American botanist from Finchville in Orange County, New York, who specialised in bryophytyes. He settled in Closter, New Jersey and met John Torrey, and through him became Curator (1859-1863) of the herbarium at Columbia College (later Columbia University). He was considered a leading authority on north American mosses and hepatics and became a founding member of the Torrey Botanical Club. The herbarium of Columbia College, including Austin's original material, was subsequently transferred to the New York Botanical Garden (NY). The bryophyte genus Austinia Müll. Hal. was named in his honour. After Austin's death, copies of his exsicatae were sold by Leo Lesquereux to help his family. Material was purchased by BM and further exsiccatae at K were transferred to BM after 1961 under the terms of the Morton Agreement.