The OHS Pipe Organ Database

Donald Basil Austin

BuilderID 225

Builder Identification

Hartford, Connecticut, 1954–2004.

Additional Notes

  • From the OHS PC Database, derived from A Guide to North American Organbuilders, rev. ed. by David H. Fox (Organ Historical Society, 1997). —

    Born 27 March, 1933, Hartford Connecticut; son of Frederick B. Austin; With the family firm Austin Organs Inc. of Hartford Connecticut from circa 1954, president, 1972–1990.

    Sources:

    • Austin Company literature.
    • Organ Handbook (OHS 1984), 13.

  • From the OHS Database Builders Listing editor, updated March 8, 2016 —

    Donald Basil Austin was born March 27, 1933 in Hartford, Connecticut. He was the son of Frederick B. Austin;1 and father of Kimberlee Austin.1 He was with the family firm Austin Organs Inc. of Hartford, Connecticut from circa 1954, and was president from 1972 until 19903 when he became chairman of board of directors, a post he held until his death. He died September 17, 2004, in Hartford, Connecticut. His wife Marilyn, succeeded him as chair of the board.4

    Professional Associations:

    • American Pipe Organ Builder's Association (APOBA) — served term as president
    • American Institute of Organ Builders (AIO)
    • International Society of Organ Builders

    Sources:

    1. OHS PC Database, derived from A Guide to North American Organbuilders by David H. Fox (Organ Historical Society, 1997), 58.
    2. Austin Organs Inc. website, Accessed Nov 15. 2015.
    3. Orpha Ochse. The History of the Organ in the United States (Indiana University Press, 1975) p .
    4. Austin website.

  • For further information on Austin Company, see:

    Austin Organ Company 1899-1937 and Austin Organs, Inc. from 1937.

    For further information on the Austin family, see: Austin Family Overview.

Database Entries

There are no entries in the database that describe organs by Donald Basil Austin.

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