George Austen

George Austen (1731 – 21 January 1805) was a cleric of the Church of England, rector of Deane and Steventon in Hampshire. He is known as the father of Jane Austen.

Early life Austen was the son of William Austen, of Tonbridge, Kent, a physician, and his wife Rebecca Hampson, the daughter of Sir George Hampson, 4th Baronet, also a physician. He and his sister Philadelphia were orphaned when George was nine years old, and he was taken under the wing of his wealthy uncle Francis Austen. He attended Tonbridge School and St John's College, Oxford.

After being matriculated at the University of Oxford by St John's College on 2 July 1747, aged sixteen, Austen graduated BA on 12 February 1751, promoted to MA by seniority in 1754. He was a proctor in 1759 and graduated as a Bachelor of Divinity in 1760.

Marriage and family The Rev. George Austen presenting his son Edward to their relatives Mr and Mrs Thomas Knight, who adopted him Austen met Cassandra Leigh while he was a student at Oxford.