Young, Joshua W. (1843-1939)

YOUNG, MCFARLAND, MILLIKIN, ZWECK, LEHNHARD, HOLT

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 10/27/2016 at 16:21:07

Webster City Freeman, Webster City, Iowa, Monday, August 28, 1939

J.W. YOUNG, 96, WIDELY KNOWN RESIDENT, DIES

Executor Kendall Young Estate; Had Lived Active Life Here.

J.W. Young, almost 96 years of age, and a resident of Webster City for 59 years during which time in his years of activity, he attained an outstanding position of leadership in the cultural life of the community, died yesterday morning at 9 o'clock at his home at 714 Elm street.

He had been ill for some two years and had been pretty much confined to his home since he fell and broke a hip some years ago.

The funeral will be held at the Foster funeral home at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon, conducted by the Christian Science church of which he was a member. Burial will be made in Graceland cemetery, in charge of the Masonic order in which he had been prominent the most of his life.

The chief interests in his life during almost the past half century have been the Kendall Young library and the Masonic order. Though in nowise related to Kendall Young, donor of the library, J.W. Young was probably his closest friend - a man whom Kendall Young could wholly depend upon to carry out his most exacting wishes in administrating his estate.

And J.W. Young considered it one of the great honors of his life to be selected executor of the estate of his friend. The original Kendall Young library board of trustees, of which he was chairman, was composed of J.W. Young, E.D. Burgess, Samuel Baxter, F.D. Young and W.J. Covil, all pioneer residents of the city and men of sterling worth and integrity. J.W. Young was the last member of this board to die.

Mr. Young's pride and sense of responsibility in the library was so great that, as long as he was able to go anywhere, his outstanding desire was to be taken to the building where he had been custodian for so many years. And to him must be given the larger share of credit for keeping this building in such fine condition that most people are amazed that it was built so long ago.

During the more active years of his later life, he also gave much personal attention to Kendall Young park. As long as he was physically able, no work was done there without his personal supervision.

Equally true was Mr. Young's pride in keeping up improvements on all the farms belonging to the Kendall Young library board and trust estate. As chairman of the board of trustees, Mr. Young gave personal encouragement to each member of the library staff and showed interest in every branch of the library work. It was, indeed, close to his heart.

The monument which J.W. Young leaves to posterity is his own high sense of personal integrity, his many community activities performed with the utmost fidelity and his outstanding worth for his constant endeavor toward the better things in life for the community.

Mr. Young was for years an active factor in Webster City business circles and the record which he made in commercial connections is one which reflects credit and honor upon the city as well as upon himself.

For six years he was a member of the Webster City school board and for two years he served as mayor of the city. His record in that office was highly commendable, indicating his loyalty to and deep interest in everything pertaining to municipal advancement.

Mr. Young was widely known in Masonic circles over the state. He was a member of Acacia lodge No. 176, A.F. & A.M., of which he was a past master, Hope chapter, No. 88, Royal Arch Masons, of which he was past high priest, Triune Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar, of which he was past eminent commander; Sharon chapter, No. 48, Order of the Eastern Star, of which he was a charter member and its first worthy patron, and Iowa Consistory, No. 3, A.A.S.R., of Des Moines, in which he attained the thirty-second degree, Scottish Rite and Za-Ga-Zig temple of the Mystic Shrine, also at Des Moines.

Joshua W. Young was born Nov. 30, 1843 in Lamoine, Hancock county, Maine his parents being Stephen and Betsey (McFarland) Young. The father was a ship carpenter.

J.W. Young pursued his education in the public schools of Maine during the winter seasons and at the age of 15 years started out in life on his own account by following the sea. He engaged in fishing along the Maine coast and off Newfoundland for several years, but in 1873 became a house carpenter and ship joiner, which trades he followed until 1880.

That year witnessed his arrival in Webster City where he entered the lumberyard of F.D.Young, who, though of the same name, was not a relative. The following year he returned to New England and, after two months, brought his wife and children to Hamilton county. He then again entered the employ of F.D. Young with whom he continued for a year, when he engaged in the contracting business on his own account.

In 1884, however, the lumberyard of F.D. Young was destroyed by fire, and at that time Joshua W. Young entered into partnership with his former employer for the conduct of the lumber business under the firm name of F.D. and J.W. Young. This relation was maintained until 1895, when Joshua W. Young purchased his partner's interest and conducted it alone until 1908, when he sold out to his son, Calvin and C.H. Clifton. The father then retired from active business, save for the management which he gave to the Kendall Young estate and his own inverted interests. He was a director of the old First National bank.

Mr. Young had been married twice. At Ellsworth, Maine, in 1866, he was married to Miss Margaret A. Millikin. Mrs. Young died in 1899. There were four children of that marriage: Calvin, who died in 1924; Mrs. Ethel Zweck, who died in 1932, Martha, who is the wife of L.A. Lehnhard, of this city, and Earl R., who died in 1919.

Mr. Young was married again in 1903 to Mrs. Rose Holt, a daughter of F.D. Hodgkin, of Hancock county, Maine, who survives him. By her first marriage she had one son, Frank D. Holt, who is now employed by du Pont in the east.