The Austin Family

Jefferson C. Austin was born in Wisconsin on March 28, 1830, of sturdy German and English pioneer stock. His parents were Alison and Rachel Austin. Alison Austin was born in 1812, although it is not known where. His grandfather was John Austin, who was born in 1787. Jefferson grew to manhood on his father’s farm, and when he was sixteen he moved with his family to Illinois. It was there that he met and married Evelyn Echols about 1852. They settled in Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois, where a daughter, Almira Austin, was born about 1853. The young couple’s happiness was short-lived, however, for shortly after the birth of their daughter, Evelyn died.

After the death of his wife Jefferson moved with his young daughter to Lewiston, Fulton County, Illinois, where he met and married Katheryn Childress about 1858.

In 1862 Jefferson enlisted in the Union Army and served in an Illinois regiment until the end of the Civil War. After the war Jefferson and his family lived in Lewiston for a time, but in 1871 he moved his family by covered wagon to Macon County, Missouri. The family lived in Macon County for eight years, but the pioneer itch was soon felt again. This time they moved to Greenwood County, Kansas. Jefferson purchased a farm near Madison, which became the family home for over twenty years. It was there, in September 1902, that Katheryn died and was buried in the family burying ground.

Ever the pioneer, Jefferson got itchy feet once more in 1904. He sold the farm to an older son and, with five of his younger children, moved to Oklahoma and filed a claim on land a few miles north of Dunlap, forming the settlement of Austin Valley. He was an active booster for northwest Oklahoma, and his enthusiasm influenced many of his friends and relatives to move to the area.

Jefferson C. Austin died January 21, 1921, in Dunlap, Oklahoma and is buried in Lena Valley Cemetery in Madison, Kansas.

The above excerpted from a 1921 obituary by Linda Austin Finster of Newbury Park, California.

Jefferson & Evelyn had one child:

  1. Almira Austin, b. August 4, 1856

Jefferson and Katheryn had twenty-one children:

  1. Ettie Austin, b. November 29, 18
  2. Polly Anne Austin, b. October 5, 1859, Lewiston, Fulton Co., IL; d. October 1945, Mission, Hidalgo Co., TX.
  3. Alison L. Austin, b. December 6, 1860, Fulton Co., IL; d. March 5, 1947, Wichita, KS.
  4. Amanda B. Austin, b. December 22, 1861, Fulton Co., IL; d. October 28, 1936, Kansas.
  5. Charles E. Austin, b. February 4, 1863, Fulton Co., IL; d. September 22, 1933, Englewood, KS.
  6. Rachel Alvina Austin, b. November 16, 1865, Fulton Co., IL; d. OklahomaCity, OK.
  7. Thomas Myron Austin, b. December 20, 1866, Fulton Co., IL; d. Buffalo, Harper Co., OK.
  8. Nathan Austin, b. February 1, 18
  9. Marella Austin, b. August 19, 1869
  10. Alexander Austin, b. December 24, 1870, Fulton Co., IL; d. August 8, 1940, Visalia, CA.
  11. William Jesse Austin, b. February 6, 1872, Macon Co., MO.
  12. Dicky Austin, b. April 5, 18
  13. Emma Jane Austin, b. September 28, 1874, Macon Co., MO; d. February 9, 1950, Buffalo, OK.
  14. Frederick C. Austin, b. February 23, 1876, Macon Co., MO; d. January 23, 1963, Halstead, KS.
  15. Evelyn Austin, b. October 29, 1877, Linn Co., MO; d. February 12, 1940, Atchinson, KS.
  16. Mary Ellen Austin, b. February 9, 1879, Greenwood Co., KS; d. July 4, 1965, Buffalo, OK.
  17. Sarah Austin, b. June 15, 18
  18. Lillian Eldora Austin, b. May 17, 1881, Lyons Co., KS; d. February 3, 1957, Garden City, KS.
  19. Isabelle Austin, b. September 24, 1882, Greenwood Co., KS; d. June 2, 1968, Fall River, KS.
  20. John Allen Austin, b. July 8, 1884, Greenwood Co., KS; d. August 27, 1967, Woodward, OK.
  21. Minnie M. Austin, b. November 15, 18

Frederick Clarence Austin married Jannette Allen “Nettie” Crotchett February 22, 1903, in Madison, Greenwood Co., KS. They had the following children:

  1. Oran Lee Austin, b. July 10, 1904, Madison, KS; d. November 13, 1979, Chanute, KS.
  2. Mildred Austin, b. September 26, 1906, Madison, KS; d. May 12, 1972, Newton, KS.
  3. Glenn Austin, b. April 17, 1908, Madison, KS; d. April 2, 1975, San Francisco, CA.
  4. PaulineAustin, b. December 28, 1910, Madison, KS; d. July 30, 1988, Riverside, CA.
  5. Helen Austin, b. March 22, 1913, Lamont, Greenwood Co., KS; d. February 26, 2007, Wichita, KS.
  6. Marie Austin, b. May 23, 1915, Lamont, Greenwood Co., KS.

Oran Lee Austin married Flossie Minnie Erwin, and they were the parents of six children.

Helen Austin married Clifford Herman Erwin, and they had two children.