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William Edward Austin
William Edward
Austin was a retired attorney at Bay City. He lived in Southern
Texas practically all of his life and had a varied experience as a
merchant, public official and professional man.
He was born February
11, 1855. His father, William Austin, was born at Catskill, New
York, and was an early settler on the Gulf Coast of Texas and for
several years before the Civil War carried mail between Matagorda
and Indianola. When the war came on he joined the Confederate army
and was in service until captured and three months later was
exchanged and rejoined his command. After the war he resumed his
work as a mail carrier. William Austin married Elizabeth Ives, a
native of Virginia. They had four children: William Edward; George,
born in 1857, Jeannette Elizabeth born in 1859, and Charles, born in
1861. The son George, who died in 1920, spent the last twenty years
of his life as county clerk of Matagorda County, and by his marriage
to Annie M. Serrill had four children, Jeanette Elizabeth Highley,
Alma S. Doubeck, Zalie S. Schiel and Julia H. Posey. Jeanette
Elizabeth married first Charles Hatch and her second marriage was
with Ben Lindner. One child was born to the first marriage, Charles
Hatch, of Big Springs, Texas. Charles Austin was a merchant in San
Antonio, postmaster at Beaumont for several years, also in the
insurance business and died in 1922. He married Annie Sargent, and
they had two children, Mary E. Holiday and Stephen F. Austin.
William Edward Austin was reared in Matagorda County and entered
public schools during his boyhood. His first business training was
clerking in a drug store, but he left this job because among other
duties he was called upon to bottle castor oil. For several years he
was employed in the county clerk's office, and while there made use
of his opportunities to study law and in 1877 was admitted to the
bar at Matagorda. Shortly afterward he was elected county clerk, and
served in that office ten years, until failing health caused him to
retire. He spent some time recuperating at San Antonio and after his
health was restored became associated with his uncle, Galen Hodge,
in the mercantile business in Bay City. After another period of
activity for ten years he was again compelled to retire on account
of his health and subsequently he resumed his practice as a lawyer
in Bay City and was a member of the firm Linn & Austin until he
retired in 1919. He also served one term in the Thirtieth
Legislature. Judge Austin made a success of his work whether as a
lawyer or business man.
He married Mrs. Sophie (Presig) McCamly, widow of Dr. W. L. McCamly,
and who was born in Switzerland. Judge Austin had no children of his
own but had [two foster children, Annie McCamly and
William L. "Bo" McCamly] and three
foster [grand]children, whose names were Anthony Rugeley McCamly,
Willie Austin McCamly, Annie Dell McCamly. Willie became the wife of
Earl E. Cortes, a hardware merchant, and they had a daughter, Jan
Elizabeth, born in 1927. Annie Dell married Thomas Wheatly and
William Anthony married Joreene Iba Nola Hagler. [NOTE: The
preceding paragraph was changed from the original because Sophie's
grandchildren were listed as children.]
Judge Austin was a Democrat in politics, a member of the Episcopal
Church and was a charter and life member of Lodge No. 81,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Judge Austin always took an active
interest in the Democratic party and served as a delegate to state
conventions a number of times. He also took an active part in the
business activities and welfare of Bay City and Matagorda County.
Among the first modern buildings erected in Bay City was the Austin
and Austin Building, built in 1906, which was counted among his real
estate holdings.
Texas Under Many Flags, Clarence W. Wharton, American
Historical Society, 1930
Matagorda County
Genealogical Society Publication, Oak Leaves, Vol 8 #3, May
1989
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