YOUNG, William Henry
Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 744-745

William Henry YOUNG, a prominent representative of the agricultural interests 
of Reedsburg Township, Sauk County, WI, was born in Minden, Montgomery 
County, NY, 10 May 1824, and is a son of John Christian and Hannah (DINGMAN) 
YOUNG, also natives of NY, born in Minden [Montgomery County] and Kinderhook 
[Columbia County], respectively. Our subject's great grandfather, Godfrey 
YOUNG, a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, served his king as collector of 
tithes, and his discharge, signed by the king, is still preserved by our 
subject. About the middle of the 18th century he came to America and settled 
in Montgomery County, NY, becoming one of the pioneers of that region. He 
and four of his sons, Christian, Godfrey, John and Daniel, served through the 
French and Indian war, and also fought in the Revolution for the independence 
of the colonies. Godfrey YOUNG, Jr., the grandson of our subject, was 
wounded at the battle of Oriskany, and died from the effects of the same 
forty years later. A fowling piece, which he captured during the war from an 
Indian sharpshooter, who had been armed by the English, is also in the 
possession of our subject. John C. YOUNG, the father, was a soldier in the 
War of 1812, and participated in the battle of Sacket Harbor [Sacketts 
Harbor, Livingston County, NY]. During his youth he learned the blacksmith's 
trade, which he followed many years. In 1856 he came to Sauk County WI, and 
lived near Reedsburg until called from this life in Feb 1877, at the age of 
86 years. His wife passed away two or three years previously at the age of 
84. Her father was John DINGMAN, a farmer, who had descended from an old 
Dutch family of NY.

In early manhood our subject, William H. YOUNG, went to Springfield Stone 
Mills, NY, where he worked as a stone mason [p 745] and carpenter until 
coming to this state in 1854. He lived for a short time in Whitewater 
[Walworth County, WI] and other places, but in Jan 1855 came to Reedsburg 
[Sauk County, WI], and in 1856 purchased 80 acres of his present farm in 
Reedsburg Township, to the cultivation and improvement of which he has since 
devoted his energies with marked success. As his financial resources have 
increased he has extended the boundaries of his farm from time to time until 
he now has 200 acres of valuable land under a high state of cultivation and 
well improved.

In Dec 1856 William Henry YOUNG married Miss Adelaide CRAWFORD, a daughter of 
James CRAWFORD, of Baraboo [Sauk County], WI, who was from OH. She died in 
Jul 1860, at the early age of 24 years, leaving one son, Clarence Orville, 
now a resident of Wigg, MN [where?]. Mr. YOUNG was again married in 1862, 
his second union being with Miss Lydia DEWEY, a native of Oconomowoc 
[Waukesha County], WI, and a daughter of Henry DEWEY, of Reedsburg [Sauk 
County, WI]. Two children have been born to them: George and Winnie, now 
the wife of Albert NINNAMAN, of Ironton [Sauk County], WI.

During the Civil war Mr. YOUNG served for a time in the quartermaster's 
department as carpenter at Little Rock [Pulaski County], AR, but becoming 
disgusted with the dilatory tactics of the office he resigned. In politics 
he has always been a pronounced Democrat, and for several years has served as 
a member of the town board of supervisors and as chairman of the same for two 
years. He has ever taken a deep and commendable interest in public affairs, 
and was very active in the management of the Reedsburg Grange, Patrons of 
Husbandry, while that organization existed. For a quarter of a century he 
has affiliated with the order at Stone Mills, NY, and he is now a prominent 
and honored member of Reedsburg Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons, and Reedsburg 
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, having filled the principal offices in the 
former. He is supposed to be the oldest Mason in WI, and is a man highly 
respected by all who know him.

Contributed by Cathy Kubly