The Young Families of Knox County, Ohio

CHARLES A. YOUNG.

Charles A. Young was born on May 10, 1827, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Hubbell and Rachael (Shipley) Young. This family came to Knox county, Ohio, about 1833, and located on a farm one mile northeast of the farm thereon the family lived so long at a later day. They became well known and influential in that remote pioneer period and were among the county’s substantial citizens.

Charles A. Young grew up on the home farm and when but a boy he knew the meaning of hard work, for in developing a farm from the primeval forests in those times the labor of all the family was required. His father settled in the woods and started life here in. a log cabin which he erected, then cleared and developed the land into a good farm and finally had a comfortable home. The subject received such education as those early times afforded. Later he attended Sloan’s Academy at Mt. Vernon. He was married on (5° )

December 28, 1858, to Angeline Armstrong, daughter of Eliphalet and Tacy (Irwin) Armstrong, a prominent old family of Mt. Vernon. To this union one son was born, Frank E. Young, who succeeds the father in the management of the estate.

Charles A. Young after his marriage began housekeeping on a part of the home farm, and there he lived for about seven years, when he purchased a farm one and one-half miles east of Mt. Vernon in Monroe township, his first purchase being one hundred and seventy acres. Here he prospered through good management, close application and honest dealings with his fellow men, and later added to his holding until he became the owner of four hundred and fifty acres of fine land, which he placed under excellent improvements and a high state of cultivation. Here he carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale for many years and became one of the substantial and most progressive farmers in this part of the county. Although he kept live stock of all kinds, he made a specialty raising sheep, keeping large flocks of good wool producers.

Politically, Mr. Young was a Democrat and he was always active in public matters. He served two terms as county commissioner and was a most efficient and conscientious public servant. His support could always be depended upon in the furtherance of any movement having as its object the general good. He was a man of great activity and force of character and one of the most representative citizens of Knox county. He was a member of the Masonic order and the Congregational church, and he carried the sublime precepts of each into his every-day life. Mrs. Young is a Baptist in her religious faith.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FRANK E. YOUNG.

Frank E. Young was born on September 15, 1860, on the home farm in Knox county, Ohio. He is the only child of Charles A. and Angeline (Armstrong) Young, the father born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1827, and his death occurred on February 14, 1908, but the mother is still living, making her home on the old place with her son. The father became one of the substantial and well known farmers of Knox county, and farmer on a large scale and handled large numbers of live stock from year to year, devoting his entire life to farming, making sheep raising a specialty. He was an influential factor in public affairs and a loyal Democrat, and he was active in the Masonic order and the Congregational church, a good and useful man, whom the community will miss for many years to come. A complete sketch of him appears on another page.

Frank Young was married on November 26, 1884, to Nannie M. Merrin, daughter of George and Lodema (Irwin) Merrin, a prominent family of Morris township, this county, where Mr. Merrin has a valuable farm, and there Mrs. Young grew to womanhood and she received her education in the country and Mt. Vernon high schools.

Two daughters have graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. Young, namely: Florence M. and Mabel I., both educated at Oberlin College, where they made excellent records, and they have always been popular in local social circles.

Politically, Mr. Young is a Democrat, and while he takes the interest of a good citizen in public affairs and his support may always be depended upon in furthering any worthy cause, he is not a seeker after public favors or the emoluments of offices within the gift of the people, preferring to devote his exclusive interests to the home farm. Mrs. Young and daughters are members of the Congregational church of Mt. Vernon.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

The farming interests of Knox county are well represented by Silas Young, who owns a valuable and well cultivated place in Monroe township. He was born in Middlefield, Geauga county, Ohio, October 19, 1 82 1. His father, Reese C. Young, claimed Pennsylvania as the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Washington county in 1799. He subsequently removed to Geauga county, Ohio, where he was married, and in 1838 he took up his above in Knox county, locating on a farm in Monroe township, where he spent the remainder of his days. His political support was given the Democracy, and religiously he was a member of the Methodist Protestant church. For his wife he those Eliza Gates, who was born in the Empire state, and was a member of an old and prominent family, whose history is traced back through many generations to a passenger on the Mayflower. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Young was blessed with fifteen children, nine of whom are now living, namely: Silas, the subject of this review; Elvira, the wife of Martin Robinson, of California; Mary A., the widow of William Downs and a resident of Mount Vernon; Carrie, wife of Stephen Craig, of Knox county; Emma, wife of Robert Coleman, of Mount Vernon; Eva, the widow of Thomas Williams, and she makes her home with her sister, Mrs. Craig; Jane, wife of Elias Leonard, of Missouri; Abigail, widow of Samuel Bartlett and a resident of 'Iount Vernon; and Susan, the wife of John M. Scott, of Knox county.

Silas Young remained under the parental roof until his fifteenth year, when he began the battle of life on his own account, and for the following twelve years he was engaged at various occupations, but his time was principally given to agricultural pursuits. In the fall of 1839 he came to Knox county, Ohio, where he soon entered the employ of Mr. Jacob Davis, and on the 20th of August, 1848, he was united in marriage to his daughter Catherine. Shortly after his marriage our subject rented the farm where his brother-in-law, James W. Davis, now resides, where he made his home for two years, on the expiration of which period he purchased a tract of sixty-six acres on the Wooster road, there making his home until 1870. For the following two years he rented a farm of two hundred and thirty-three acres of the Lefever heirs in Clinton township, and at the end of that period the residence there was burned and Mr. Young then moved to Mount Verncm. After another year had passed by he purchased his present tarmi of one hundred and twenty-three acres in Monroe township, and on this place he has ever since made his home. He has a. fine farm, a mile east of Mount Vernon, and thereon he is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits.

The union of our subject and wife has been blessed with ten children, six of whom survive, — Jacob R., who is engaged in business in Springfield, Illinois; Augusta, the wife of C. A. Lefever, of Clinton township; John Shannon, a resident of Tallula, Illinois; Mary, the wife of Walter S. Steele, who is engaged in the grocery business in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Charles, at home; and Catherine, the wife of Walter Spittle, of Vashington, Indiana. Mr. Young gives his political support to the Democratic party, and his religious views connect him with the Methodist Protestant church.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES R. YOUNG.

This is an age in which the farmer stands pre-eminently above any other class as a producer of wealth. He simply takes advantage of the fertile soil, the refreshing rain, the sunshine and by the Creator's help and by virtue of his own skill in handling nature’s gifts he creates grain, hay vegetables and live stock, all of which are absolute necessities to the inhabitants of the world. The commercial system has come to recognize his importance at last and has surrounded him with many conveniences and utensils unthought of a century or even fifty years ago. The inventor has given him the self-binder, the riding-plow, the steam thresher and many other labor-saving devices. And the farmer has not been slow to take advantage of these blessed improvements. He everywhere has utilized them and made them add to his wealth and his comfort. It has been thus with Charles R. Young, one of the well known farmers of Monroe township. Knox county, who stands among our modern tillers of the soil, for he has been an advocate of the latest and most approved methods in this field of endeavor.

Mr. Young was born on March 12, 1870, on a farm in Monroe township, this county. He is the son of Silas and Catherine (Davis) Young, the father a native of Geauga county, Ohio, and the mother of Knox county, this state. The father devoted his life to farming, coming to Knox county when about fourteen years of age, and here he became a large landowner and prosperous farmer and stockman, dealing extensively in live stock of all kinds. He was a man of prominence and influence in his community, always interested in public matters, and a loyal Democrat, but he was never an office seeker. His death occurred on April 28, 1910, and that of his wife on September 16, 1902.

To Mr. and Mrs. Silas Young ten children were born, namely: Sherbon is deceased: Jacob, late of Springfield, Illinois, now deceased; John S. is also a resident of that city; Elizabeth A. married C. A. Lafever and they live in Clinton township, this county; Alice Y. is deceased; Mary married Walter Steele, of San Benito, Texas; Carrie married D. H. Painter, of Minneapolis, and she is now deceased; Dee is deceased; Charles R., of this sketch; Catherine married AYalter Spittle, of San Benito, Texas.

Charles R. Young was reared on the home farm and there he assisted with the general work when he became of proper age, and he received his education in the country district schools. He remained with his parents until he was married, on June 17, 1896, to Blanche Welshymar, daughter of William H. and Sarah A. (Sacord) Welshymar, of Mt. Vernon, and to this union three daughters have been born, namely: Ruth A., Helen A., and Virginia L., all at home.

Mr. Young began his married life on a farm one mile east of Mr. Vernon, on the Coshocton road. He is the owner of one hundred and fourteen acres of fertile and valuable land which he has kept well improved and well cultivated. Here he carries on general farming and stock raising, keeping a good grade of live stock. He has a beautiful home, modernly furnished.

Politically, Mr. Young is a Democrat, but not an active party man, though he always takes an active interest in public matters. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and he and his family hold membership with the Methodist Episcopal church, and the family is prominent in the social life of the community.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HARRY C. YOUNG.

One of Butler township’s most progressive farmers and stock men is Plarry C. Young, not that he farms on as extensive a scale as some of his neighbors, but he is not surpassed when it comes to scientific methods, thus he reaps fitting rewards for his toil from year to year, and be is a man of such correct habits of everyday life that he has always enjoyed the confidence and respect of all with whom he has come into contact.

Mr. Young was born in Newcastle township, Coshocton county, Ohio, August 24, 1880. He received a common school education and was reared on the home farm. He began life for himself by working on rented land, which he continued to do for several years, then in 1907, he bought a farm of one hundred and twelve acres in Butler township, Knox county, upon which he moved in the fall of that year and here he has since resided, adding valuable improvements to his place from year to year and while yet young becoming very well established. Politically, he is independent and he and his wife belong to the Baptist church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Grange and the Maccabees.

Mr. Young was married on February 12, 1903, to Ennis Sheldon, a native of Coshocton county, born May 27, 1881, and the daughter of Peter and Florence (Holt) Sheldon, both natives of that county, and each representatives of pioneer families there. To Mr. and Mrs. Young two children have been born, namely: One that died in infancy and Ralph Donald.

Peter Sheldon was born in 1855 and his wife, Florence Holt, was born in 1859. Six children were born to them, namely: Harvey, deceased: Ennis, Lena, deceased; Walker, Lottie and Roy.

The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Young were William and Hester (Smith) Sheldon, natives of Pennsylvania. The maternal grandparents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Workman) Holt, were also natives of Pennsylvania. Mary Holt, the great-grandmother, lived to be about ninety-three years of age.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.