William LaneAustin(1933-1941): William Lane Austin rose through the ranks at the Census Bureau, climbing from clerk to director, over the course of his career. Born in Mississippi in 1871, he graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1897, earning his law degree a year later. However, Austin chose to become a teacher rather than pursue a career in law. In 1900, he accepted an appointment as a clerk for the Census Office, staying with the agency when it became the permanent Census Bureau in 1902. From 1913 until 1917, Austin was chief clerk of the Census Bureau; from 1917 to 1932, he was chief statistician for agriculture, as well as chief statistician for cotton and tobacco statistics. For the first half of 1933, he was assistant director of the Census Bureau. In April of that year, after William Mott Steuart retired, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Austin director. As director, Austin oversaw eight years of experimentation and change in census and survey work, including the introduction of statistical sampling in the 1940 census.  He died in Mississippi in 1949. Source of this article (above) with a photo  is http://www.census.gov/history/www/census_then_now/director_biographies   Note: to Austin researchers from Helen  on March 6, 2012   Thanks to William Lane Austin, the Director of the 1940 U. S. Census and to many other U. S. Government workers, we will be able to actually view the digital copy of the 1940 Census on April 1, 2012. There is also a guide and map for the ED district locations that you will need in order to find a person.  No general name index will be available right away. Go to:  http://www.1840census.archives.gov to see a video of William Austin and the story of what will be available for you to see on the website and how to access the right page that you want to see.   AFAOA.org  has a listing in the master index for William Lane Austin. He was a descendant of Henry Austin of Calvert Co, MD  (Liz Austin Carlin, compiler) William was one of four sons of Dr. Richmond Pearson Austin b 1835 Rowan, NC, d 1898 Harperville, Scott Co., MS.   Other records that I found yesterday for William, are: Ancestry.com: Biography & Genalogy Master Index results show: 1. Biography Index. A cumulative index to biographical material in books and magazine, Vol 3, Sept 1952-Aug 1955; Vol 7: Sept. 1964-Aug 1967. New York: H. W. Wilson Co., 1953, 1956, 1968 2. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. 38; Vol. 47. New York: James T. White & Co., 1953 & 1965. 3. Who Was Who in America. Vol 2, 1943-1950. Chicago: A. N. Marquis Co., 1963.   Ancestry.com: 1. Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935. W. L. Austin married to Miss E. D. Campbell 30 Dec 1903, Scott Co., MS.   2. 1880 U. S. Census, Walnut Grove, Leake, MS Beat 5, 14 Jun, Dw 270, Fam 308. William is age 9 b MS, fa b NC, mo b MS. Living with his parents: R. P. Austin, 44, physician, NC, NC, SC and Susan 36, wife, keeping house, MS, NC, MA; William, 9, son, MS, NC, MS; Annie 6, dau, MS;  Annie 6, dau, MS; Duffie 4, son, MS; Susan 7 months, dau, MS; Richard 23, nephew, a student; Helen Henderson 39; John Strickland 23, w, m, servant and Noah Gunter, servant, w, m. Both servants worked on the farm.   3. 1900 U. S. Census, Scott Co, MS, Beat 1, 1 Jun, Harpersville, Dw. 15, Fam 15. Sudie D. Austin 56, Nov 1843, widow, 8 ch, 5 liv, MA; W. Lane 29, single, son, Jan 1871, MS, farmer; Annie G., 26, dau, Nov 1873, book-keeper, MS; Samuel D. 24, Mch 1876, salesman (he was also the census enumerator of this page); Alma T. 18, Dec 1881, MS; Orrin O. 16, son, Mch 1884, MS, at school.   4. 1910 ?   5.1920 U. S. Census, Washington DC, City, SD 40, ED 329, Jan 5, 1920, page 3B, address 1412 Delafield St.. William L. Austin 48, Statistician Y. S. Census, owns his home, married, MS, NC, MS; D. Campbell Austin 42, wife, MS, MS, MS; Virginia G. Austin, 8, niece, b MS; Lula P. Campbell, 41, cousin; F. Myrtle William 20 cousin.   6. 1930 U. S. Census, Washington DC, City, 13th Pct, ED 365-SD 1,Tract 20, Block 2709, South, Apr. 13, Page 40, Dw. 94, Fam 94. Austin, William, head, owns home, $15,000., m, w, 50, married at age 32, MS, NC, MS; Austin, D. Campbell, wife, F, W, 57, married at age 31, Ms, MS, MS; Campbell, Lulu P., lodger, f, w, 55, Single, MS, MS, MS, clerk; Davis, Katie, servant, F, Negro, 19, Single, NC, NC, NC, Cook.   AFAOA.org: From AFAOA Archival Documents. E.A.M., Austin Records Vo. 3, Part 2 of 2, page 49 of 77. Who’s Who in America, Vol 8, p 119: William Lane Austin, statistician, b Hurricane Farm, Scott Co, MS Jan 25, 1871. (son of Richmond Pearson, M. D., and Sue D. Lane, of Harpersville, MS.)   Today’s message is sent to you for you to add to your records or for future reference.  I did not find the 1910 census yet, so I do not know if he had any children.  Since no children lived with him in 1920 or 1930, I assume that he and D. had none.  Of course, they might have been sent to boarding school.  The 1940 census should have an interesting entry for William!      Enjoy.