Preface

This book is the culmination of thirty years' research, thought, study, prayer, good luck, and the help of many gracious and encouraging people.

I began with the assumption that Austills are few and far-between; that anyone with that name is surely a relative. Austills have turned up in surprising numbers and in many places. This book makes no claim to have reached all the Austills, but it is hoped that anyone interested in our line will continue the search and will find as much inspiration and enjoyment as I have. Many avenues remain to be investigated. For living Austills, telephone directories can be of great help. Military records have not been searched as thoroughly as they should be. Advertisements placed in newspapers and in genealogical publications almost always bring letters. The vital records of England and of most states have been copied and filmed by the latter Day Saints church and are to be seen at their large genealogical library in Salt Lake City and in the branch libraries. Nearly all of the counties mentioned in the book have had at least one county history written. These can be invaluable.

This book was at first intended to cover only the family of my ancestor, William Austill (m. 1807) of Ross and Pike Counties, Ohio. But every clue led to another; and who could turn down the opportunity to look into the lives of Quaker Austills in England in the 1600's? Or Austills involved in the Creek Wars in the early days in Alabama? So I have included Austills wherever I have found them, and hope others can fill in the gaps.

The purpose of presenting the book in loose-leaf form is to enable readers to re-arrange chapters if they wish, or to add pages of their own family story; to add pictures and documents as desired.

One problem of making a book of family history is to decide in what locality to place individuals who move around. Some people lived all their lives in one area; others were more peripatetic. My father, for instance, was born in Ohio, lived from early childhood until retirement in Kansas, and then moved to Oregon, where he is buried. What state can claim this wonderful man? I have tried to place individuals in the state in which they lived the greater part of their lives; so the story of Joseph William Austill is found in the Kansas section.

If information is less complete, the family group sheet of the child will be placed after the group sheet of his father and mother.

You will notice several different spellings of the name Austill. In general, northern people use "ill" while southerners use "ell". There is no hard and fast rule.

This gathering of Austills has been a lifetime of enjoyment and of learning. My hope is that people who read this book and find it interesting will let me know; if you have additional information, please share it with me; if you see errors, report them so that we may correct our copies.

Please do write to me; and let us all continue this search for more and more Austill knowledge!

P.S. I David Elzy Austill have been entrusted with the collection of Juanita's Genealogical Work. I welcome correspondence & questions.