's. Also, his sister Susannah married Daniel Silver. Susannah and Daniel are the grandparents of two of Mehitable son-in-laws from her first marriage as well as the one that married the Cynthia you recently added. I don't know what sources if any corroborate Jonathan's date or place of death however, his death in Maine 12 years before Mehitable's may explain why she is the only Austin in Vershire Center Cemetery. Many Haverhill MA families relocated to that area of Maine and his late wife had ties to Oxford County that may have brought him there but that's just a guess based on someone else's entry. At any rate, based on age, location and familial connections this Jonathan is a significantly stronger candidate than the previous erroneous one that is being widely accepted by researchers on multiple platforms without question.

Birth	10 Jun 1742	Methuen, Essex County, Massachusetts
Marriage	Abt 1766	Hannah Charles
Marriage	12 Nov 1795	Alstead, Cheshire County, New Hampshire - MEHITABEL Benton

Spouse	MEHITABEL Benton (1756 - 1814)
Child	Cynthia Austin (1797 - )

Spouse	Hannah Charles (1748 - 1793)
Child	Sarah Austin (1767 - )
Child	Hannah Austin (1768 - )
Child	Jonathan Austin Jr (1770 - )
Child	Daniel Austin (1771 - )
Child	Benjamin Austin (1773 - )
Child	Olive Austin (1774 - )
Child	Caleb Austin (1777 - 1853)
Child	Dorcas Austin (1779 - )
Child	Persis Austin (1781 - )
Child	Alice Austin (1783 - )
Child	Charlotte Austin (1784 - )

Father	Zebediah Austin (1706 - 1773)
Mother	Sarah Gutterson (1705 - 1747)
Sibling	Susannah Austin (1732 - 1765)