Austin Dickinson

  • April 16, 1829

    The oldest of three siblings, William Austin Dickinson was born on April 16, 1829 to parents Emily Norcross Dickinson and Edward Dickinson, the only son within the family.
    Austin Dickinson was an Aries, the first sign in the zodiac. Aries is a fire sign ruled by Mars.

  • 1850:

    Austin graduated from Amherst college at the age of 22 in the class of 1850. Following his graduation, Austin spent a year working as a teacher before pursuing law practice full time-- following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and attending Harvard Law School.

  • Harvard Law Graduate

    Austin Dickinson graduated from Harvard Law School with the class of 1854, and shortly after married Sue Gilbert, a longtime friend of his sister Emily in 1856.

  • Newlyweds:

    After the couple; Austin Dickinson and Sue Gilbert Dickinson, tied the knot in Sue's childhood town of Geneva, New York-- a ceremony so small that Emily Dickinson was not even in attendance, Austin and Sue considered moving. out West to Chicago. His father, Edward Dickinson, however was opposed to this plan and proposed that the couple stay in Amherst and he would build them a property adjacent to the Dickinson family home. The home that Edward built the newly weds still stands, and is known as "The Evergreens"

  • Career:

    In 1873, Austin aged approximately 34 years old, Austin succeeded his father as treasurer of Amherst College, and then served as Town Moderator from 1881 until his death in 1895.
    Amherst College: 1800's

  • An affair to remember:

    Despite Austin and Sue sharing three children together, Austin still found love elsewhere and began a thirteen year long affair with an Amherst College Astronomy professors wife, Mabel Loomis Todd, who also published the first editions of Emily's poetry in 1882. The couple engaged in a deeply committed romantic relationship for thirteen years, until Austin's death in 1895, despite both being married to other people.

The Dickinson Diaries

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