 Austin's son, Fred, joined his father's practice in later years, but the firm did not survive long after Austin's death.Throughout his later years, Austin maintained control of his firm and was famous as he aged for wearing a dark brown wig.He was the chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Public Buildings in New Haven at the time of his death; he also served on the New Haven city council in 1854 and belonged to the Masons for fifty years.