Effingham-Jasper County IL Archives Biographies.....Austin, Edward 1842 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2011, 5:27 pm

Source: See below
Author: Lake City Publishing Co.

EDWARD AUSTIN, farmer, banker and manufacturer, is one of the foremost business
men of Effingham County, and has been a resident of southeastern Illinois for
nearly thirty years. He was born in Hancock County, Ill., August 29, 1842, and
is a son of Seneca and Julia A. (Burnett) Austin. His father was born in Orwell,
Vt., December 21, 1798, and was of English descent. The Austin family of which
our subject is a member was founded in America some time prior to the War of the
Revolution, in which some of its members participated. The family at first was
located in Connecticut, but subsequently removed to Vermont, when that State was
called a new country, just opening for settlement. Seneca Austin was a lawyer,
editor, minister and farmer. He was twice married, his first wife, whom he
married in Vermont, dying when young. He afterward removed to Cincinnati, where
he married Miss Julia A. Burnett, a daughter of Isaac G. Burnett, a prominent
and influential citizen, who was for fourteen years Mayor of Cincinnati. Mrs.
Austin was born in Dayton, Ohio, August 29, 1812. Four children were born of
their union, of whom Edward, the subject of this sketch, is the eldest. The
second is William, who married Miss Mary Barbee and now resides in Emporia, Kan.
The next in order of birth is Mrs. Mary A. Stevens, a widow, now residing in
Effingham. Calvin, the youngest, married Miss Sarah Brooks and is a well-known
business man in Effingham.

  Soon after going to Cincinnati, Mr. Austin attended the Lane Theological
Seminary of that city, and was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church.
Soon after his marriage with Miss Burnett, he removed to Illinois, probably
about 1841, and located in Hancock County, where he served as pastor of a
church. Not being satisfied with his new home, in 1845 he returned to
Cincinnati, which was his place of abode for eight years. In 1853 he purchased a
farm in Kentucky, directly opposite Cincinnati, for which he paid $35 per acre.
There he carried on farming successfully until his land, by its proximity to the
metropolis, increased in value until it was worth $1,000 per acre, and, it being
too valuable for agricultural purposes, he sold the same and returned to
Cincinnati. He made his home in Walnut Hill, in the immediate neighborhood of
the Lane Theological Seminary, which he had formerly attended. In 1863, with his
family he returned to Illinois and located on a farm in what is known as North
Muddy Township, Jasper County. In the spring of 1866, he removed to Effingham
County, living with his son Edward on a farm adjacent to Effingham, which is his
son's present homestead. There he resided until his death, which occurred in
1881, at the age of eighty-three years. His wife had died in Delhi, Ohio, May 8,
1873, while there on a visit.

  Edward Austin accompanied his parents to Cincinnati from Illinois when a child
of three years. He attended school in that city and spent several years on the
farm in Kentucky, later returning with them to Cincinnati. On the 17th of
October, 1861, his marriage with Miss Susan L. Winter was celebrated in Campbell
County, Ky. Mrs. Austin was born in Cincinnati, November 23, 1841, and is a
daughter of William and Nancy A. (Dignian) Winter. Six sons and three daughters
have graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. Austin. Harry B. married Miss Nannie
Houston and is carrying on a planing-mill at Effingham, which is his home;
Charles E., who is unmarried, assists in the care of his father's extensive
business interests; Cornelia resides at home; Frank G., who married Miss Emma
Smith, resides in Effingham, being a Director and Manager of the Effingham
Canning and Wood Package Company, of which see the sketch elsewhere in this
volume. The younger members of the family are Julia, William W., Walter G.,
Calvin P. and Gertrude.

  Mrs. Austin, with several of her children, holds membership with the
Presbyterian Church. Our subject is a Republican in politics but has never been
willing to accept any public office, except that of a member of the School
Board, in which position he has done much to advance the educational interests
of the community where he has made his home. He has also been a liberal
contributor to churches and religious institutions.

  Mr. Austin is an enterprising business man and is identified with nearly all
the important enterprises of the city. In addition to his interests in the
canning factory, he is an equal partner with Calvin Austin in the planing-mill,
and is a half-owner in the Effingham Electric Light Plant, which company will
soon be incorporated. He owns one-third of the stock of the First National Bank
of Effingham, of which he has been Vice-President since its organization. He is
a large shareholder, and President of the Effingham Milling Company, of which W.
H. Dietz is manager. These mills have a daily capacity of one hundred and
twenty-five barrels. Our subject is a stockholder and Director in an extensive
furniture factory, known as the Effingham Manufacturing Company, which was
started in 1889, largely through his influence.

  On the northeast corner of Jefferson and Banker Streets, Mr. Austin is just
completing a fine business block and opera hall, which has a ground floor of one
hundred and twelve feet front on Jefferson, and is one hundred and eight feet
deep on Banker Street. The opera hall is 48x95 feet. There are three storerooms
on the first floor and the First National Bank is to occupy the corner. The
upper floor is conveniently arranged for offices, and the whole building is
fitted up with all modern city conveniences and the apartments are all rented in
advance of completion. The structure is substantially and elegantly built, with
fronts of pressed brick, the rear and partition walls being of hard brick, and
the whole may well be considered an ornament to the city.

  While residing in Jasper County, Mr. Austin owned and operated a stock-ranch
of eighteen hundred acres, which he has since sold, reserving only one hundred
and sixty acres. Ho has a line farm of six hundred aeres adjacent to Effingham,
where for ten or twelve years he carried on dairying extensively, and where he
is still engaged in general farming and in breeding and raising pure-blood
Jersey cattle, of which he keeps a fine herd. In 1889 he started a livery stable
in Effingham, which is well stocked and the leading one in the city and which he
still owns.

  In 1890 Mr. Austin was one of several public-spirited citizens who set on foot
a movement looking to the establishment of a college at Effingham, and was one
of the most liberal contributors to that end. The result is the model Austin
College and Normal Institute, now in successful operation, of which see a sketch
elsewhere in this work. In recognition of the liberal contributions of the]
Austin brothers, Edward and Calvin, the institution bears their family name.
Edward Austin has been President of the College Board of Trustees since the
inception of the project, and has been a potent factor in producing the
flattering result which is now the pride of the citizens of this county. In
fact, to the enterprise and liberality of the Austin brothers the recent rapid
growth] and improvement of the city must be largely attributed, which fact is
conceded by all well-informed and fair-minded people. They are possessed of
large means and are able and willing to make judicious investments that will
benefit the community at large as well as themselves. They are the acknowledged
mainstay of the college, which they carried through the critical period of its
existence until it is now on a paying basis.

  Mr. Austin has a large, substantial and tasty residence, which he erected in
1890, and  which is not surpassed for elegance of proportion  or richness of
finish by any residence in the county, unless it may be by his brother Calvin's
newly-built mansion in Effingham. Having a decided taste for flowers from
childhood, Mr. Austin has erected a commodious greenhouse adjacent to his
residence, heated by steam, and there has many thousands of plants and flowers,
from which he supplies the citizens of this and adjoining counties with liberal
and beautiful gifts of rare flowers and foliage.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Effingham, Jasper and Richland Counties
Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co.
1893

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