Courtesy Dr. Stan Cianfarano
Late Warren County Judge John Austin left behind a collection of books and documents dating to the 1600s that is now available to the public, county officials said.
Austin, a former county judge, historian and Queensbury town supervisor, died in June 2019 at 84. He spent decades researching genealogy, local history, the Town of Queensbury and Warren County.
The Warren County Historian’s Office and Warren County Clerk’s Office organized the materials into a research library housed in the Warren County Clerk’s Office record room.
Before he died, Austin wanted the collection to be available for public use.
“John was an amazing man, and his hope before he passed was that we could find a way to make this available for the public to use,” said Warren County Historian Dr. Stan Cianfarano.
Retired Warren County Clerk Pam Vogel spent hundreds of hours organizing the material so the public could use it, Cianfarano said. Vogel died in October 2025 and left a list of remaining tasks.
Austin also left money in his will to Warren County to preserve and display the collection, officials said.
The shelves include hundreds of books, folders and other materials. Much of the collection pertains to Queensbury residents, along with documents and books related to Irish lineage, information about local immigration from Ireland, and material from the Mayflower Society.
Members of the Warren County Board of Supervisors were shown the collection April 17.
“We are very thankful for this gift from Judge Austin. He was a great man and dedicated public servant, and it is fitting that even after he has passed, his lifetime of work will live on to benefit all of us,” said Kevin Geraghty, chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors.
Cianfarano said officials are also reviewing computer files Austin compiled and how they might be made available to the public.
The public can review the collection by appointment. Call Cianfarano at 518-761-6544.
Provided by Warren County; edited for style and length.