AUSTIN, George Washington

Other Events and Attributes:

• Obituary: From Hollister Free Lance, 14 Mar 1925: GEORGE AUSTIN, OLD CIVIL WAR VETERAN, TOWN FIGURE, DIES The faint echo of Taps from the battlefields of Appomattox, Chickamauga and Gettysburg, floated over Hollister away, it caught up in its train the soul of an old Civil War veteran, George Austin, one of Hollister’s leading, but humblest, citizens for many years. Suffering for many months, but holding onto life at times only by the tenacity of the “61” spirit that made him “keep on”, George finally answered the last Roll Call a few minutes after ten o’clock this morning, and “fell in” the ranks of the Great Commander. Austin was for many years the town Constable of Hollister, a familiar and welcome figure with the law-abiding and a terror to the wrong doer but with that a just and cool law enforcer. His death further thins the ranks of all too few veterans of the Civil War of the community, and though his passing was expected at any moment, the actual news of his death came as a distinct shock to all of his old buddies and the rest of the community. Funeral arrangements in the hands of W.W. Black, have not been completed at this early hour of going to press; but burial will probably be on Monday in the I.O.O.F. cemetery, with the younger veterans of the Great War as an honorary escort. George volunteered in the 62nd Illinois infantry, a unit of the famous “Iron Brigade” at the opening of the Civil War, and saw much active service and experienced many hardships, as fell to the lot of them all in those heroic days. He was born in Illinois in 1848, so was a mere kid by the time the bugle sounded for him to volunteer and serve his country. Shortly after the end of the war, during the period of reconstruction, he moved West and settled in California. This afternoon announcement was made the funeral would be held on Monday at 2:30 p.m. from the Christian Church, with burial in the I.O.O.F. cemetery. A guard of honor from the young veterans of the Great War will attend. He survived by his wife, Mrs. Annie M. Austin, one son, C.J. Austin, and three daughters; Mrs. Ralph De Cries (of Oakland), Mrs. J.A. Ebi (of Hanford), and Mrs. Alvin Ebi, of Hollister.
• Cause of Death: Colon cancer & bronchiatasis
• Residence: 1850, Not Stated, Hancock, Illinois
• Census: 22 Oct 1850, Hancock County, IL, USA
• Residence: 1860, Bushnell, McDonough, Illinois
• Military: 11 May 1864, Civil War, Illinois 137 Infantry, Company I
• Residence: 1872, Thayer, Neosho, KS USA
• Occupation: Between 1875 and 1916, Carpenter
• Residence: 1880, Hollister, San Benito, California, USA
• Occupation: 1886, Town Marshal
• Residence: 1892, Victoria, BC, Canada
• Physical Description: 1898, Height 5' 9", Light complexion, blue eyes, light hair
• Residence: 1898, Hollister, San Benito, California, USA
• Residence: 1900, Hollister, San Benito, California, USA
• Residence: 1906, Enterprise District, Hollister, San Benito, CA
• Residence: 1910, Hollister, San Benito, California, USA
• Residence: 1916, Hollister, San Benito, California, USA
• Occupation: 5 Nov 1918, Constable, Hollister Township
• Residence: 1920, Hollister, San Benito, California, USA

Notes:

Summary on George Austin from Trapper Byrne:

George Washington Austin. born 4-9-1848 in Illinois, died March 14, 1925 in Hollister
of Colon Cancer. He was the 12th of 12 children. In May
1864, when he was 16, he enlisted in the Union Army and served in an
Illinois regiment that saw service with Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman during
his campaign in Georgia. George was in the Army for only 100 days, but that
was not uncommon. There's nothing I've found that says whether George s
actual combat, but I have my doubts.

By 1872, George had found his way to Neodesha, Kansas, where he was
married on the Fourth of July to Anna Marie Rue, commonly known as Anni
She was just shy of 17 years old -- born 7-19-1855 in Ohio. They stuck
around Kansas long enough for Conover to be born a year later. By April 1875
they had made their way to Hollister, where George was listed on the voter
rolls as a carpenter.

By 1886, the next set of surviving voter rolls, George is listed as the
town marshal. In a newspaper interview, Grace said he was the town constable
for 10 years and that she could remember him running for office every year.
Since she was born in 1885, that would have his tenure lasting into the
1890s sometime.

In that interview, Grace recalled living in ""a big house with a big lo
... Bad winters meant that wagon loads of mud had to be taken away. ... This
was grain country the. You could see grain and hay storage bins
everywhere.'' Sounds exciting, eh?

Grace described her mother, Annie, as ""a good and religious woman, but
she did like to watch the race horses every week.'' Grace, by the way, was a
schoolteacher, and said she taught at ""the old Fremont school for over 10
years.''

George died of colon cancer on March 14, 1925. Annie lived to
be 83 before succumbing of something called chronic myocarditis on
10-11-1938. She was living at 840 Washington St. in Hollister at the time.




Hollister News Items on George Austin:

The Hollister Democrat. February 23, 1883

Hard Blows -- Some people may entertain the idea that the position of a night watchman is one of ease and comfort. If any one hereabouts has such a notion, he should try the occupation a few nights. We know not how night officers act in other towns, but we dow know that officer Austin has experienced several rough times in the discharge of his duties as an officer. Last Saturday night he was compelled to use severe force in quelling a turbulent spirit, and in the fracas he recieved a painful injury to one of his hands, which has caused him much trouble since. Last Sunday night he again came in collision with a fighting character, and was forced to throw the man and threaten to use the club before the law-violator would act peacefully. In such cases as these, the officer would be justifiable in giving the resisting men a decoction of hickory and handcuffs. We do noth uphold any officer in abusing a criminal, but we believe that when a man attempts to injure an officer when making an arrest, that a genuine blow over the head should be administered. Mr. Austin is a most careful officer, but he always captures his man, and he fears none.

The Hollister FreeLance. Februrary 4, 1887

G.W. Austin to A.H. Fredson, house and lot on San Benito street.


The Hollister FreeLance. April 8, 1887

Fire Department -- The following-named persons are active members of the Hollister Fire Department

* Alert Hose Co. No 1: G.W. Austin


The Hollister FreeLance. May 27, 1887

Geo. Austin left last Tuesday morning on a business trip to Fresno, accompanied by G.M. Roberts.


The Hollister FreeLance. February 1, 1889

**Grand Army Officers**

The members of the Jesse I. Reno Post. No. 58 have elected the following officers: Wm Eastman, P.C.; Wm Cashman, S.V.; G.W. Austin, J.V.; F.W. Oliver, Adjt; H. Snibley, Quartermaster; J.W. Spader, O.D.; John Young, O.G.; D.K. Sanford, Chaplain; Q.V.R. Serles, Surgeon; H.M. Campbell, S.M.; D.F. Gray, Q.S.


The Hollister FreeLance. Feb 2, 1889

Tres Pinos. We see the Tres Pinos schoolhouse is radiant ina new coat of paint, and the new fence is quite an improvement. It was moved from the street in which it stood by Mr. Geo Austin.


The Hollister FreeLance. March 22, 1889

The Jesse L. Reno Post. of Hollister now numbers 33 members. Its officers are:
Wm. Eastman, Commander
W. Cashman, Senior Vice Commander
Geo. Austin, Junior Vice Commander
F.W. Oliver, Adjutant
H. Snibley, Quartermaster
D.K. Sanford, Chaplain
J.W. Spader, Officer of the Day
J. Young, Officer of the GUard
D. Gray, Quatermaster Sargeant
(Full story, p.2, col 5)

***

For two years past B.F. Ross has held the position of Marshal of the Town of Hollister. His term expires in May, at which time a new Marshal will be elected. Mr. G.W. Austin announces himself as a candidate for this important office. Mr. Austin is well known by all our people, and has obtained already a good reputation as an officer. In 1882 he was appointed night-watchman, the following year he was elected Marchal. For 3 succeeding years he was re-elected Marshal.


The Hollister FreeLance. May 10, 1889

***G.W. Austin Elected Marshal***

W.W. McDonald is a first class man, and no doubt would have made a good Marshal but Austin received 190 votes while McDonald could only scare up 101. Frank Ross was elected marshal last year because all the roughs and toughs in town from R.R. Brown down or rather up, through the whole category of dead beats, pimps and drunks supported him. They elected Ross last year, and Mac thought as long as they stood in with him, he could get enough of the respectable element to pull him through. Alas! he reckoned without the cost, and the result is he got soup.

Is Marshal Austin going to run the toughs, or will the toughs run the Marshal? Up to date the Marshal has run the toughs, and it is to be hoped will continue to do so.

***A Drunken Trio***

On Saturday three of Jon Cullen's men came into town and proceeded to get drunk. Marshal Austin arrested the worst one and told Joe Perez to put the team up. When Joe attempted to do this, the two who were left seized him by the legs and made him turn a somesault out of the wagon onto the ground. For this effort the remaining members of the trio were allowed to explore the mysteries of the calaboose.

On Sunday morning John Cullen came to town, paid the fines of his men, and then got drunk, was arrested and locked up in the calaboose along with one of the men whose fine he had just paid.





From The Adjutant General Report, Illinois:

One Hundred-Day Men.

Early in the spring of 1864 the government of the Northwestern States, namely: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, believing that the rebellion was nearing its close, and desiring to aid the Government in every way possible, tendered to the President a volunteer force of 85,000 one hundred-day men, to relieve the veteran soldiers from guard duty at our forts, arsenals and elesewhere. Of this number Illinois furnished thirteen regiments and two battalions.

Speaking of the the service performed by the hundred-day troops, Governor Yates, in his last annual message, paid them a high and deserved compliment in these words:

"Our regiments under this call performed indispensable and invaluable services in Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri, relieving garrisons of veterean troops who were sent to the front, took part in the Atlanta campaign, several of them also composing a part of that glorious army that has penetrated the very vitals of the rebellion and plucked some of the brightest laurels that this heroic age has woven for a patriotiic soldier. Five out of the one hundred-day regiments, after their term of service had expired, voluntarily extended their engagements with the Government, and marched to the relief of the gallant and able Rosecrans, who, at the head of an inadequate and poorly appointed army, was contending against fearful odds for the preservation of St. Louis and the safety of Missouri. The officers and soldiers of these regiments evinced the highest soldierly qualities and fully sustained the proud record our vetrans have ever attained in the field, and the State and Country owe them lasting gratitude, and we have in a great degree to attribute our success in Virginia and Georgia to the timely organization and efficient services of the one hundred-day volunteers furnished by all of said States. The President has, by order, returned them the thanks of the Government and the Nation for the service thus rendered, and accords the full measure of praise to them as our supporters and defenders in the rear, to which the regular reserve force of large armies are always entitled."

The One Hundred and Thirty Seventh Infantry Illinois Volunteers was organized at Camp Wood, Quincy, Ill, by Colonel John Wood, and was mustered in June 5, 1864, for one hundred days.

On June 9, 1864, the Regiment left Quincy, and proceeded to Memphis, Tenn., where it was assigned to the Fourth Brigade, District of Memphis, Colonel E. L. Baltwick, Thirty-ninth Wisconsin commanding. On July 9, assigned to Third Brigade, Colonel John Wood commanding, and was stationed on the Hernando road, on picket duty.

The Regiment was mustered out of the United States service at Springfield, Ill, September 4, 1864.

Census:
Name: George Austin / Age: 2 / Gender: M / Occupation: / Value of Real Estate: / Place of Birth: Ind / Attended School: /-

Buried:
JPG, Genealogy/Reunion/headstones/Headstone - George W Austin.jpg, George Washington Austin, HEADSTONE

George married RUE, Anna Marie on 4 Jul 1872 in Neodesha, Kansas. Anna (daughter of RUE, Garrett C. and STEWART, Sarah Ann) was born on 19 Jul 1855 in Butler, Ohio; died on 11 Oct 1938 in Hollister, San Benito, California, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Grace recalled Hollister life: “A big house with a big lot... Bad winters meant that wagon loads of mud had to be taken away. ... This was grain country then. You could see grain and hay storage bins everywhere.”

From Neodesha Citizen:

Married
Austin - Rue
On the 4th of July, 1872, at the residence of the bride’s father, by Rev E.C. Cooper, Mr. Geo Austin of Thayer to miss Anna M Rue.

The happy couple will please accept the thanks of The Citizen office for nice cake received. May George never Rue the day that made him husband

Applied for license July 1st.

1. AUSTIN, Conover Rue was born on 23 Jul 1873 in Kansas; died on 22 Feb 1953 in SANTA CLARA, California.
2. AUSTIN, Charlotte Amanda was born on 17 Sep 1875 in Hollister, San Benito, California, USA; died on 8 Aug 1956 in Oakland, Alameda Co., California.
3. AUSTIN, Selma Emeline was born on 1 Jan 1881 in Hollister, San Benito, California, USA; died on 13 Jan 1972 in SAN LUIS OBISPO, California.
4. AUSTIN, Grace Alma was born on 30 Sep 1885 in Hollister, San Benito, California, USA; died on 21 Jun 1986 in Hollister, San Benito, California, USA; was buried on 24 Jun 1986 in IOOF Cemetery, Hollister, San Benito, California, USA.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Military: Between Sep and Nov 1814, Private in New Hampshire Militia
• Residence: 1820, Hancock, Addison, Vermont
• Residence: 1833-1838, Oswego County, NY USA
• Residence: 1838, Bartholomew County, Indiana
• Residence: 1846, Carthage, Hancock, Illinois, USA
• Residence: 1850, Not Stated, Hancock, Illinois
• Census: 22 Oct 1850, Hancock County, IL, USA
• Will: 18 Dec 1855, Carthage, Hancock, Illinois, USA

Notes:

On February 6, 1856, an auction was held for Francis’ possessions. Most of the larger items were sold to FW Austin and D Cratsenberg. The total auction proceeds were under $200.

Residence:
1820 Newspaper item indicates possibly New Haven, VT (also in Addison county)

Census:
Francis & Eleanor living on farm with their six youngest children-Name: Francis B Austin / Age: 54 / Gender: M / Occupation: Farmer / Value of Real Estate: $300 / Place of Birth: N H / Attended School: /-

Francis married WHITTEN, Eleanor L on 1 Apr 1818. Eleanor (daughter of WHITTEN, John and HALL, Betsey) was born on 1 Dec 1800 in New Hampshire; died on 24 Feb 1874 in Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1833-1838, Oswego County, NY USA
• Residence: 1838, Bartholomew County, Indiana, USA
• Residence: 1850, Hancock, Illinois
• Census: 22 Oct 1850, Hancock County, IL, USA
• Residence: 1860, Bushnell, McDonough, Illinois

Notes:

Census:
Name: Eleanor Austin / Age: 49 / Gender: F / Occupation: / Value of Real Estate: / Place of Birth: N H / Attended School: /-

Notes:

Marriage
Date: 1818«s125 Online publication - Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004.Original data - This unique collection of records was extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic databases. Originally, the information was derived from an array of materials including pedigree charts, family history articles, querie.»

Notes:

Died:
“and d there in 1847, aged 78”

Nathan married BROWN, Betsey. Betsey was born in 1773 in Francestown, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, USA; died on 2 Apr 1808 in Rochester, Windsor, Vermont, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married HALL, Betsey in 1799 in Cornish, NH. Betsey (daughter of HALL, Samuel Read and HALL, Elizabeth) was born on 10 Sep 1777; died on 20 Jan 1830. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Emigration: 1800, Rochester, Windsor, VT, USA

Notes:

From Cochrane p. 344

But little is known of the ancestry of the Austins of this town. The father of Nathan, named below, was killed by the Indians, but the time and place cannot be ascertained. The father and son were fording a river, both on one horse, when the savages fired upon them. The father was killed and fell into the river, but the boy and the horse escaped unhurt. This boy was taken to Pelham, and there he was brought up, and there he married; and his posterity are very numerous and respectable.

NATHAN AUSTIN came here from Pelham, and began the Danforth farm, west of the Gould place, in 1780. His wife was Phebe Barker, half-sister to Capt. Peter Barker. Brought with him a large family. Moved to Rochester Vt., in 1800, and died there very aged in 1840.


From Trapper Byrne:

Nathan 4 joined up with the Northern Continental Army at Saratoga,
N.Y., in 1777. He started something called the Danforth Farm in Antrim,
N.H., in 1780

Nathan married BARKER, Phebe. Phebe (daughter of BARKER, Zebadiah and MERRILL, Phebe) was born on 4 Jun 1748 in Metheun, Mass; died after 1780 in Metheun, Mass. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Byrne.FTW]

Samuel R. Hall, probably came to Croyden, to see about some land owned by his father, and settled there as a farmer. He held the offices of constable, collector, tithingman, moderator etc., and was a soldier from that town in the revolutionary war. He had surveyed in 1794, some of the eastern townships of Canada, and purchased the half of one of them, of fraudulent parties, and on Jan. 20, 1796, he started from Croydon, with his family, to go to Canada and take possession of his purchase, and proceeded as far as Guildhall, Vt., before he knew of the fraud. The swindlers had been paid, and Mr. Hall found himself in Guildhall (which was nearly a wilderness at that time), without the means to make any more purchases. He lived in Guildhall several years, and was a great spiritual blessing to the town; the people were destitute of the preached gospel, and Mr. Hall gathered them together and conducted prayer meetings, with exhortations, and his gifts and usefulness, appeared to justify his becoming a preacher of the gospel, and he was accordingly ordained as a Congregational minister. In 1807, he removed to Rumford, Me., where he was the means of gathering a church, and became its pastor, and continued such until his death. Mrs. Hall was a feeble woman in the later years of her life.

Samuel married HALL, Elizabeth in Nov 1775 in Croyden, NH. Elizabeth (daughter of HALL, Hezekiah and TAFT, Elizabeth or Deborah) was born in Dec 1754; died on 14 Jun 1806 in Guildhall, VT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Byrne.FTW]

She was living with her uncle Lieut. Edward Hall of Croydon, when she married