Biography - William Young
REV. WILLIAM J. YOUNG. This honorable and upright citizen, now residing in Donnellson, Ill., is a native of the Blue Grass State, born in Allen County, December 12, 1830, and is a descendant of a prominent Virginia family. His father, James D. Young, was a native of the Old Dominion, born in New Kent County, August 9, 1809, and when four years of age was taken to Kentucky by his half-sister. There he grew to mature years and all his earliest recollections were of that State. He was married there on the 13th of August, 1828, to Miss Eleanor Harrison, a native of Kentucky, where she was reared, and in that State the young couple located. There Mrs. Young's death occurred when about thirty-seven years of age. In that State, Mr. Young remained until April 1, 1849, when he came to Montgomery County, Ill., locating in East Fork Township, and there resided for nineteen years, engaged as a tiller of the soil.
Later, he moved to Missouri, and resided there for about twenty-four years, when he received his final summons, dying in 1888. He was married four times and was the father of twenty children. His last wife had four children when he married her. Our subject was the second in order of birth of the eleven children born to his father's first union, and was in his nineteenth year when he came to Montgomery County. He received his scholastic training in his native State and remained with his father until twenty-one years of age, when he branched out for himself as a hand on a farm. About 1853, he went to Hillsboro and carried on a livery stable for Robert W. Davis, a noted man of that county, who was Clerk of the Circuit Court for two terms. He continued in business for him until 1854, when he returned to his native State on a visit.
There Mr. Young was married, on the 27th of December, 1854, to Miss Dorcas H. Hinton, and the fruits of this union were four children: Lou A., the wife of John W. Edwards, of East Fork Township; Normandy D., the wife of James E. Price, of East Fork Township; Robert W., also of East Fork Township; and Laura T., wife of Dr. J. C. Wilson, of Donnellson. The mother of these children passed away on the 15th of November, 1888. After his marriage, our subject returned to Montgomery County, Ill. This was on the 8th of March, 1855, and he settled on a farm one mile northeast of Donnellson. The farm of forty acres he entered from the Government, and he took his bride to a small log house, 16x15 feet. There all his children were born with the exception of Laura T.
Mr. Young began the improvement of his farm, soon had it under a good state of cultivation, and there remained until September 1, 1890, when he moved to Donnellson and retired from the active duties of life. He was a Democrat in his political affiliations from 1859 until about eight years ago, when he voted for St. John. He is a strong temperance man and is deeply interested in the temperance movement. His first office was Justice of the Peace in 1860, and he held that position for twelve years. He was then made Notary Public and is discharging the duties of that position at the present time.
On the 9th of July, 1884, he was licensed to preach in the Methodist Episcopal Church and was ordained in May, 1889, by Bishop Bowman, the oldest bishop in the church. He now has charge of a church and takes a deep interest in the noble work. Mr. Young has always been a strict business man and has been administrator and has settled many estates. He has an excellent knowledge of law, having studied the same, and is a man of more than average ability. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity for fourteen years. Mr. Young was married the second time on the 25th of June, 1890, to Miss Frances R. Sidener, of Ramsey, Ill. Our subject has a very pleasant and comfortable home and is one of the county's most respected citizens.
Extracted 10 Jan 2017 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, pages 434-435.
