Brooks-Laurens-Hancock County GaArchives Biographies.....Austin, George W. 1849 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 21, 2004, 2:34 pm

Author: William Harden
p.883

   GEORGE W. AUSTIN. For many years prominently identified with the advancement
of the mercantile and agricultural prosperity of Dixie district, Brooks county,
George W. Austin is numbered among the representative men of Brooks county, and
is well deserving of special mention in this biographical work. A native of
Georgia, he was born in Laurens county, the date of his birth being June 7, 1849.

   His father, John Austin, was a native of Georgia, and grew to manhood in
Hancock county. Marrying at an early age, he lived for a time in Laurens county,
going from there to Florida, where he was employed for a number of years as an
overseer on large plantations. On his return to Georgia he located in Brooks
county, where he spent the remainder of his long life, dying at the age of
eighty-six years, at the home of his son, George W. Austin. His wife, whose
maiden name was Catherine Bray, was born in North Carolina, and died in Brooks
county, Georgia, at the age of four score and four years. Of their sixteen
children, thirteen grew to years of maturity, as follows: William M., W. B.,
Joseph, Elizabeth, J. T., Mary, R. F., Lucinda, Newton J., Rachel, Crosby,
George W., and Frank M.

   Although there were no free schools in his vicinity when he was a boy, George
W. Austin improved every opportunity for acquiring useful knowledge, securing
largely through his own efforts a practical business education. At the age of
nineteen years, having previously formed an intimate acquaintance with the
numerous branches of agriculture on the home farm, he began life as a
wage-earner, and for five years was in the employ of the A. & G. Railroad
Company, now the Atlantic Coast Line, as section master in the roadway
department. He was then made station agent at Dixie, Georgia, a position which
he resigned at the end of five years. In the meantime Mr. Austin, who was a man
of energy and enterprise, had embarked in the mercantile business in Dixie,
starting with a fine stock of general merchandise. Accumulating considerable
money as a merchant, he wisely invested it in land, buying at first one hundred
acres, and in addition to conducting his store successfully was also engaged in
agricultural pursuits. In 1909 Mr. Austin transferred his mercantile interests
to his son, Hugh B., and is now devoting his time and energies to the management
of his farm and of his private affairs. He has added to his landed possessions
at different times, and now has title to about 650 acres of land, three hundred
of which are under a high state of cultivation, producing good annual crops.

   On February 15, 1877, Mr. Austin was united in marriage with Julia J. Benton,
who was born in Dixie district, Brooks county, Georgia, a daughter of Shout
Judson Benton. Mrs. Austin's grandfather, Joseph Benton, was born in North
Carolina, where his father, Hugh Benton, settled on coming from France to this
country. Brought up on a farm, he became an expert in the art of raising rice,
and for many years was an overseer on rice plantations. He married Hannah
Blocker, a native of North Carolina. Shout Judson Benton was born January 10,
1832, in Colleton county, South Carolina, and as a young man learned the
carpenter's trade. Beginning work for himself in Brooks county, Georgia, he
followed his trade in this section of the state many years, in the meantime
buying and selling several different pieces of realty. He is now living retired
in Dixie. Mr. Benton married Manira Maulden, who was born September 30, 1835, in
what is now Brooks county, Georgia, where her parents, Holmes and Dicey (Millin)
Maulden, were pioneer settlers. They reared a large family of children, as
follows: Hugh, Elizabeth; Julia J., wife of Mr. Austin; Henry 0.; Fanny; Viola;
James; Jesse; Claudia; and Thaddeus, who lived but seven years, he having been
the second son in succession of birth.

   Eight children have been born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Austin, namely:
George R., Hugh B., Julia Ethel, Manira E., Mary Elizabeth, Winnie Davis, Harry
Murray, and Alia Tutela. George R., who studied law, and was admitted to the
bar, is now a bookkeeper for the Standard Supply and Fuel Company of Savannah;
he married Stella Gibson, and they have three children: Catherine, Robert and
Margaret. Hugh B. Austin, also a lawyer by profession, is one of the leading
merchants of Dixie, where he is also engaged in the cross tie business; he
married Josie Stewart, and they are the parents of five children: Christine,
Manira, Stewart, George W., Jr., and Virgil. Julia Ethel died at the age of
twenty-four years. Mary Elizabeth, wife of Ned B. Jones, has one son, Austin
Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Austin are both trustworthy members of the Methodist
Episcopal church, South, and fraternally Mr. Austin belongs to Dixie Lodge, No.
242, Free and Accepted Masons.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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