Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

John Park Young, who follows general farming on section 26, Newell township, was born in Saunemin township, Livingston county, Illinois, on the 18th of November, 1860, and is a son of William and Nancy (Scott) Young, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Indiana.  The father always followed the occupation of farming and at an early day he removed westward to Illinois, settling in Livingston county', where he owns and cultivates one hundred and sixty acres of rich and productive land.  Unto him and his wife were born five children, two sons and three daughters:  John P.; Mary S., who is the widow of Edward Belcher, of Saunemin, Illinois; Joseph Grant, who is living in Winterset, Iowa; Lottie Isabel, the wife of Joseph M. Gray, of Mount Pulaski, Illinois: and Nannie A., the wife of John Madison Young, of Saunemin, Illinois.  The death of the husband and father occurred October 25, 1869, when he was forty-one years of age.  He was a devoted member of the Methodist church, to which his wife also belongs.  Since the death of her first husband she has married John Calvin Mariner, who is also now deceased.  By that marriage there were five children, of whom four are yet living:  Nellie Irene, Joseph Scott, Silvia and Clara O.  All reside in Saunemin and the last named is the wife of Charles C. Ridinger.  The mother was a daughter of Samuel Scott, a native of Indiana and a farmer by occupation.  He removed to Livingston county, Illinois, where his death occurred when he was about sixty years of age.  His wife bore the maiden name of Mary Ann Reeder and was eighty-one years of age at the time of her death, which occurred in October, 1906.  Their family numbered three sons and two daughters:  Nancy, Joseph, Milford, John and Abbie, the last named being the wife of Thomas Norman.

John P. Young was reared on his father's farm in Livingston county, Illinois, and attended the district schools.  He lived at home to the time of his marriage.  On the 11th of February, 1893, he went to Sac county, Iowa, where he followed farming for a year, after which he came to Buena Vista county and purchased a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 26, Newell township.  He has made farming his life work and now has a well improved place, which he has brought under a high state of cultivation.  He uses the best machinery to carry on the work of the fields and everything about his farm indicates his careful supervision and progressive methods.

On the 3d of March, 1887, Mr. Young was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Smith, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Ann (Fearn) Smith.  Her parents were natives of England and came to the United States in 1881, settling in Livingston county, Illinois, where they remained until 1892, when they became residents of Osceola county, Iowa.  There they resided until 1897, in which year they took up their abode in Sac county and purchased a farm, Mr. Smith owning at the time of his death one hundred and seventy-two acres of good land.  He died in 1903 at the age of sixty-six years and is still survived by his wife.  They were the parents of four children:  Ellen; Edward; Agnes, deceased; and Herbert.  Of this family Mrs. Young was born in Nottingham, England.  August 6, 1867, and by her marriage has become the mother of two daughters and a son:  Agnes L., Charles E., and Florence I.  The elder daughter is now a school teacher in Newell township.

Mr. and Mrs. Young are Methodists in their religious faith and in his political belief Mr. Young is a republican.  His life has been quietly passed in the work of the home farm and as the years have gone by he has gained that success which should ever crown persistent, earnest effort, being now recognized as one of the substantial agriculturists of this community.