Jonathan Loring Austin was a Massachusetts revolutionary, diplomat and politician who served as the second Secretary of the Commonwealth

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S...

 and the tenth Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

The Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts is an executive officer, elected state-wide every four years....

. Austin was the father of Massachusetts Attorney General

Massachusetts Attorney General

The Massachusetts Attorney General is an elected executive officer of the Massachusetts Government. The office of Attorney-General was abolished in 1843 and re-established in 1849. The current Attorney General is Martha Coakley....

 James Treacothie Austin

James T. Austin

James Trecothick Austin was the 22nd Massachusetts Attorney General. Austin was the son of Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, and Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts Jonathan L. Austin...

.

Early life

Austin was born on January 2, 1748 in Boston, Massachusetts. Austin graduated from Harvard College

Harvard College

Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...

 in 1766. After he graduated from Harvard

Harvard College

Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...

, Austin moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...

 and became a merchant there.

American Revolutionary War

When the war started Austin became a Major in Langdon's Regiment

Langdon's Company of Light Horse Volunteers

Langdon's Company of Light Horse Volunteers was formed on July 21, 1777 at Portsmouth, New Hampshire for Gen. John Stark's Brigade gathering at Charlestown, New Hampshire during the Saratoga Campaign. The company was formed by picked volunteers from other New Hampshire militia units. The company...

, and later an aid to General John Sullivan

John Sullivan

John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....

.

Massachusetts Board of War

Austin was the secretary to the Massachusetts Board of War until October 1777.

Capture and release

In January of 1780 Austin was captured by the British while on a mission to Europe to secure a loan for Massachusetts. Austin was later released. He failed to secure the loan and he returned in the autumn of 1781.

Marriage

Austin married Hannah Ivers, the daughter of James & Hannah (Trecothick) Ivers, in Boston, on April 4, 1782.

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

Austin served as Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S...

 for two years, from 1806 to 1808.

Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

Austin served as Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

The Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts is an executive officer, elected state-wide every four years....

 from 1811 to 1812.

Foot notes