BIOS: Benton YOUNKIN, Rockwood, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Roth Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ History of Bedford & Somerset Counties, PA; v.3; Bedford County by E. Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; Lewis Pub. Co., NY/Chicago 1906; ppg. 480/1 Benton Younkin. Benton Younkin, a practical and progressive farmer of Somerset county, residing at Rockwood, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, is a native of that county, born august 24, 1855, a descendant of a German ancestry. David Younkin, father of Benton Younkin, was also a native of Somerset county, Pennsylvania, born in 1813. He learned the trade of shoemaker, which he followed in connection with farming, and by giving close attention to these two lines of work was enabled to provide his family with a comfortable home. His wife, whose maiden name was Maria ______, born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, in 1815, bore him nine children, as follows: Lucinda, Anna Elder; Gustave Evans, deceased; Elias P.,; Louisa; Josephine; Fremont; Benton, mentioned hereinafter; and Allen, deceased. Benton Younkin attended the common schools of Somerset county until twenty-one years of age, thus obtaining a practical knowledge of the rudimentary branches of study. During his early life he assisted his father in the manifold duties of the farm, thus gaining a clear insight into the details of farming, and later he continued along the same lines on his own account. He has been very successful in his undertaking, and his property is among the finest and most productive in the locality in which he resides. He served as district supervisor of Milford township for a number of years, performing his duties with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of all concerned. He is a Democrat in politics. Mr. Younkin married, January 30, 1883, Miss E. Witte, who was born in Millersburg, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, February 9, 1857, daughter of William and Martha (Ankney) Witte, who were the parents of six other children, namely: George; William; Edward; Silas; Martha; and Minerva. William Witte, father of Mrs. Younkin, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and was a prospector for coal. The ancestors of his family came from Germany at a very early day and settled in Somerset county, where their descendants are to be found at the present time. The following children were the issue of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Younkin: Elsie G., born in 1883, wife of George Moore, who is engaged in the lumber business; Tillie M., born April 3, 1885; David E., born July 3, 1890; Edward R., born September 14, 1892; ______ R., born May 16, 1897. The four latter named reside at home with their parents.