William Austin was born March 10, 1800, at Westfield, Washington, New York. In 1802 the family was living in Township of Young, Leeds, Canada. He married Agnes Nicol of Hammond, St. Lawrence County, New York, in the year 1822. Baptized and confirmed the same day, June 1, 1838 by Elder James Blaksley, Presiding Elder of the Conference at Hammond, St. Lawrence County, New York. He came to Nauvoo in 1838. There he went to work for the Church, quarrying rock for the Temple. Assisted with its building until its completion, helping to lay the top corner stone and getting lumber to make the stairs. The lumber had to be hauled down the river. When the house was completed, he was called to be door keeper.

In the spring of 1844 he was sent out to advocate on the rights of Joseph Smith being president of the United States. He found the mob spirit so strong that he could do no good, so he returned home. He arrived home three days before they took Joseph and Hyrum prisoners. They took them to Carthage Jail where they martyred them.

The mob spirit increased, so the Saints had to prepare to leave Nauvoo. So he went to gather the boats to help get the Saints across the river. He had charge of the boats and assisted in getting the first company across the river. This was in February, 1846. The weather was very cold. The Saints proceeded on their way, not knowing where they would find a resting place. He accompanied them as a pioneer until they got through the settlements, then he was honorably released to return to Nauvoo. He then prepared himself and family for the journey across the river. They crossed the river March 28, 1846, and camped for several days, then moved on to Bentonsport on the Des Moines River.

While traveling in camp, their main living was parched cornmeal and raw corn. He stayed at Bentonsport most of the winter. There he got a team and moved to the last camp near White Pigeon. He lift there in the spring of 1847. He joined in with a friend that had a team and worked in company with nine others and put in a crop of corn and buckwheat. They had to stand guard to protect their families and stock from the Indians. In the spring following, they had to move back across the river on account of the Indians being so bad.

The Omaha Indians were very hostile and the agent ordered them off. All those that were not able to move west had to cross the river and find a home for the season. He went to Harris Grove, took up a piece of ground and built a house. He stayed there until the spring of 1852, then left to come to the valley.

He left there with two yoke of oxen, six cows, a good wagon, and a yoke of steers. They left their home the last of April and lay in camp some weeks before they started to travel. Then they were organized into fifties. They crossed the river and then were prepared for the journey of eleven hundred and fifty miles across the plains.

The company was divided and he had charge of thirty-five wagons. They traveled all that distance without going through a white settlement. There were a few soldiers stationed at Fort Laramie about five hundred miles from the river, also a few at Fort Bridger. It being Indian country all the way, they had to tie up the stock nights and stand guard all through. They arrived at Salt Lake Valley October 8, 1852, then went to North Ogden until 1855.

In 1853 he married Agnes McIntire in the old Endowment House at Salt Lake City. She was the mother of his children. In the fall of 1855 he moved to Box Elder, where he stayed until 1858. When Johnston's Army came, the Saints moved south en masse. The army passed through and settled at Camp Floyd on the west side of the valley.

In the fall he returned to Box Elder where he stayed until the spring of 1860, then moved to Logan. In 1864 he was called by the authorities of the Church to go and help settle Bear Lake Valley. In the spring of 1865 two of his children died with diphtheria.

This was a very cold valley and a hard place to grow grain on account of frost. Provisions had to be hauled from Logan, a distance of sixty miles, by team and wagon. Due to this, together with his advanced years, he decided to move out, so he moved to Weston, Idaho, and from there to Trenton, Utah. At Trenton, he homesteaded 160 acres of land. Here he spend the remaining years of his life.

He died as he had lived -- firm in the faith of the Gospel. At the funeral comforting remarks were made by Elder Thomas Godfrey, Andrew McCoombs, Henry Yates and Bishop James B. Jardine. He was buried at Trenton, Utah.