I’m hoping that someone who reads this can help me solve a ‘mystery’. Rev. Simeon Austin (1818-1899), son of Freeman & Catherine (van Wagenen) Austin, was the brother of my great-great-great-grandfather, Charles Austin (1811-1842). I’m attempting to correct what I believe to be an inaccuracy that has popped up all over the internet, including the AFAOA database. In numerous family trees I see the note that Rev. Simeon Austin “...was also known as "Samuel", and “Samuel” has been added as a middle or even first name in some trees. I began compiling information on this Austin family some 20 years or so ago and have never found anything that shows that Simeon was known as Samuel. Today I took a look at all of the records/publications that I have that he is listed in and there is not a single one that gives his name as Samuel, mentions that he was known as Samuel, or that even shows a middle initial for him. They consistently refer to him as “Simeon Austin” with the only exception being the 1885 Nebraska State Census which says “Simon”. The addition of Samuel to his name seems to have come about some time in the last 3 or 4 years, and has now made it’s way into many public member trees on Ancestry.com. Possibly their ‘source’ is the AFAOA’s Thomas Austin of Rhode Island database (which appears to have been revised in 2011)? Previously, he was in everyone’s files simply as Simeon Austin. When I asked the AFAOA compiler if he could tell me the source, he could not. I have contacted a few people who have this same information in their public trees, but so far I have found no one who can site a source for this claim. . So, I’m wondering: Is there really anything out there to substantiate the claim that he was called Samuel was part of his name, or something that he was called? If so, would someone please share that source? At this point it appears it would be simpler if I am proven wrong than to try and get everyone to change their files! Really hoping for some feedback here. Thank you! Marilyn

On July 25, 2012, my wife of 56 years, Le Juan Shrimplin, died of lung cancer. Please remove her from your records. Thank you. Tom Shrimplin MY ADDRESS: TOM SHRIMPLIN 6142 ANDERSON AVENUE MANHATTAN, KANSAS 66503 PHONE = (785)-776-5904 EMAIL= lejuan@kansas.net