YOUNG, Courtland Hershey 1870-1932

YOUNG, BURGESSER, AMAN, HUTCHINSON, HANCOCK, NOTMAN, ELDERKIN

Posted By: Michael Kearney (email)
Date: 8/1/2002 at 23:18:05

The Clinton Herald Friday February 5, 1932 p. 1 & 5 Courtland H. Young, 61, active executive of W.J. Young & co. and the varied interests of that company, died unexpectedly at his home, 337 Seventh avenue, South, at 11:40 o'clock last night. Mr. Young's death was caused by a recurrence of a heart attack suffered some months ago and from which it was believed he was convalescing. Funeral services will be held at the home Monday afternoon, after which the body will be placed at rest in the family mausoleum in Springdale cemetery. W.J. Young, Jr., president of W.J. Young & Co. will arrive Sunday from his home in Tucson, Ariz. A sister, Mrs. Esther Burgesser, will arrive today from her home in Chicago. Other members of the immediate family are a sister, Mrs. Mary Young Hancock of Clinton, a nephew, Courtland Y. Hancock of Clinton, and four nieces, Mrs. C.L. Aman of Havana, Cuba, Mrs. A.H. Hutchinson of Chicago, Mrs. Arthur Notman of Staten Island, N.Y., and Mrs. Jerome Burke of Kansas City, Mo. His sister, Mrs. Hancock, and nephew, Mr. Hancock, were with him at the time of his passing. Clinton was shocked today as the word of the passing of Mr. Young circulated about the city. In spite of his illness, he had continued to maintain interest in the affairs of business and in civic activities and the general public was little aware of the handicap under which he labored. Respecting the orders of his physician, however, he was preparing to relinquish some of the more exacting details of his varied interests. On every hand in Clinton, citizens stopped to express their sense of personal loss and grief in the death of Mr. Young. As the news was sent out on press wires, too, messages came streaming in from various parts of the country, sent by men who knew Mr. Young personally or because of association with his associates were cognizant of his importance to the community. Clinton today recalled Mr. Young's interest as a city and civic builder, his pride in all of his undertakings, his insistence that business institutions with which he was connected should serve the public honestly, giving always a full measure of service. Citizens called back to mind the untold hours of time he had given to kindly counsel on a multitude of public questions. They were particularly mindful of his interest and pride in recent public improvements, the enlarged park system, the swimming pool and the incinerator, to which he had devoted time and energy. Many others considered his interest in their personal affairs. They could tell of instance after instance in which he had given unstintingly of good counsel, good office and of financial aid to persons in distress. All were unanimous in picturing him as a typical gentleman, with a heart of charity and a never failing desire to be helfpul. Loyalty to family and friends was so pronounced in him that it was an inspiration to all with whom he came in contact. Mr. Young was a native of Clinton. He was born here September 23, 1870, the son of the late William J. and Esther Elderkin Young, who came to Clinton when the city was in its infancy. He was educated in the Clinton public schools and in the Coulter school in Chicago. Returning to Clinton, then, he became associated with his father, who had founded the lumbering interests of W.J. Young & Co., which he built into one of the greatest business concerns of the Mississippi valley. About 1893, when the father's health failed, C.H. Young took over the active management of the business. The father died in 1896 and two years later the family retired from the lumber manufacturing business in Clinton. The family interests, however, were continued in W.J. Young & Co., of which W.J. Young, Jr., is now as he was then president and C.H. Young secretary and treasurer. Because of his interest in W.J. Young & Co., a corporation, Mr. Young became identified as an officer with various interests in which the corporation was a dominant factor. These included the Clinton National band and the Clinton Savings bank, of both of which institutions Mr. Young was president at the time of his death and in which W.J. Young & co., headed by W.J. Young, Jr., hold heavy investments. Other institutions in which W.J. Young & Co. investments are dominant include The Clinton Herald Co., of which C.H. Young was president; Maquoketa Light & Heat Co., of which Mr. Young was president; Blinton-Illinois High Bridge Co., of which he was president; Springdale Cemetery association, of which he was president; Great Western Copper Co., of which Mr. Young was treasurer with W.J. Young, Jr., as president; Clinton Street Railway Co., in which Mr. Young was a director and a former president. W.J. Young & Co. also was long interested in the gas and electric business in Clinton. The corporation came into control of the Clinton Gas & Electric Co., which it was reorganized in about 1912. At that time, C.H. Young was elected treasurer and continued in that capacity until 1926 when the gas and electric franchise was sold to the Interstate Power Co. In the same manner, investments in the Chicago & North Western Railway Co., are held in the name of W.J. Young & co. Mr. Young was a member of the Chicago club and in Clinton of the Wapsipinicon and Clinton Country clubs. Messages of sympathy and of tribute to the memory of Courtland H. Young poured into the city today from friends, associates and acquaintances, who were shocked by word of the death of Mr. Young. In every walk in life in the city, itself, tribute was spoken and not a few citizens communicated their grief to Mr. Young's family and business associates. From Congressman B.M. Jacobsen came a message of sympathy and tribute, in which he said he would come from Washington to attend the funeral services. Officers of Clinton Typographical union early expressed their sympathy and spoke feelingly of the fine relations that have always existed between Mr. Young as president of The Clinton Herald Co. and the union. From Fred W. Woodward, publisher of the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal, came the following message: "Entire staff of Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal extends sympathy in death of Courtland Young. Journalism loses a real leader and Iowa a distinguished citizen. Joseph V. Connolly, president of Internation News Service, sent this telegram from New York: "For our entire organization permit me to express our sincere sympathy in the loss suffered by The Herald and by your city and state in the untimely death of Mr. Young." John T. Miller, correspondent of The Associated Press, telegraphed from Des Moines: "Please convey to the family of Mr. Young our deepest sympathy. His death removes an outstanding citizen and will be keenly felt in the community for the growth and prosperity of which he gave so much of his time, energy and substance."