Obituary: copied from fragile local newspaper clipping archived in Standley & Austin Scrapbook by Mabel (Hoover) Amery

Doctor Peter Austin
Dr. Peter Austin died Wednesday evening, March 9, 1904, at 7:45 o'clock aged 78 years, 2 months and 29 days.
While the death of this pioneer was not unexpected, nevertheless the announcement cast a gloom over our city, for he was widely known and universally respected and beloved.
Peter Austin, son of William W. Austin, was born near Lynchburg, Va, December 10, 1825. When a boy of 13 in 1838 he came with his father to Carroll County and located on a farm in the Sugartree bottoms on what is now known as the Dobbins farm. After receiving the limited education then possible in the rural districts of the then sparsely settled country, he went to Columbia to attend College.
In 1845 when the Mexican War broke out he came home and enlisted in the United States Army and went to Mexico with a company made up largely from this section of Missouri. The hardships of this campaign can scarcely be imagined now, nor the dangers of going into this hostile country, but he braved it all and was in the thick of the battle at Taos, where his cousin, James Austin, also of Carroll County, was killed.
Returning from this successful campaign, he went to Philadelphia to complete his medical education, graduating from one of the leading medical colleges in the United States, after which he returned to Carroll County to practice his chosen profession.
January 4, 1854, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Wilcoxson in Howard County and brought his bride to this city, where they lived continuously until his death. His faithful wife, to whom he was joined in wedlock over fifty years ago, survives him; also two sons and five daughters--Jos. W. Austin, Mrs. Laura Williams, Mrs. Lockie Cook, Miss Frances Austin, and Albert Austin. Dr. Austin was one of a family of thirteen, only one of whom--Mrs. Fannie Arnold is still living.
When the civil war broke out he enlisted in Price's army, being surgeon in Slack's division.
Doctor Austin practiced his profession in this city for nearly half a century, and it is no exaggeration to say that he was in the front rank. He was a close student, kept in touch with everything that would tend to increase his efficiency and usefulness in his professional. His judgement was almost unerring and his counsel was much sought by the medical men of the county. Being a kind hearted gentleman he always responded to calls from those in distress and many a night he spent in the saddle, going to all parts of the county to minister to the suffering ones without thought of himself and without price.
Dr. Austin was a christian gentleman. While yet a young man he was converted and united with the Baptist church, attending to his duties as such in his usual quiet and unostentatious way.
As a citizen Dr. Austin was one of our best. He was honorable and upright in his dealings with his fellowmen, and thus had the confidence of all. He was a man of retiring disposition, yet surrounded himself with a large circle of friends to whom he was always loyal and true. He was a man of strong character, progressive and his influence was always found on the side of right.
In 1900 Dr. Austin's health failed and he went to California to see if the change in climate would not prove beneficial. He was some better when he returned but was never again able to resume his practice. Year by year he steadily lost ground and for several months it had been evident that the end was not far off. Saturday night he became very ill; sinking spells followed one after another. At intervals he would revive and recognize his loved ones as they gathered about his bedside and in every way tried to alleviate his sufferings; but each recurring spell left him weaker, and Wednesday evening, surrounded by his entire family, except Mrs. Berryhill, death came and relieved him of his sufferings.
This, in brief, is the history of one of the best of the many good citizens our city has been proud to own, and in his death our city has suffered a severe loss and his family has lost a loving husband and kind father.
The funeral services will be held at the Baptist church Saturday after noon at 2 o'clock, conducted by Revs. West and Kellar.

Although the addition of the following news clipping will make a very long memorial, the details written about his military service are remarkable. It is archived in Carrollton, Missouri Library with hand written date of 9 Dec. 1901.

Peter E. Austin, one of the most popular and well known physicians in this city or county, died at his home on North Jefferson and Sixth streets, Carrollton, Mo., Saturday, December 7th, 1901, at 11:30 A.M., surrounded by his grief-stricken relatives and friends.
Dr. Austin was born in Bedford County Virginia, August 6, 1833, and moved to Missouri in company with his mother, older brothers and sisters, arriving in Carroll County, October 30, 1842 and settling on a farm seven or eight miles south west of Carrollton. Here the subject of this sketch worked on the farm and attended the common schools of the neighborhood, until about the years 1851-52, when he attended school at Lexington, Mo. In the years of 1854 and 1855 he attended school at the Carrollton Academy, then under the tutorage of the late Wm. M. Eads and David Ball. About the years 1856 and 1857, he attended school at Jones Commercial College and Mathematical Institute in St. Louis.
About this time he conceived the idea of studying medicine, and shortly thereafter entered the then famous McDowell Medical College of St. Louis, from which he graduated in the spring of 1831, in the same class with Dr. Theo. Dobbins.
Returning home from College, he found all his neighbors espousing the cause of the South; he enlisted in Co. C., Col. Ben Rives' Regiment, Genl. Slacks Division, Missouri State Guard.
At the battle of Carthage, he was Orderly Sargeant; but at the. battle of Wilson's Creek, he was removed from the ranks and made Assistant Surgeon of the Division, in which position he served at the battles of Dry Wood and Lexington. At the expiration of the six month's service in the Mo. State Guard, he enlisted in the regular Confederate service, and was chosen Surgeon of the celebrated Shelby Brigade, under Command of Gen. Jo O. Shelby. In this Command he served as Surgeon until the close of the Civil war, dismantling at Corsicana, Texas, when he and a few comrades returned to Missouri, while Gen. Shelby and a portion of his Command went into Mexico. While with Gen. Shelby's Command, Dr. Austin was in all of the principal engagements in which this celebrated command was engaged, prominent among which were the battles of Prairie Grove, Ark., Springfield, Mo. Jany. 8, 1863; Hartsville, Mo., Cape Girardeau Mo., Currant River, thence back into Arkansas, where almost continues flighting was had on White and Red Rivers, north of Little Rock, until the fall of 1864. Entering Missouri in 1864, he was in the memorable raid made by Gen. Price. Commencing in Southeast Missouri with almost continuous fighting at the battles of Cape Girardeau, Pilot Knob, Jefferson City, Booneville, Glasgow, Lexington, Independence, Westport, Mo., Fort Scott, Kansas, and Newtoria, Mo. After the last named battle, they pushed on in their retreat through the Indian Territory into Texas, when, as before stated, Shelby's Brigade disbanded. After returning home in the fall of 1865, Dr. Austin commenced the practice of his profession and at the same time farming at his old home in Sugartree bottom, continuing the same in a most successful manner until 1884. In this year he left his farm and came to Carrollton to live, still however taking an active interest in his farming as well as his profession.
He was often chosen as a delegate to the various County and State Democratic Conventions, and had an extensive acquaintance throughout the state. In the improvement and advancement of the county and town, no one was more deeply interested than Dr. Austin, being in every sense a public spirited man, but always considerate with reference to the poorer class being taxed for such improvements. Socially and morally no better man lived in Carroll county. Universally polite, affable and agreeable with all, he was esteemed and liked by every one with whom he came in contact, always having due regard for the opinions and feelings of those with whom he might engage in discussion of either religious, political or other subjects coming up for discussion.
But, coming down to the noblest traits of this man, for self sacrificing and unswerving devotion to his brothers and sisters and their children, neither his superior and perhaps not his equal can be found in this country.

Additional known siblings and unlinked at this time include:
Austin, James (17 APR 1814 - 14 AUG 1815)
Austin, Susan J. (17 FEB 1816 - 10 JAN 1861)