88 Y. 1 M. 9 D.

Biography:
"EBENEZER P. AUSTIN, an honored pioneer physician of Indiana. He began his successful career as a general medical practitioner and surgeon in Preble County, Ohio, in 1839. From 1858 until 1887, he was constantly occupied with the demands of the large practice in Noblesville. He is a native of Chester County, Pa., and was born November 11, 1807. His Father, John Austin, likewise a native of the Quaker State, was reared and educated in his birthplace, and, attaining to manhood, married Miss Mary Pile, also a native of Pennsylvania and the daughter of Elizabeth Pile. The parents, after spending many years of their married life in Pennsylvania, removed to Indiana and settled in Wayne County in 1826. Both the paternal and maternal ancestry were of English nativity. Ebenezer Austin received his preparatory education in the schools of Chester County, and was a youth of nineteen when he accompanied his father and mother to Indiana. The father, a mechanic by occupation, desired his son to learn a trade, and Dr. Austin, selecting that of a plasterer, continued in that line of work until 1836. He was not, however, satisfied with that vocation, and determined, although then twenty-nine years of age, to adopt a profession. Ebenezer began the study of medicine with Dr. P. A. Whitridge, of New Paris, Preble County, Ohio, and having read with him two years, completed his course of instruction with Dr. Peck, also of New Paris. In 1839, Dr. Austin established himself in practice in Camden, Preble County, Ohio, and continued in that locality two years, then removed to Jacksonburg, Wayne County, where he was located for the succeeding five years. His next field of professional duty was Spiceland, Henry County, Indiana in which part of the state he was also occupied busily for five years. In 1858, Dr. Austin settled permanently in Noblesville, and year after year, alike in stormy or pleasant weather, went his daily rounds, until at an advanced age, he retired from professional cares in 1887, having been for almost a half-century one of the leading physicians of the state.

Before entering upon his practice Dr. Austin had received the benefit of a course of lectures in an Ohio medical college, and throughout his long and prosperous career as a physician and surgeon lost no opportunity for improvement, and with reading and close research kept himself fully abreast of the times. In the early days our subject was a noted Abolitionist, and ever since the formation of the party has been a stalwart Republican, taking an abiding interest in both local and national issues. In 1828, having just attained his majority, Ebenezer Austin was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Alexander, a native of North Carolina. This estimable lady, the daughter of a pioneer of Wayne County, Indiana, passed away April 17, 1834, leaving three daughters, all of whom are now deceased.

In 1838, Dr. Austin was wedded to Mrs. Ellen (Eliason) Smith, daughter of John Eliason, a native of Delaware, and a very early settler of Kentucky, lately becoming a pioneer of Preble County, Ohio. Mrs. Eliason was in maidenhood Miss Nancy Dickey, a lady of worth and intelligence. The excellent wife of our subject received her education in the primitive schools of Ohio and well versed in domestic knowledge, was ably fitted to assume the responsibilities of a wife and mother when she first entered the marriage relation. The pleasant home of Dr. and Mrs. Austin was blessed with the birth of eight children, four of whom are living, two sons and two daughters. Emma is the wife of H. Conner, of Hamilton County; Josie is at home; C. B. D. Austin is a sculptor and marble dealer residing in Unionville, Mo.; Isaac B. is a prosperous druggist of Noblesville. The others are deceased.

Mrs. Austin had a son from her first marriage, Elijah Hector Smith. He is a respected citizen of Morristown, Henry County, Illinois. Dr. and Mrs. Austin have been valued members of the Christian Church for over half a century, and have throughout their lives been foremost in good work and benevolent enterprises."