Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-09-11
THE YOUNG PILGRIMS PROGRESS.

The events which are here narrated
occurred about fifty years ago, in the
wear 1849. The same year which was
marked by the exodus of many
people from New England and other
eastern states to the gold fields of
California, also was the year of the
exodus of the Young family from
their native home in Scotland to the
new world and the hills of New Eng
land and the green fields of Green's
boro.
The family consisted at that time Of
twenty -one persons, the father, Geo.
Young with his wife Mary, ten chill
dren, of whom three were married,
two sons in law and one daughter-in-
law, and six grandchildren. Two
other children had died in Scotland
and one married daughter, Jean, then
Mrs. Barr, remained when the family
sailed away, but followed them two
years later. Mr.. Young was born
in Kilwinning in Ayrshire not far
from the home of Scotland's most
popular poet, Robbie Burns. He lived
at this time on the same farm on which
he was born and there all his children
first saw the light.
Their decision to remove to Amer
lea was due largely to the influence
of a young man, James Simpson, who
had been three years in Greensboro
with his brother John, who had set
tied here. James returned to Scot
land and was employed as engineer
at a coal pit on the estate on which
the Young family lived, aud boarded
with them. He came with them when
they sailed to America and afterwards
married one of the daughters, Marion,
and so became one of the family. The
family party who came at that time
numbered fifteen, including Simpson.
After the auction little time was
spent in gathering together what per-
sonal property was to be taken along
and packing it into barrels and boxes
for the long journey across land and
sea. On the morning of May 18th, the
family took their departure from the
old home. The neighbors gathered
to give them a hearty send off, and
brought teams to cart their stuff to
the station where it was to be loaded
on the train. There was no lack of
teams, but SO many came that it was
hard to find box for each one to
draw away and there was general
hi oooh frui no
thing to carry and show his good will.
After taking breakfast at the house
of Lady Bowman, the family walked
to the station and with along farewell
to their native town took the train
for Glasgow. Here they took pas
sage on large three masted Amer
can sailing vessel bound for New
York, and on the next day were towed
down the river to Greenock, where
they lay for two days while the yes
sci took on a supply of water for the
voyage and the passengers were ex-
an1ined by the doctors. In the eve
ming the vessel started for the ocean
voyage, being towed down the bay
with the green shores on either hand,
as darkness settled down on the scene.
When morning broke, they were on
the waste of waters, with no land in
sight except the coast of Ireland in
the dim distance, and in the darkness
their native land had passed forever
from their sight.
The voyage thus begun lasted for
five weeks, about half the time re-
quired for the first New England set
tiers to come over in the Mayfiower,
but almost six times as long as is
now required for the fast ocean steam
ers. The experiences of these five
weeks were about such as were COM
mon to such passage, but were un-
common enough to our friends who
had always lived on the dry land.
Their home for those five weeks was
in the steerage among about 800 other
passengers. Food was furnished them
but each family had to do it's own
cooking, and there was a rush each
morning to get the first use of the
stoves, and it is related that any one
who got ahead of the Youngs had to
get up very early in the morning.
This habit of early rising seems to
have stuck to some of them after they
landed.
The first days at sea produced the
usual effect on most of the party and
hearty appetites gave way to sea
sickness, which in turn passed away
as they became used to the ocean.
The weather during most of the trip
was pleasant, but at one time a heavy