BIO: John B. YOUNG, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 189-191. _________________________________________________________________ JOHN B. YOUNG. A history of Beaver county would be quite incomplete without a sketch of the oldest member of the Beaver county bar. Such is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of these lines, whose important legal connections and recognized ability have placed him in the front rank of distinguished lawyers of this county. He is a resident of Beaver, and is at present serving his third term as justice of the peace of that borough. He was born at Achor, Columbiana county, Ohio, August 25, 1834, and is a son of Jacob Young, and a grandson of Baltzer Young. Baltzer Young was born in Germany, but in his early manhood, he came to the United States, and first settled in Philadelphia; he subsequently traveled west on the Little Beaver River to Columbiana county, Ohio, and there took up a tract of land. He erected saw, grist and (later) carding mills, and the place was known as Young's Mills; these were destroyed by fire, and he built other mills, which have since been removed to Negley by his grandson, and are still in use, although their running power has been changed from water to steam. He also operated a large farm in addition to milling. He passed from this life, aged eighty-five years. His wife was Susanna Boose, by whom he reared a large family of children. Those who grew to maturity were: Jacob; John; Peter; Samuel; George; David; Mary; Elizabeth; Margaret; and Rachel. Jacob Young was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and succeeded his father in the mills; he also kept a store many years, but in his fondness for the farm, he sold out, bought a large tract of land, and began tilling the soil. He also engaged in sheep raising, and once owned several hundred sheep. At the time of his retirement at Achor, Ohio, he owned eleven hundred acres of land. He died there, aged sixty years. He wedded Susanna Brown, a daughter of George and Alice Brown, and she also died in her sixtieth year. They were 190 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES the parents of the following children: George; Alice; Jacob Boose; Sarah G.; Rachel; Matilda Jane; Rebecca; Mary Ann; Peter B.; John B.; Caroline A.; and Emily. John B. Young obtained his elementary education in the public schools, and in Beaver Academy, and in the meantime decided to adopt the profession of a lawyer. In order to pursue his studies in that direction, he entered the law office of Hon. Thomas Cunningham, and was subsequently admitted to the bar, in 1858. He immediately opened an office in Beaver, where he has continuously practiced up to the present time, and the great ability and keen judgment displayed in the handling of his cases have not only made him well known before the Beaver county bar, but have placed him in the ranks of the foremost attorneys in Western Pennsylvania. Since 1861, in addition to the regular practice of the law, he has also served as pension attorney. Besides being prominent as a lawyer, he is equally prominent as a man of affairs; he has been honored with the office of district attorney of Beaver county, trustee of Beaver Academy, chief burgess of Beaver, and is now serving his third term as justice of the peace. In 1864, he enlisted in Company H, 5th Reg., Pa. Heavy Artillery, and was honorably discharged in 1865, at the close of the war. Mr. Young married Anna Bocking, a daughter of Adolph and Mary Bocking, - both natives of Prussia; her parents came to this country in 1849. Mr. Bocking was a landscape artist of great talent, and many of his pictures have taken the highest awards in New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, and many other large cities. Mr. and Mrs. Young reared the following children: Elma Jennett, who is the wife of G. W. McGraw, of Pittsburg, Pa., and has four children (Ethel, George W., Elizabeth A., and John B.); Louis A.., who is a harnessmaker and grocer, at Denver, Colorado, and married Ida Mansfield (by whom he reared John B., and Louis A., Jr.); Annie C.; Maude E., who wedded L. L. Mosher, attorney-at-law, at Indianola, Iowa, and had five children (Lee, Wendell P., Donovan, Edith and Hugh); Amelia B., who wedded Charles L. Sheets, of Beaver Falls, Pa., and has one son (Oliver Byron); William T., who is a harnessmaker living at Mercer, Pa.; Alice; Pearl; and Anna Melinka. The subject of this sketch was a strong anti-slavery man, and supported the Republican ticket from the holding of the first Republican conference at Pittsburg, Pa., until after President Grant's first election, since which time he has been a radical reformer, - advocating municipal and governmental ownership, co-operation in the production and distribution of wealth as distinguished from competition, the necessity of the initiative and referendum, and the "single tax," as one of the coming reforms. Religiously, he is a member of the Baptist church, while his wife is a member of the Presbyterian denomination. Mr. Young is a man of fine appearance and popular manners, and is a favorite with all who know him; his courteous deportment and genial ways have gained for him the confidence, esteem BEAVER COUNTY 191 and good-will of a host of acquaintances. His portrait appears on a preceding page.