Rufus Young

As printed in 1910

RUFUS YOUNG.

The venerable and highly esteemed gentleman whose name appears above belongs to that class of men who may be designated as the world's real benefactors. His long, useful and strenuous life has been spent in an epoch of home building and development in general — an epoch of progress, the like of which will probably never be witnessed on earth again, consequently the opportunity came to him to play a part in this intensely interesting drama of civilization, and that he played that part conscientiously and well is attested by all who have known him and by the record contained in the following paragraphs.

Rufus Young, one of Lexington township's leading agriculturists and one of Lafayette county's best citizens, was born in Hawkins county, Tennessee, July 2, 1825, and was the son of Major A. G. and Elizabeth S. (Mc- Chesney) Young, the latter a native of Virginia and the former of Tennessee and the son of John Young. The paternal line is of English descent, while the mother's side of the house was of Scotch-Irish descent, she being the daughter of Thomas McChesney and wife, who lived and died in Virginia. Mrs. Young was born October 14, 1804.

Major Young came to Missouri in the fall of 1830. After living in Cooper county for a year and a half he moved to Johnson county, and in March, 1833, located in Lafayette county, where he bought two hundred arid forty acres from one of the first settlers here, and he entered other land until he became the owner of seven hundred and thirty acres in all, mostly wild land. He purchased the two-hundred-and-forty-acre tract referred to from a Mr. Chastine, whose wife was not of age when the deed was made, consequently the deed was invalid. Mr. Chastine had died and Mr. Young was compelled to go to Iowa, whither Mrs. Chastine had moved, and get her to make a new deed to the land.

Major Young was a noted hunter, and during his early residence in this county game of all kinds was plentiful. He was regarded as an excellent farmer in those days and, clearing much of his land, he developed a fine farm and became very comfortably established, living on his place the rest of his life, his death occurring on February 3, 1890, at the advanced age of ninety-five years. His first wife preceded him to the grave by upwards of a half century, her death having occurred on December 30, 1845. Major Young subsequently married Sarah A. Hogan, who was born October 22. 1808, and whose death occurred on October 21, 1894. Major Young's family consisted of ten children, the four oldest having been born in Tennessee, the others in Lafayette county, Missouri; they were: Rufus, of this review; Thomas M., who was born November 1, 1826, died April 12, 1851; Rev. John N., born June 3, 1828; Sarah, born November 24, 1829, died June 2, 1847; Alfred A., born December 12, 1831; Fred A., born April 22, 1834; the seventh child died in infancy; Caroline F., born August 22, 1837, died

May 15, 1883; Arthur G., Jr., born January 3, 1840, died February 26, 1848; Felix G., born January 20, 1842, died March 1, 1877; Laura F., born January 21, 1844, died November 30, 1845.

The parents of Rufus Young were members of the Presbyterian church. The Young family have always been Democrats.

Rufus Young grew to maturity on the home place and received his education in the early schools of his community. He was married on Februarys 12, 1846, to Parmelia A. Lankford, daughter of Daniel and Hulda C. (Young) Lankford, natives of Tennessee, from which state they came to Missouri in the twenties. To Rufus Young and wife six children were born, namely: Sarah E., born July 2, 1847, married Jackson Bradley, whose sketch appears herein; James B., born November 30, 1848, lives in Colorado; Martha C., born March 27, 1854, married David Ralston, deceased, and Mrs. Ralston now makes her home with her father, the subject; Arthur P., born January 15, 1857, is farming; George R., born November 16, 1858, lives with his father; Henry A., born August 8, 1868, is a Presbyterian minister and lives in Rockingham county, Virginia.

Rufus Young and family are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Young has been very successful in his chosen life work, that of general farming. He has one of the best improved places in the township, which consists of two hundred and eighty-five acres. He has greatly improved this place since coming into possession of the same and it is one of the most desirable farms from every standpoint in the community. He has a large, substantial and well-located dwelling and outbuildings, and everything roundabout indicates good management. He is a man whom everybody highly respects, for his life has been one of honor and adherence to right principles.

As printed in Young's history of Lafayette County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.