Katherine Austen facts for kids

Katherine Austen was a writer from Britain who lived a long time ago, from 1629 to about 1683. Her maiden name was Wilson. She was known for her special book called Book M. This book was like a diary, a collection of her thoughts, and poems. She also wrote a poem about a country house called "On the Situation of Highbury."

Katherine Austen's Life

Her Early Years

Katherine Wilson was one of at least seven children. Her parents were Katherine and Robert Wilson. Her father, Robert, sold cloth for a living. After her father passed away, her mother married John Highlord. He was an important person in London and worked with the East India Company. This marriage helped Katherine's family become more well-known.

Katherine lived in London during a time of big changes. This included the Civil War and the Restoration. On July 10, 1645, she married Thomas Austen. He was a lawyer from a rich family. Thomas passed away in 1658 when he was only 36 years old. Katherine was under 30 and had three young children to care for. She also had to manage their family properties.

Life as a Widow

When Thomas Austen died, his will said Katherine would be in charge of his property. She would also be the guardian of their children while she remained a widow. This was important because, at that time, widows were the only women who could legally own money or property. Married women could not.

Katherine worked hard to keep her late husband's property, Highbury. She wanted to make sure her young son, Thomas, would get it. She was involved in many legal battles to protect their family's land.

Besides managing her family's estate, Katherine was busy with other business. About a year after her husband died, she started investing in real estate. She bought property in Wales. She also worried about the cost of building work at "The Swan" in London. At the same time, she fought lawsuits to keep an inn called the Red Lion.

Katherine Austen remained a widow for the rest of her life. She thought about getting married again once. But she decided not to. She wanted to honor her late husband. She also worried about her children's money and future. She lived in Hoxton until she passed away. We don't know the exact date she died, but her will was approved in 1683.

Katherine Austen's Writings

The best way to learn about Katherine Austen is through her special book, Book M. This handwritten book has 114 pages. She wrote it over six or seven years after her husband died. She called this time her "Most saddest Yeares."

Book M contains many different things. It has notes about money and legal issues. It also includes her dreams and thoughts on history. There are over thirty poems about things like losing a child or gifts for Valentine's Day. The book also has spiritual thoughts, notes from sermons, and letters. She mostly wrote Book M between 1664 and 1666. She kept adding to it until 1682.

One of her most famous poems from Book M is "On the Situation of Highbury." This poem is about the family estate. She probably wrote it in September 1665. This was when she was finally able to legally take ownership of the property after her legal battles. Many people who study literature find this poem very interesting.