Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1892-11-26
OUR
DEPARTED CHIEF.

The SENrINEL. comes this wcck
before its readers as a mourner-
Its chief has passed through thu
grave into the eternal world be-
|yond-ln the desolation of sorrow
we do not propose to speak his
|eulogy-In this community it is
mot necessary. We design in an
bouncing his death to record
simply the facts of his life.
JOHN DAWSON AUSTEN, the son
|pf David Austen and Charlntte|
Look, was born in Philadelphia,
Penn, April 1910. When he was|
but an infant Of six months his
parents removed to Bayou Sara j
which has since been his home j
He received liberal education att
the Jesuit College. St. Louis, Mo.
While ut College he made an open
profession of the Catholic faith ]
of which he remained through life
IAN active and jealous member.
Just AS he was about to enter with
brilliant prospect Of success upon
the earnest duties Of life the tocsin
|Of war summoned our Southern
nianhood to arms. Young Aus
ten was one of the 6rst to volun-
tecr. Enllsting in the company
formed in this place and attached
to the 4th Louisiana Regiment
under Col. Alien, he was compli-
4mentod by his brother soldiers in|
being deputed to make the address
Mt the reception of their coiors on|
the eve of their departure for the
seat of war. Here his abilities for|
special work were recognized in|
his being detailed and attached to|
the signal corps. Though de-
prived of the opportunity for
distinguishing himself on the bat
tlefeld he did we'll and bravely in|
the station where he had BEEN
placed by his superiors until the|
bitter and gloomy end.
On his return he engaged in|
mercantile business in woodville|
rs junior partner in the firm off
Posey & Austen. He relinquish-
ed this to accept the appointment
of Agent at Bayou Sara for the
w. f. r. r. In 1869 Oct. 10 hcI
was married to Miss. Elise Lebre;|
1of Bayou Sara, who survives, and
shortly after entered into business
with his Father-in-law, Pierre
|Lebret
In the establishment of the Tel
|ephone in the Southwest, Mr.
|Austen's knowledge of telegraph
nc building was brought into re-
|quisition and he was employed to|
arrange the Exchanges ct Natchezl
and Bayou Sara. The Trans-Mis-
sissippi cable at the former place.
was laid under his direction. The
bent of his disposition inclined
him strongly to Journalism and
IN 1876 in company with George
Reese, practical printer be
the FELICIANA SENTINEL,
in the service of which he died.
1t is chiefly as a journalist that
he will be remembered. The
readers of the SENTINEL need not
be told that he bore the pen of !
ready writer. His rapidly writ ,
ten editorials were models of good
English. Whatever were his
views they were expressed with =
out ambiguity or reserve. Neither
in his conversation nor in the
columns of his paper was there
ever a doubt as to which side of n
question Mr.. Austen was on. Yet
with all the tenacity, and vigor
with which his views were held
and set forth there was never a
writer who manifested less of
personal bitterness or awakened
less of personal animosity.
During the past summer he was
The subject of a prolonged illness
which left him in enfeebled health
Monday evening he seemed much
in his usual condition attending tod
mis- editorial duties.
At about halfpast ten, he be-
came sensible of oppression of
breath and a physician was sum