piece of real estate, which consisted of forty acres of farm land, to which he added another forty acres in 1884 and acquiring a similar amount in 1886 brought the aggregate up to one hundred and twenty acres. During this time he continued to cultivate rented land but in 1888 he moved to his own farm, which was located two miles across the line in Polk county and upon which he had erected a new house and farm buildings. After living there one year he sold the place and bought the T. H. Strickler farm, containing one hundred and forty acres, which was located in jasper county south of Collins. After he had built a new house and barns and added other modern improvements to the latter place he took up his residence there and continued to ,make it his home until 1896. On the 11th of November, 1895, Mr. Young bought two hundred and forty acres of land in Collins township, Story county, for which he paid thirty-five dollar per acre. This property was unimproved when he bought it but being a progressive man he never hesitates at any expense which will add to the value of his land. He has always been a strong advocate of tiling, in fact was one of the first men in this section to use the on his farm, and after he had tiled and fenced his present place he built a fine modern residence--one of his first considerations always having been the comfort of his family. He also erected commodious barns and added other modern improvements, which have made his homestead one of the most valuable properties in Story county. In 1902 he bought the Pearson farm, comprising one hundred and twenty acres, which adjoined his on the west, and five years later he bought one hundred and twenty acres of the Parker farm, lying within the corporate limits of Collins, making his present realty holdings amount to four hundred and eighty acres.
Much of Mr. Young's success may be ascribed to his extensive and successful stock-dealing, which has at all times proven to be most remunerative. He has probably fed and shipped more carloads of stock in the past twenty-five years than any other man in Story county, and he now has on his farm three hundred and sixty hogs and one hundred and sixty-five head of cattle, all of which he is feeding for the market.
Mr. Young established a home of his own by his marriage in 1883, at the age of twenty-one years, to Miss Lauretha Gibson, the Youngest daughter of David Gibson, who was one of the pioneer settlers of jasper county, coming to Iowa from Indiana in the early days. Four children have been born of this union: Alta, a teacher in the district schools; Fred, Blanche and Joseph, all of whom are at home.
The family always worship with the Methodist Protestant denomination, in which church the parents hold membership and of which Mr. Young has been one of the trustees for several years. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity through membership in the Fervent Lodge, No. 513, A. F. & A. M.
He is a zealous advocate of the principles of the republican party and, although he has always been too busily occupied with the direction of his