Austin, Edwin Nelson, Bishop of the Liberty Ward, Bear Lake county, Idaho, since 1877, is the son of Julius Augustus Creazer Austin and Octavia Ann Lane, and was born in Suffield, Hartford county, Conn., Sept. 5. 1840. The home of his parents was for a long time open to the traveling Elders of the Church, among whom were Ezra T. Benson and John M. Woolley, through whose administrations they embraced the gospel about the year 1842. Feb. 4, 1846, they, with other Saints under the leadership of Samuel Brannan, left New York harbor on board the old ship "Brooklyn" for California. Sailing around Cape Horn she touched at the island of Juan Fernandes for fuel and water, and also at Honolulu, landing at Yerba Buena (now San Francisco), in July, 1846, after a cruise of nearly six months. Edwin was a little over seven years old when gold was discovered in Sutter's millrace on the American river, and with his parents immediately removed to "Mormon Island," to engage in washing out the precious metal. Edwin had the distinction of being the youngest gold hunter in the "Diggings." Upon word reaching California that the gathering place of the Saints was Great Salt Lake valley, he, together with his parents, took up the line of march over the Sierra Nevada mountains, arriving at the "Old Fort," Salt Lake City, in the fall of 1848. In the spring of 1849 he was baptized into the Church and soon afterwards moved to Farmington, Davis county. At the age of seventeen he went with a rescuing party to Salmon river, Idaho, where the Bannock Indians were robbing and killing the settlers. April 17, 1863, his marriage with Alvira Naomi Lane was celebrated at Centerville, Utah. With wife and one child he moved to Bear Lake county, Idaho, in 1864, and thus became one of the first settlers at Paris. Among his callings of responsibility in the Church it may be mentioned that he acted as clerk of Bear Lake Stake and as a member of the first High Council in the same Stake. He also served as captain in the Nauvoo Legion. Dec. 7, 1886, he was called to act as Bishop of Liberty Ward, and was ordained to that position under the hands of Apostle Brigham Young, jr., Aug. 25, 1877; this position he still holds. Oct. 28, 1872, he married Emma Wood in the Endowment House, Salt Lake [p.453] City. He has also filled a number of positions of trust and honor in the county, state and nation: He was elected the first sheriff of Bear Lake county, was appointed one of the commissioners to organize Bear Lake county: served as county surveyor for several terms, and has been deputy United States land and mineral surveyor, and mineral surveyor for the State of Idaho. July 4, 1864, together with Charles Oakey, he raised the "Stars and Stripes" on the first liberty pole erected in Bear Lake county. In response to a call from Pres. Wilford Woodruff, Jan. 19 1898, he went to California, where he performed a short mission; laboring most of the time in the city of San Diego. Bishop Austin is the father of 21 children, namely 11 by his wife Elnora N., and 10 by his second wife, Emma. A strong, resolute will is perhaps his chief personal characteristic, which, taken with his firm conviction of the truth of the gospel, accounts for his close touch with the authorities of the Church on all leading questions. This clement is made to appear in a striking degree in his uncompromising attitude toward evils which he discerns in his own household, as well as among the people, over whom he has for so many years presided. In the discharge of his local official duties he has ever sought and followed the advice of his superiors. He has the courage of his convictions, and his fidelity to principle has never been questioned by friend or foe. He is outspoken in what he conceives to be right&emdash;correcting a friend as readily as an enemy. The same attribute has dominated his financial calculations to the extent that for many years it has been proverbial in his family that no debt must exist and that there is safety only in living within the means they are able to acquire.