Hon. James N. Young (Biography)

[genealogynut]

Taken from History of the State of Kansas, by William G. Cutler

HON. JAMES N. YOUNG, farmer, P.O. Severy, was born in Fleming County, Ky., in the year 1816, but was brought up in Rush County, Indiana, was married in 1838 to Miss Sally Ann Eyestone, by whome he had two boys--John A., of Washington, Iowa and James H., who was killed on the first day of battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862. In the spring of 1843, Mr. Young was married to Miss Martha J. Cones, and in June of the same year moved and settled in Washington County, Iowa, and engaged in farming and teaching.  In 1854 was elected to the State Legislature, as an anti-slavery extension Whig, and in the Legislature he cast his vote for the first prohibitory law of the State.  He was a delegate from his county to the State Convention in the fall of 1855, which organized the Republican party in the State.  In 1872, finding himself financially involved by having debts to pay for others, he gave up voluntarily his property, waiving his homestead right, and moved to what was then Howard County, Kan., and settled on the Osage Diminished Reserve, and took a preemption on the southeast quarter, Section 26, Town 28, Range 10, not worth a single dollar.  He was among the first settlers, and went to work with a will, and has succeeded in acquiring a good property.  Has 100 acres in cultivation, has out a good apple and peach orchard, put up a good house, and has brought 320 acres additional, joining him on the south, being east half Section 35, which is partly improved.  He is devoting his attention mainly to stock-raising.  Besides improving his farm, he has devoted considerable time to educational interests, having taught some and served one term as County Superintendent of common schools,and while acting as County Superintendent the county was divided and he fell into the county of Elk, that being the north half of Howard County.  In 1874, he was elected to represent his county in the State Legislature, and refused to serve a second term, as he was too poor to act in that capacity at the per diam allowed in his State.  Mr. Young is in religion a thorough Methodist, of which denomination he is a local preacher.  In politics he is Prohibition Republican.  He is always on one side or the other of every important issue and takes a lively interest in the welfare of his neighbors, his county, and State and the Nation as well.  He furnished three sons in the army in the late war.  As the fruit of his second marriage, he has ten children living.  viz--Elizabeth, Samuel P., Edward A., Morris F., Martha J., Robert F., Riley S., Ida L., George E., and F. C.  Mr. Young is a member os Hope Lodge, No. 155, A. F. & A. M., and the Anti-Horse Thief Association, of his township, and is President of the same.