I.M. Austin, D.O. Bio
Monongalia Co. WV

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.
Chicago and New York, Volume 11
Page 178



   A school of medical science that has gained many enthusiastic
adherents in West Virginia in the last decade is osteopathy, a
scientific system of healing that has proven marvelous successful in the
hands of skilled practitioners. One of these is found in Dr. I.M.
Austin, who enjoys a large and lucrative practice at Morgantown, where
he is respected and esteemed both professionally and personally.
   Doctor Austin is a descendant of solid families of Monongalia County,
and was born on his fathers farm in Clinton District, March 26, 1882.
His parents were I.N. and Samantha A. (Chipps) Austin, both now
deceased. The Austin family was established in Monongalia County by the
great-grandfather of Doctor Austin in pioneer days. His son, Hugh
Austin, was one of the representative men of the county. He manufactured
the first brick in this county, and operated a brick yard on the present
site of the West Virginia University. With $600 earned in the brick
business, he purchased 600 acres of land in the Clinton District,
Momongalia County, cleared it and put it under cultivation and spent the
rest of his term there. He was a fine, up-standing citizen in all that
the term implies. In his religious views he was a Methodist and
liberally supported the local Methodist Episcopal Church, and was
equally consistant in political life, his convictions leading him into
the republican party on its organization. When the war between the
states came on he saw four of his stalwart sons leave home to serve as
soldiers in the Union Army, and did not restrain them because he
believed in the perpetuation of the Union. Two of these brave sons never
returned alive, but their sacred ashes rest in the old cemetery at
Halleck, brought there by their sorrowing father from the trenches at
Gettysburg and the river at Wheeling. The eldest of the four, Harrison
Austin, was so seriously wounded during the first day of battle at
Gettysburg that he died on the day following. David Austin did not fall
in battle, but was accidentally drowned while bathing with his soldier
comrades near Wheeling. Henry Austin, the third son, was wounded at
Gettysburg and afterward suffered and incarceration in the prison pen at
Andersonville, Georgia. When finally exchanged he weighed less than
ninety pounds, caused by mal-nutrition. After the close of the war he
moved to Coats, Pratt County, Kansas, where he still resides, a
substantial farmer and at present assessor of Pratt County. The fourth
son, John Austin, served all through the war, escaping both wounds and
capture. He then removed to Indianola, Iowa, where his death occurred in
1912.
   I.N. Austin, son of Hugh and father of Doctor Austin, was born on the
old Austin homestead April 11, 1849, and spent his entire life there as
a farmer, dying February 19, 1921. Like his father he was a man of fine
parts, hospitable and generous, substantial and reliable in every
situation in life, a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and a conscientious republican in politics. He married Miss Samantha A.
Chipps, who was born on the old Chipps farm in Clinton District,
Monongalia County, November 29,1849, and survived her husband but a few
months, passing away April 23, 1921. She was the daughter of Frank and
Elizabeth (Frum) Chipps, both of pioneer families of the county. Five
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Austin: Gertrude Gwynn, who is
deceased; Hugh F., who is a merchant at Morgantown; Harry N., who is a
farmer near Little Falls, West Virginia; I.M.; and Blake who tenderly
cared for her parents in their declining years and still resides on the
homestead.
   Doctor Austin remained on the home farm until twenty years old, and
in the meanwhile completing the public-school course, and the accepted a
clerical position in the store of G.W. John & Company at Morantown,
where he continued for nine years following, retiring from the same in
1900 in order to enter the American School of Osteopathy at Kirksville,
Missouri, for which he had done preparatory studying, for it is
necessary for physicians of this school to be well grounded in all the
various fundamental sciences which go to make up a medical education.
Doctor Austin completed the course at Kirksville and in June, 1913,
received his degree of Doctor of Osteopathy, and in the same year
entered into practice at Morgantwon, where his professional ability has
received generous recognition and where he fells particularly at home,
for his fellow citizens have known him almost his whole life.
    On October 13, 1910, Doctor Austin married Miss Gussie F. Powell,
who is a daughter of Dr. M.T. Powell, a practicing physician at Newburg,
West Virginia, and surgeon for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company.
Doctor and Mrs. Austin have two sons: George M., born August 26, 1912:
and Richard W., born November 25, 1920. At the same time as Doctor
Austin, Mrs. Austin entered the American School of Osteopathy at
Kirksville, and continued a student there for two years. They are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
   In his political views Doctor Austin is a republican and
intelligently concerned in public affairs. He is a member of the Chamber
of Commerce, and aside from his profession has business interests in
this city, being president of the Morgantown Laundry Company, of which
he was one of the organizers, and owns considerable city realty. He is a
member of the American Osteopathic Association and the West Virginia
State Osteopathic Association, and fraternally is identified with the
Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.