The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-01-30


Young, aud a grandson of William anc
Elizabeth Young. His grandfathe
William was Wing soldier duliny tn,
revolution and his grandmother was s
sister of the late Judge Huuter. Of
Laurens county. His great grandmother
Agnes Young, after the death of I,er
husband at their home at Culpspppr. Va.
emigrated to South taroiina In 1850 an
settled in the southeastern part OF wh \,
is now Laurens county. 5. e., with h Il
seven sons, all of Whom were sta!wart
and brave soldiers on the side ofths
patriots. Settling at this place they se-
cured land grant from King George
Ill. This grant came down tn William
Young and Was by him wiiled To his
son John and 10y him to his SOL
Col. John l.. Young, who has
kept it in his possession to his death.
This land has been free of encumbrance
since granted to the family by George
LII. Much of it is still in original forest
and abounds in game.
DR.. Landrum, in his history of upper
South Carolina, gives Robert Young.
one of the sons of Col. Young's grand
father, credit for killing Col Ferguson
at the battle of Kings Mountain. The
activity of the Young family in those
troublesome times soon incurred the Bit
ter enmity of Bloody Bill'' Cunning
ham, which came near resulting
in their annihilatiOn. The father
of j. l. Young, then a mere had, mar
rowly escaped death by having been sent
to the spring for water. When the band
of patriots surrendered to Bloody Bil''
from the Block House at Hayes Noun,
tain to later be lined up by him and
slaughtered like sheep:
Materially Col. Young came from the
Maddox family. His mother survived
her husband many years and died at the
ripe old age of 80 years. Col. Young's
bOyhood days were spent on their farm
in Laurens county, where he attended
the schools in the neighborhood, he later
took classic course at the Laurens
Academy. His father died when he
was only six years of age. The family
then consisting of his mother, two BROTH
ers, George Washington and James c.,
and two sisters, Eliza aud Sallie.
When but YOUTH, and attending
school taught by tho father of Ex-Sec'y
of the Navy, billiard Heroert, he at
tended mass meeting in the court
houee, and listened to the address of
RObt. Y. Hayne, who was urging the
people to assist in the building of rail-
road from Charleston to Colum oia, now
known as the South Carolina railroad,
and the pioneer road OF the State. The
address so impressed him with the neces.
sity of such enterprises for the develop
ment of the country generally, that he
at once subscribed for $500. worth of stock
in the proposed road His father being
dead he was under the thumbs of a guar
dian, who was more short-sighted than
the boy, and condemned his act of sub
scribing to stock to build railroad Us
absolute foOlishness, and would not hpar
to it,sand, TO remove him from su ;h temp
tations in the futurs,-. ,-.eot~hIm from
school and put him back on the farm.
The boy was very much In earnest, how
ever, and determined to make the money
himself to meet his obligation. Having
taken up the study of surveying, he de-
termined to bring his knowledge of this
business to his help. He soon had his
profession in hand 50 that he earned C IN
siderable money and met his obligations
He never regretted his action, and held
on to his stock. And at the meeting of
stockholders of the S. G.. r. r.. IN 1882.
it vas found that of the thousands of
original stockholders in the road, Col.
Young was the only one still in posses
sion of his original stock.
After working a few years on the
farm he was given position with the
the surveying corps who were locating
the Greenville and Columbia Railroad,
the first railroad to reach out for the
mountains or the piedmont section from
the coast, During this time he perfect
ed himself in the science of civil engi-
neering.
In 1910 he moved TO Union and en-
gagged in the mercantile business, being
employed by his brother-in-law, Mr.
Walker, who was lost at sea during 8
voyage. Mr.. Young then purchased
the business, from his amt, spd from
that tirse to 1860 he conducted one O
the largest mercantile and banking es
blishments in the upcountry,
In 1854 at meeting of the diIector
of the SpartaDburg and Union railroad
the road running from Spartanburg t
Aston, where it tapped the Columbif
and Greenville road, it was found tina
the finances of the road had been absorb
ed and that bills for material were sfa.l
ing due, contractors had not beer
pad and the whole thing was financially
in bad shape. The prospects fol
raising funds at this time to liqri
date obligations and complete th'
road were very gloomy indeed. aud bank
ruptcy seemed inevitable. 1t was unde
these conditions that the directors elect
ed Col. John l.. Young president of tn
road over his protest. He was plac ID II
full charge given carte blanc power j
constructing and eqnipping said road
The knowledge that he had bercqlea
task b, fore him did not deter him whe
he finally decided to accept the Iespons
ble position, but with the indomitab'
pluck and energy that has characterizs