AUSTIN, Paul Drewy, was born in Maury County Tennessee on August 28, 1912. His parents, 
Charles Harris Austin and Otie Eva Kerr were natives of Lincoln County and Maury County respectively. 
Paul married Ruby Lee Barlar during 1940. Ruby was born September 21, 1912 also in Maury County. Ruby 
resided at the time of their marriage with her parents Thomas Jefferson Barlar and Lela May Coffee. The 
T. J. Barlar farm was about one mile down Covey Hollow Road toward the highway 31 from the Charles H. 
Austin Farm. 

Upon their marriage the couple moved to Town Creek, Alabama where Paul began work at Reynolds Aluminum 
Company in the eastern part of Colbert County. Later they moved to Sheffield Alabama and during the early 
fifties out to eastern Colbert County where they lived out their lives in the Hatton and Old Brick Presbyterian 
Community. Born to Paul and Ruby were six children, Joyce Ann b. 1941; Warren Drewy b. 1944, Cecil Wayne 
b. 1946, Ernest Edward b. 1947, Mary Eva b. 1950; Ethel Ameree b, 1952. Paul & Ruby were dedicated to their 
family.  Paul & Ruby had many friends, and possessed a love of the academic subjects.  
He & Ruby were active members of the First Church of the Nazarene in Sheffield Alabama for some forty years 
where they served in various capacities. 

 Paul spent his productive life as a furnace operator for the worlds largest Aluminum manufacturing plant, Reynolds Aluminum Company.  He controlled the temperature of the huge gas furnaces that molded the ingots.  He worked in an era in which the American metals industry was dominant throughout the world. Paul Spent 35 years with the Company, from 1940 to 2/1/1975.  Paul was a deeply religious man. The Great Depression prevented Paul from getting a degree, as his older brother and two older sisters had.  However, he obtained a technical college degree in drafting.  Ruby was a homemaker.

 Paul descended from the following persons who are early pioneers and inhabitants of Maury County. James Kerr, circa 1812;  James W Austin who came from Lincoln County about 1890;  James D. Ausban to Giles County during the 1820's;  Robert Crockett who came to Giles County about 1809, James  Warden came  about 1806.  

Ruby is a descendent of the following persons who are early inhabitants of Maury and Giles County.  Coleman Chaffin who came to Maury County about 1810; William Lawhorn who came sometime after the revolutionary War; Chesley Coffee, Jr who came from Adair County KY about 1810; John Barlar who was in  Lawrence County by 1850; William Phillips who came to Giles County during the 1820's before his death; Bennet & Martha Kirby who was in the county by 1825; Hugh M. & Martha (Johnson) Barnett who was in Maury County by 1830;  James Hugh Wiley who inhabited Maury County by 1840. Of course there were many other Maury County progenitors involved between these first white inhabitants. 

Old Brick Church & cemetery is located in the eastern part of Colbert County near the Ford City and Old Brick Church Communities. This is near the County Line Road so called because it was at one time the road that spanned the eastern side of Colbert County, Alabama. 

Old Brick Church historical marker. The cemetery is on our right 50 yards.

Information provided by Wayne Austin administrator of this site. 6/30/2004.