Josiah T. Young

Josiah T. Young, a native of Union township, Johnson county, Indiana, was born on the 25th of February, 1831, the son of John and Rachel (nee Titus) Young.

His parental great-grandparents, Jacob and Penelope (Watts) Young, were of Scotch-Irish and English ancestry, and natives of Jones Falls, twenty miles Baltimore, Maryland, whence they removed immediately after the Revolutionary war to Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, where John Young, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born, on the 20th of November, 1806. They were farmers, as were also his grandparents, Jesse and Margaret (Wiley) Young, and also his parents. His maternal grandparents, Peter and Rachel (nee Moore) Titus, were farmers and natives of Maryland. Both his grandparents moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio about 1816, and in 1824 settled in Johnson county, Indiana. His ancestors were all Presbyterians, and at an early date, went to Maryland to enjoy religious liberty, Lord Baltimore having given access to all denominations. There is now in the family a keepsake, an old-fashioned skillet, at least 150 years old, which passed through the Indian wars of 1756-7.

His grandfather Young was a man of very superior intellect and for forty-three years an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. He lived to the advanced age of seventy-five years. His mother was born before the Revolution, and lived to be over one hundred years old. Josiah was early influenced by the study of the character of his grandfather, who inspired him with ambition and an incentive to work for noble ends. He first attended school in the winter of 1843-4, for twenty-five days in Warren county, Illinois, going two and one-half miles to a log cabin, where he studied reading, writing, arithmetic and spelling. During three months of the following winter he attended school at Swan Creek. In 1846 his father moved to what was then called Kishkekosh, chief of one of the tribes of the Sac and Fox Indians. The name, however, was changed that same year, and the county has since been known as Monroe county. Josiah attended school three months in a log cabin adjoining his home, under the instruction of Mr. H. W. Potts, who afterward became his brother-in-law. This completed his education in the school-room; but being fond of study, he borrowed whatever books his neighbors could supply him, and by extensive reading became well versed in many branches of study.

He remained upon his father's farm until nearly twenty-one years old. On the 14th of November, 1851, he was married to Christina B. Potts, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (nee Wiley) Potts. Mrs. Young was born in Jackson county, West Virginia, on the 16th of October, 1831.

After his marriage Mr. Young entered a claim and worked it two years, teaching the district school during each winter. Going then to Albia, he spent about a year clerking in a store; and in 1856 purchased an interest in a carding machine, to which he added improvements until he had a fine establishment. In the early part of 1857 he admitted his brother to the business as a partner, and was meeting with good success, when, in 1861, the establishment burned, without insurance, leaving him about $3,000 in debt. In 1860, in company with T. B. Gray, Esq., he purchased the office of the Albia Weekly Republican and started a paper which he called The Monroe County Sentinel, and advocated the election of Stephen A. Douglas to the Presidency. Near the close of that year he purchased his partner's interest, and in February, 1861, by reason of illness, suspended the publication.

In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company K, Thirty-sixth Regiment Iowa Infantry, and in November went to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, where he was sick for three weeks, his disease developing into diphtheria, and his life being despaired of. He, however, recovered, and when able to walk to the boat went with his regiment to Columbus, Kentucky, and Memphis, Tennessee, and camped on the bluff overlooking the river, and just above where General Jackson built entrenchments in 1814. After about three weeks he was sent to do duty as clerk at the headquarters of General Asboth; but afterward, his ambition to be a clerk being satisfied, he was excused at his own request and went with his regiment to Helena, Arkansas. On New Year's day, 1863, the regiment went into quarters near Fort Curtis, and Mr. Young performed picket duty and guard duty from the 1st of January till the 24th of February, when they were sent on an expedition across Moon lake and the Tallahatchie in front of Fort Pemberton, on which they made several unsuccessful attacks. Returning up the river about two days' journey, they met General Quimby with a reinforcement of 10,000 men, and going back, made another unsuccessful attack upon the fort. On the 8th of April, 1863, the fleet of transports and gunboats, with infantry on board, returned to Helena. During this expedition Jonathan P. and David W. Potts, brothers-in-law of Mr. Young, sickened by reason of exposure and hardship, and died, the latter on the 11th of April, and the former on the 15th of May, 1863, and were buried on the top of a high hill overlooking Helena. Mr. Young also was taken ill, and after the death of his brothers-in-law obtained a furlough of thirty days and remained until the 5th of July, and thus was not able to participate in the battle of Helena, which was fought on the 4th of July. On the 11th of August, under General Steel, of the Seventh Army Corps, his regiment marched across the country to capture Little Rock, which place they entered in triumph on the 10th of September. During this time the captain of his company and several other members had died of sickness. Remaining in camp until the 23d of March, 1864, they set out on the ill-fated Red river expedition, marching about a month and being engaged almost daily in fighting. It was during this time that were fought the battles of Spoonville, Elkin's Ford, Prairie De Anne, and Camden. At the last named place they rested a few days, and on the 21st of April, 1864, Mr. Young's brigade was sent to a mill-stone about six miles distant to shell and grind corn for the soldiers. That day occurred the battle of Poison Springs. At evening a messenger from headquarters ordered them in, and marching all night they reached Camden on the following morning. About two days later the brigade was ordered to Pine Bluff for provisions. After going about eighty miles in the direction of Pine Bluff they were surrounded and attacked by an overwhelming force of rebels, at Marks' Mills, Bradley county, Arkansas, and the whole brigade either killed or taken prisoner. The fight lasted from nine o'clock in the morning until half past two in the afternoon, and Mr. Young was slightly wounded in the right arm above the elbow. Leaving Camden to the right, they marched all that night and the next day until sundown, when they reached the Washita river and obtained a little corn to eat, the first they had eaten since their breakfast before the battle. Thence they crossed the river and marched by a circuitous route, at the rate of fifteen to twenty miles a day, to Camden. There they were searched for concealed weapons, the rebels robbing them of all the possessions they had on their persons. After about three days of harsh treatment, they were taken in the direction of Shreveport, Louisiana, under promise that they would there be exchanged; but instead of stopping there, they marched through the place, crossed the Red river, and camped about four miles out on the Texas road. On the 15th of May, 1864, they reached Camp Ford, where they remained until the 15th of February, 1865, enduring horrors exceeded only by those of Libby and Andersonville. They were now paroled and sent to Shreveport under rebel guards, thence on rebel steamboats to the mouth of Red river, where they were exchanged. Thence they were sent to New Orleans, and there were furnished with clothes, blankets, and knapsacks, and from there came North, having been prisoners for ten months, and at the expiration of that time returned to the remnant of their regiment at St. Charles, Arkansas. On the 24th of August, 1865, they were sent down the White river and thence up the Mississippi to Davenport, Iowa, where they were discharged on the 7th of September following.

Returning to his home Mr. Young remained on the farm with his family until the autumn of 1866, when he was elected Clerk of the District Court of Monroe county. He entered upon his duties on the 1st of January, 1867, and by successive re-elections held the office in all six years. In the fall of 1872 he was elected on the Republican ticket Secretary of State, of Iowa, by a majority of 57,000; was re-elected in 1874, and again in 1876, by a majority of 60,056. In the year 1880 Mr. Young was the able and popular incumbent as Mayor of the city of Albia, and in 1890 he was the nominee of the Republican party and was elected to the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth General Assembly of Iowa, in which he served on several important committees, and otherwise took a prominent part in the deliberations and councils of that body, lending effective aid in insuring wise legislation.

In political sentiment Mr. Young had formerly been a Democrat, as had also his father and grandfather. After the opening of the Civil war he changed his views, and in the fall of 1862, while with his company at Camp Lincoln, Keokuk, voted the Republican ticket. He then thought that the emancipation of the slaves would be injudicious, but after being in the South saw that it was necessary of putting down the rebellion and heartily favored it. In religious communion his ancestors as far back as he can trace them have been Presbyterians, and he himself is identified with that denomination.

In his business affairs Mr. Young has been eminently successful and now lives in the enjoyment of a pleasant home, surrounded with all that is needed to make one happy, and enjoying the confidence and high esteem of a very large circle of true friends.

Of his nine children five are now (1895) living: Fletcher Webster, born on the 9th of January, 1853, became Deputy Secretary of State on the 1st of January, 1876. He was educated at the Iowa State University and graduated in the law department. Rachel Elizabeth was born on the 25th of September, 1856. She is now a cripple, having lost the use of her spinal column. David Whitcomb, born on the 2d of November, 1858, was a clerk in his father's office while the latter was Secretary of State. Ellsworth was born on the 8th of July, 1866; and Edward Baker on the 19th of May, 1868.

Such is an outline of the life history of one who has risen by his own untiring energy from comparative obscurity to a position of honor. His has been a varied career, but bravely meeting every opposition he has moved steadily onward, adhering strictly to principles of integrity, and enjoys now the reward that comes of persistent and honorable effort.