Denver, History of Colorado, BIOS: AUSTIN, Charles T. (published 1918) *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003643 September 15, 1999 *********************************************************************** "History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. (1918) Vol. II p. 174-175 CHARLES T. AUSTIN. Charles T. Austin, special representative at Denver of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, was born in Detroit, Michigan, on the 19th of October. 1862, a son of Edmund and Ann (Spurway) Austin, both of whom were natives of England. The father was born in London and came to America in 1849, settling first at Brooklyn, New York, but soon afterward removed to Detroit, Michigan, when that city was a small town. There he resided to the time of his death. He was a building contractor and was quite successful, many of Detroit's representative buildings and historical landmarks having been erected by him. He was an intimate friend of Zach Chandler. A member of the Baptist church, he was a devout Christian and a man of the highest integrity and personal worth. He possessed a fine tenor voice and for years sang in the choir of the First Methodist church. In politics he was a stanch republican and he was very active as a supporter of the principles of his party and as an advocate of all those interests which are of civic worth. He served for a year as a member of the city council during the early '70s. but while he was never active as a candidate for office he took part in much campaign work, belonging to glee clubs and musical organizations that sang in the wigwams and aided much in furthering the cause of the party. His wife was a native of Devonshire, England, and came alone to America on a sailing vessel soon after her future husband crossed the Atlantic. They were sweethearts in England and she made the trip in order to become his wife. They were married in Brooklyn, New York, and to them were born eleven children, seven of whom are still living. The mother, however, has passed away. Charles T. Austin was educated in the public and high schools of Detroit and when a youth of fifteen years started out to provide for his own support. He was first employed as a messenger boy by the firm of Gillette & Hall, grain merchants connected with the board of trade of Detroit. He continued with that firm for three years and after leaving the position he did not sever his connection with the grain trade but became a representative of the firm of Yeaton, Walker & Company of Detroit, with whom he continued for three years. In November, 1882, he removed to the west, arriving about the middle of that month in Denver. His elder sister, Annie Austin, was at that time a teacher in the Ebert school. Otherwise Mr. Austin had no acquaintances in Denver but was an entire stranger here and he had to make his way upward through dint of perseverance and through individual merit. His first position was that of cashier and bookkeeper for Birks Cornforth, a wholesale and retail grocery house on Fifteenth street. He continued there as cashier for three years and afterward went to Sterling, Colorado, where he was employed as bookkeeper by the Sterling Merchandise Company. He continued with that house for some time and also rode the range in that section of the state for about two years, at which time cattle grazed on the open range. He has spent much time among the cowboys and range riders and many of the happy recollections of his boyhood days center around that life. He became an expert horseman and he can relate many an interesting tale concerning pioneer times in Colorado. At length he returned to Denver and entered the employ of Skinner Brothers & Wright, clothing merchants at Sixteenth and Lawrence streets. He occupied the position of cashier and bookkeeper and continued with that house for about five years. He next entered the employ of the Colorado National Bank, filling various clerical positions in the institution as he was advanced from time to time until he became assistant receiving teller. Subsequently he became paying teller of the Peoples National Bank, with which he continued until 1893, when the bank suspended. Immediately afterward he reentered the employ of the Colorado National in a minor position and subsequently he took charge of the accounting department of the McNamara store for the Colorado National Bank, the store now being the property of the Denver Dry Goods Company. He was with the Denver Dry Goods Company for ten years and in May, 1894, he was one of the organizers and became a director and secretary and treasurer of the company. In association with Dennis Sheedy and W. R. Owen, he became one of the main factors in the upbuilding of that institution, which owns and controls one of the largest department stores in the west. At length he resigned his position and severed his financial connection with the business in 1904. He had contributed in marked measure to the results achieved. The business was established on a small scale and through the efforts of Mr. Austin and his associates had been built up until its net assets amounted to a million and a quarter dollars. At length Mr. Austin became interested in gold mining in Nevada but lost quite heavily in that venture, for his mining properties near Goldfield did not prove profitable. In November, 1910, he again came to Denver, where he immediately entered upon his present business as special representative of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company in connection with G. A. Newkirk. In this business he has been very successful and has in force several million dollars in insurance which he has individually written, so that he is on the honor roll among the company's leading writers in the United States, having held that position for eight consecutive years. He became connected with the company because of his firm belief in it as one of the best and most thoroughly reliable insurance companies in the United States. Through his business operations in the insurance field he has largely recovered his fortunes lost through his mining operations and is today on the high road to substantial prosperity. On the 20th of June, 1890. Mr. Austin was united in marriage in Denver to Miss Virginia Cooley, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and a daughter of Dr. John R. C. Cooley. The latter was a physician and surgeon, who rendered military aid to the Confederacy during the Civil war. His wife was Virginia Wyatt, who came from Petersburg, Virginia. Both were representatives of old families of that state. To Mr. and Mrs. Austin have been born two children: Jessie Virginia, now the wife of Joseph H. Weiner, a resident of Denver; and Charline Elizabeth, the wife of Albert J. Towar, of Detroit, Michigan, who is now a lieutenant in the United States service. Politically Mr. Austin is a republican, active as a worker in behalf of party principles yet not a politician in the sense of office seeking. He was on one occasion elected county treasurer but was cheated out of the position. Fraternally he is connected with Elks Lodge, No. 17, and with South Denver Lodge, No. 93, A. F. & A. M.; with Colorado Chapter, No. 29, R. A. M.; Denver Commandery, No. 25, K. T.; Denver Council, No. 1, R. & S. M.; and El Jebel Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is also connected with the Denver Motor Club, with the Kennicott Duck Club, the Salesmanship Club, the Denver Civic and Commercial Association, and with St. Mark's Episcopal church- connections that indicate the nature of his interests and the rules which govern his conduct. His has been a life of intense activity and he has every reason to be proud of what he has accomplished in the business field. He displays salesmanship of high order, combined with notable enterprise, keen business discernment and the ability to readily read men. The results that he has accomplished are indeed gratifying and place him in the front rank among business men of the state.