Edward Orramel Austin was born in Leslie, New York on December 28, 1825, and was educated in the field of Civil Engineer and surveyor.

    On August 13, 1856, he set out in search of a new and more beautiful location in the wilderness of north central Pennsylvania where he might build his future. On the sixth of September of that year, he found such a place where the two streams flow together.

    On September 30, 1856, he purchased two hundred acres of this land at the cost of three dollars per acre. Here he built his first home of logs near where the two streams met. 

    On July 1, 1865, he "walked over the hill from Cowley to home," home from the Civil War to his beloved little house in the valley where he began building his town.

    Instrumental in the construction of roads into his valley. He soon brought industry to Freeman Run in the form of sawmills, chemical factories, kindling wood factories, a large paper mill and, a Rail Road that brought it all together. E.O. Austin soon came to have the most thriving community in Potter County.

    The lumber from the virgin timber in his valley provided ideal material for a new and larger home, he constructed it on the north side of the west end of the towns main street.  The beautiful home of Victorian design built for his family was completed in 1878.

    The ambitions of E.O. Austin sat him long side the United States President , James Buchanan, as well as Pennsylvania's State Senator, Baldwin.  He also served two terms as Potter County Commissioner and in later years as Austin's Justice of the Peace.  A great historian and writer, his works can be found in libraries near and far in Potter County.

    E.O. Austin and his town prevailed through floods and fires.  There was a flood in 1889 and a fire in 1890, another flood in 1894, and the Turner Street fire in 1897.  His community continued to rebuild and prosper.       

    The town of Austin became a Borough and was incorporated on June 14, 1888.

    On August 1, 1909 E.O. Austin passed away.  A most successful and highly respected man of his community, his town fell silent on the day of his funeral. He was 85 years old.

    Today he rests alongside his wife Julia in there family lot in Austin's Forest Hill Cemetery.  A towering stone of white marble marks his resting place.

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