Was delighted to find this digest on the Internet and am now committed to investigating my own Austin genealogy. I can only go as far back as my grandfather, Julius W. Austin who was born in NC (probably in the 1870s and perhaps in or around Shelby). Does anyone have this name popping up in their research? Also, I have lived in Australia since 1982, and would be happy to assist anyone who is tracking Austins on this side of the globe. My email is [email protected] Peggy Austin Bright