written by Gary Dean Young, ggg-grandson
William Alma Young Sr was born 28 Aug 1805, near Springfield in Robertson County Tennessee. Both his father and grandfather had migrated to Tennessee from the Southwest Virginia Territory in the late 1700’s. They are believed to be descended from early German immigrants to that area. Two of William Alma Young’s nieces, Lettie Y. Swapp and Fannie Y. Lundquist, wrote: "The first recordings are of one William Young, born 15 Apr 1744. He was of German and English Descent, and came to Virginia with the early settlement of that state. He then moved to Jackson Co Tennessee. He was a first-class farmer and owned very extensive tobacco and cotton plantations, and many slaves. William married Elizabeth Huff 25 Mar 1770. She was born 27 Oct 1754. The following children were born to them: David, born 18 Jun 1772; Jacob, 8 May 1774; Susannah, 29 Apr 1775; John, 25 Jun 1778; Mark, 8 Jun 1780; Naomi, 2 May 1782; Lovina, 27 Jan 1785; Samuel, 6 Jul 1787. These sons in this family were first class mechanics and geniuses in many lines. No doubt the Youngs took part in the Revolutionary War."
Doctor A.B. Cox, a physician and Methodist minister described the early Southwest Virginia Territory as follows (Foot Prints on the Sands of Time: A History of Southwestern Virginia and Northwestern North Carolina): "Southwestern Virginia and Northwestern North Carolina are between ranges of mountains containing beautiful forests, salubrious atmosphere, crystal streams of water, rich vegetation, delicious fruits, and rich mines of iron, lead, cooper and zinc. At the beginning of the 18th century [1700’s] the colony had advanced as far west as Montgomery County, which at that time included a considerable part of Southwestern Virginia."
Goodridge A. Wilson Jr, speaking at the golden jubilee of the Abingdon Presbytery on 21 Apr 1936, http://www.ls.net/~newriver/va/abpres1.htm, said: "The first settlements under the English flag on any westward flowing waters were made along New River [present-day Montgomery Co Virginia] in the early seventeen forties. Exactly when these people first came is not definitely known, but by 1745 they were fairly established with their women and children in wilderness clearings and cabins along both sides of the swift and clear and beautiful river on the western slopes of the Virginia mountains, both above and below the present city of Radford. The best evidence now available indicates that the first settlers were German folk, but the restless van guard of the Scotch Irish came either along with these German people or close upon their heels, for in 1745 cabins occupied by men of Scotch Irish name arid blood were mingled with the ‘Dutch,’ as the English-speaking immigrants called their German-speaking neighbors."
Governor David Campbell sent the following to ‘The Virginian’ in 1911 (www.usgenweb.com, Washington Co Virginia archives): "Some account of the first settlers of old Washington County, Virginia, would no doubt, be interesting to many of the readers of the Virginian.... Hunters visited the county as early as 1745, but no families came and settled permanently until about 1767 or 1768. In two years from that time many emigrated, so that in 1770 the county was dotted all over with improvements…. High up on the South Fork [of the Holston River] there were scattering settlements of Baptists, and a large portion of the country for twenty miles down from about seven miles to the town of Abingdon, almost the whole population were Germans. Many of them came from Germany to Pennsylvania, thence to what forms Shenandoah and Rockingham, and from there to Holston. Some came to Holston direct from Germany. JACOB YOUNG, who lived in the land afterwards the residence of John Campbell, I think came direct from Germany with a large household. He was a wealthy man, and lived and ruled his household and tenentry like a lord."
The Washington County Virginia Survey Records Abstracts 1781-1797 lists the names of William, David, Jacob, John, James, and Samuel Young -- who owned many thousands of acres between them. But they did not remain there for long, and indications are that William Alma Young’s grandfather had moved his family westward to the Cumberland River area of Tennessee, prior to that time. Governor Campbell concluded his article in The Virginian, by saying not many of the early Southwestern Virginia settlers stayed for long: "Not one family in twenty, I believe. Holston seemed to be a point from which the restless settler could survey, in his mind, at least, the great and beautiful West, the lands of Kentucky and Cumberland, and as soon as each one thought it would be safe for his family, he packed up his wife and children and put off for those fascinating countries."
Actually, history reveals that many of the early Southwestern Virginia settlers were forcefully displaced by events coinciding with the Revolutionary War. During the years 1775 to 1783, the Indians were aided and abetted by the infamous British agents living among them, who were inciting them to slaughter innocent women and children along the western frontier. The last Indian raid was recorded in 1794, but the most dangerous time was at the beginning of the war. Lewis Preston Summers wrote in his ‘History of Southwest Virginia 1746-86 (FHL book 975.5H2slp) wrote: "The settlers on the Holston and Clinch, during the years 1776-77, had been greatly harassed by the invasion of the Indians, and thereby prevented from making anything like a crop from their lands. They had also been required to furnish supplies to Colonel Christian and his army of two thousand men, upon their invasion of the Cherokee country."
William Young’s father, Jacob Young, was born on the Virginia frontier 8 May 1774, the second child of William & Elizabeth Huff Young. Jacob had an older brother named David, and six other brothers and sisters, all born in Virginia according to later census records. Their family was as follows:
WILLIAM YOUNG, born 15 Apr 1744, married Elizabeth Huff 25 Mar 1770, was an early settler in the Cumberland Basin, died 31 Oct 1818 in Smith Co Tennessee and buried on the Young family cemetery near Indian Creek that empties into the Caney Fork of the Cumberland River.
ELIZABETH HUFF, born 27 Oct 1754, married William Young 25 Mar 1770, died 22 May 1819 in Smith Co Tennessee and buried in the Young Family cemetery near Indian Creek.
DAVID YOUNG, born 18 Jun 1772 on the frontier in western Virginia territory, son of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, married Elizabeth Vance 1792 and settled on Indian Creek that empties into the Caney Fork of the Cumberland River near her father's grist mill, died 10 Oct 1847 in Pottawattamie Territory on the Mormon Trail to Utah.
JACOB YOUNG, born 8 May 1774 on the frontier in western Virginia territory, son of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, married (1) Bazel Boren’s daughter Mary Boren abt 1801 and settled in the new town of Springfield, Robertson Co Tennessee divorced abt 1810, married (2) his cousin Polly Huff, died abt 1842 in Putnam Co Tennessee.
SUSANNA YOUNG, born 9 Apr 1776 on the frontier in western Virginia territory, daughter of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, married John Porterfield abt 1795, died in 1832.
JOHN YOUNG, born 25 Jun 1778, on the frontier in western Virginia territory, son of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, married Matilda Gibson in 1811, died in May 1835 at Nashville, Jackson Co Tennessee, and buried in the old Nashville cemetery.
MARK YOUNG, born 8 Jan 1780, on the frontier in western Virginia territory, son of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, married Ruth Ralston abt 1800, died 8 Feb 1857 in Putnam Co Tennessee.
NAOMI YOUNG, born 2 May 1782, on the frontier in western Virginia territory, daughter of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, married John Douglas abt 1802, died 1856.
LEVINA YOUNG, born 27 Jan 1785, on the frontier in western Virginia territory, daughter of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, married Adam Marley 10 May 1814 in Smith Co Tennessee, died 8 Oct 1824 and buried in the Ellis church yard, Smith Co Tennessee.
SAMUEL YOUNG, born 2 Jul 1787, on the frontier in western Virginia territory, son of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, married Elizabeth George abt 1807, lived in the Buffalo Valley area of Tennessee, died 1856.
Only a few hundred white people had lived in the area of present-day Kentucky, Illinois, and Tennessee, before the Revolutionary War. They included French explorers, missionaries, fur traders, and a few ambitious men looking for land to establish homes. A group of land speculators from Virginia formed the ‘Transylvania Company’ in 1772, and hired Daniel Boone to blaze a trail across the mountains at Cumberland Gap to open the new territory to settlement. William Alma Young’s mother, Mary Boren, was related to Daniel Boone through her mother Susannah Bryan, who was first cousin to Daniel Boone’s wife Rebecca Bryan. Susannah Bryan’s father, Morgan Bryan Jr, was a younger brother of Joseph Bryan who was Daniel Boone’s father-in-law. The Bryans and Borens had lived in the same area near the Yadkin River in North Carolina. Though they were probably not aware of it, the Bryans were decended from a long line of Old World royalty through their ancestor Sir Francis Bryan.
The counts de Brienne of Brienne-le-Chateau were one of the more distinguished families of medieval France, producing statesmen, diplomats and crusaders, including a regent of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, Jean de Brienne. Guy de Brienne I of Norman England, a l2th century scion of the family, founded a six-generation line of knights, of which the first-born son was always named Guy de Brian. The Bryans of Kilkenny descending from this line, established themselves in Ireland in the l3th century. Sir Francis Bryan, Lord Marshall of Ireland appointed by Henry VIII, served as chief intelligence officer for the Tudor Court, married Lady Joan FitzGerald, only daughter and heiress of James FitzMaurice FitzGerald, eleventh Earl of Desmond. From this union was born Francis Bryan II, raised hibernicis ipsis hibernior at the Seat of the Earls of Desmond, Adare County Limerick. Sir Francis Bryan II married Ann Smith, and they had a son named William Smith Bryan who was born 1600. Colonel William Smith Bryan married Catherine Morgan, and they had a son named Francis Bryan III, born 1630. He and his wife were exiled by Cromwell to Virginia in the New World about 1653. Their son, Francis Bryan III, fled to Denmark, where he married Sarah Brinker and had three children. They borded a ship in 1693 for the Pennsylvania colony, but Francis and Sarah his wife both became sick while on the voyage and died. Their three children were provided for by some of their shipmates and then "bound out" in Pennsylvania for their room and board, until they reached lawful age. Their son, Morgan Bryan Sr, married Martha Strode, and eventually settled in North Carolina. Their family was as follows:
MORGAN BRYAN, born 1671 in Denmark, son of Francis & Sarah Brinker Bryan, married Martha Strode 1719 in Chester Co Pennsylvania, said to have been the first man to take a wagon on the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap, died 3 Apr 1763 at Deep Creek, Rowan Co North Carolina.
MARTHA STRODE, born 1678 in France, daughter of William Strode of Holland and France, died 24 Aug 1762 at Deep Creek, Rowan Co North Carolina.
JOSEPH BRYAN, born 1720 in Chester Co Pennsylvania, son of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Alice Linville abt 1738 in the Shenandoah Valley Virginia, died 1805 at Floyd’s Fork, Shelby Co Kentucky.
SAMUEL BRYAN, born 1721 in Chester Co Pennsylvania, son of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Elizabeth McMahon abt 1750 in the Shenandoah Valley Virginia, died 1800 in Rowan Co North Carolina.
ELINOR BRYAN, born 1722 in Chester Co Pennsylvania, daughter of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married William Linville 1740 in the Shenandoah Valley Virginia, died 21 Oct 1772 in Madison Co Kentucky.
JAMES BRYAN, born 3 Apr 1723 in Chester Co Pennsylvania, son of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Rebecca Knox 1756 in the Shenandoah Valley Virginia, died 18 Aug 1807 at Femme Osage, Saint Charles Co Missouri.
MARY BRYAN, born 1724 at Pequea Creek, Lancaster Co Pennsylvania, daughter of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Thomas Curtis 1738 in the Shenandoah Valley Virginia, died 23 Feb 1742 in the Shenandoah Valley, Orange Co Virginia.
MORGAN BRYAN, born 20 May 1729 at Pequea Creek, Lancaster Co Pennsylvania, son of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Mary Forbush 1747 in the Shenandoah Valley Virginia, died abt 1795 in Bourbon Co Kentucky.
JOHN BRYAN, born 9 Apr 1730 at Opequon Creek, Frederick Co Virginia, son of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Elizabeth Frances Battle 16 Apr 1765 in Rowan Co North Carolina, died 12 Mar 1782 in Rowan Co North Carolina.
WILLIAM BRYAN, born 10 Mar 1734 at Opequon Creek, Frederick Co Virginia, son of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Mary Boone 1755 (sister of the famed Daniel Boone) in Rowan Co North Carolina, died 30 May 1780 at Bryan’s Station, Clark Co Kentucky.
THOMAS BRYAN, born 1737 in Berkeley Co West Virginia, son of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Sarah Hunt 1755 in Rowan Co North Carolina, died 14 Oct 1780 at Bryan’s Station, Clark Co Kentucky.
SARAH BRYAN, born 1739 in Berkeley Co West Virginia, daughter of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan, married Francis Paison abt 1757 in Rowan Co North Carolina, died in Rowan Co N.C.
One of Morgan & Martha Strode Bryan’s grandsons kept a record of his ancestry, which may be found in the Salt Lake Family History Library book 975.5/M28d, vol 12; Revolutionary Pension Applications. The record was written 18 Dec 1839 from Marion County Indiana, by Mary Hunt Bryan, age 80, daughter of Col Jonathan & Isabella Hunt of Rowan County N.C., widow of Samuel Bryan. She wrote that she was married 5 Oct 1775 by Col Joseph Williams, a magistrate in Rowan Co North Carolina, and that her husband died 4 March 1837. She had no family record but presented a history of her husband’s ancestry as given to her son Luke Bryan by her husband: "My great grandfather Bryan was a Dane born in Denmark and raised in that kingdom where he married a wife and lived untill he had a sone born whome he called Morgan after which he removed to Ireland where he lived untill said MORGAN [BRYAN] came to manhood who left his father in Ireland and came to Pensylvania in Amerrica where he married a woman by the name of MARTHA STRODE the daughter of a man by the name of Strode a Hollander who had moved to France where he resided with his wife untill he had three children."
"He and his wife [FRANCIS & SARAH BRINKER BRYAN] being protestants, in time of great persecution fled for their lives, bound for Pensylvania in Amerricca but himself and wife sickened on the seas and died before them arived to the end of their voige, the vesel landing in Pensylvania where the children were provided for by some of their shipmates and were bound out untill of lawfull age. The names of those children were JEREMIAH, SAMUEL, AND MARTHA, who lived in Pensylvania untill of legal age when the above named Morgan Bryan married said Martha Strode by whom he had seven sons and two daughters, namely, JOSEPH, ELENOR, MARY, SAMUEL, MORGAN, JOHN, WILLIAM, JAMES and THOMAS."
"He [MORGAN BRYAN] removed from Pensylvania to a creek called Opecon near Winchester in Virginia where he resided untill several of his children were grown and married, after which time he removed to the Yadkin river in Rowan County North Carolina where he lived untill his death. Where his sone William, my father, comeing to the age of 22 years married MARY BOONE daughter of SQUIRE BOONE the 1st and sister of Col DANIEL BOONE the explorer and settler of Kentucky."
"SQUIRE BOONE who was from the west of England, (came) to Pennsylvania where he married SARAH MORGAN of Welch extraction by whom he had twelve children, eight sons and four daughters which were named SARAH, ISRAEL, SAMUEL, JONATHAN, ELIZABETH, DANIEL, MARY, GEORGE, NATHANIEL, EDWARD, SQUIRE, and HANNAH; with his wife and these children he removed from Pensylvania to Rowan County in North Carolina where he resided untill his death."
"William Bryan with his wife Mary lived in Rowan County, No Carolinia untill they had ten children namely SAMUEL, DANIEL, WILLIAM, PHEBE, HANNAH, JOHN, SARAH, ABNER, ELIZABETH, and MARY; with his wife and these children, he removed to Kentuck in the year 1779 and setled at a place called Bryan’s Station on Elkhorn Creek in Fayette County, where the Indians killed him and his son William while hunting for gaim for the support of the family on the 5 day of October 1775."
Boone’s trail, the famous Wilderness Road, became the chief route to the new settlements. These settlements were important as British supply bases. George Rogers Clark of Virginia and a band of frontiersmen called the "Long Riflemen" captured Kaskaskia and Cahokia from the English in 1778. Clark could not get financial help from Virginia or Congress to keep his soldiers fed and paid, so he used his own money. This left him penniless, but his action saved the Northwest Territory. Then when the peace treaty was signed in 1783, the British were forced to give this territory to the United States because it was under Clark’s military control.
William Alma was named after his grandfather, William Young, who married Elizabeth Huff 25 Mar 1770 and their children were all born in the western frontier, including William Alma’s father, Jacob Young on 8 May 1774. In 1779, a group of pioneers led by James Robertson and John Donelson settled around the ‘Big Salt Lick’ on the Cumberland River. They built a fort on the river bluffs called Nashborough, which formed the center of settlement. William Alma Young’s maternal grandparents, Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren were married on 7 Oct 1780 -- the same year that the "Cumberland Compact" was written, providing the community with a representative government and court system. Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren’s family was as follows:
BAZEL BOREN, born 1758 in the Yadkin Valley, North Carolina, son of Joseph Boren, married Susannah Bryan 7 Oct 1780 in the Southwest Territory of Virginia, died 1812 in Union Co Illinois.
SUSANNAH BRYAN, born 1762 in the Yadkin Valley, Rowan Co North Carolina, daughter of Morgan & Mary Forbes Bryan, married Bazel Boren 7 Oct 1780 in the Southwestern Territory of Virginia, died shortly before the 1820 census in Union Co Illinois.
BAZEL A. BOREN, born abt 1781 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, son of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married Cassa Boren on 12 Jun 1819 in Union Co Illinois, joined the Mormon church in 1844, died in Van Buren Co Iowa.
SARAH (SALLY) BOREN, born abt 1782 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married William Dorris abt 1815 in Robertson Co Tennessee, died 9 Oct 1864 in Robertson Co Tennessee, buried in the Dorris cemetery.
MARY BOREN, born 6 Sep 1784 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married (1) Jacob Young abt 1802 and had five children; divorced abt 1810 and married (2) her cousin Willis Boren 30 Jun 1819 in Union Co Illinois and had eight more children. She moved to Gibson Co Tennessee with her husband and children, where they joined the Mormon Church in 1843. She died abt 1848 at Winter Quarters in Pottawattamie Territory.
JOHN BOREN, born abt 1786 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, son of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married Lydia Chapman abt 1803, died in Union Co Illinois.
REBECCA BOREN, born abt 1788 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married Lewis Latham abt 1808 in Robertson Co Tennessee.
SUSANNAH BOREN, born abt 1790 in Robertson Co Tennessee, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married Stephen Smith abt 1810.
NANCY BOREN, born abt 1792 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married James Hogan, abt 1820 in Union Co Illinois.
MORGAN BRYAN BOREN, born abt 1796 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, son of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married Anne Lathum abt 1805 in Robertson Co Tennessee, died Jan 1851 in Polaski Co Illinois.
ISRAEL BOREN, born abt 1798 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, son of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren.
GRACE (TINNY) BOREN, born abt 1800 in Robertson Co Tennessee, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren.
MARTHA (PATSY) BOREN, born abt 1802 in Robertson Co Tennessee, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren.
MORNING BOREN, born abt 1804 in Robertson Co Tennessee, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married Matthew Waters Jr 23 Sep 1827 in McCracken Co Kentucky, died abt 1833, only child, Martha Ann Waters was raised by Coleman & Melinda Keller Boren.
COLEMAN BOREN, born 14 Oct 1808 in Robertson Co Tennessee, son of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married Melinda Keller 7 Mar 1830 in Jonesboro, Union Co Illinois, died 13 May 1858 in Provo, Utah Co Utah and buried there.
Even before the Revolution, all the frontier families were busy preparing for war with Great Britain. William Alma Young’s grandfather, Bazel Boren, was given a Lieutenant’s commission in the 20 Nov 1782 Washington Co Virginia court (FHL book 975.5H2sl, Annals of Southwest Virginia, page 1127): "Ordered that John Frazer be recommended for Captain Thomas Faires and BAZIL BORAR for Lieutennants."
According to Pat Alderman in his book, "Overmountain Men," p 60, the frontiersmen fought in many of the early battles of the war. Then on October of 1780, both of William Alma Young’s grandfathers participated in the famous battle of King’s Mountain. The Salt Lake City Utah Family History Library book 975.743/D3w "King’s Mountain Men" says that a thousand frontiersmen came together of their own free will to make themselves into a volunteer army. Their only equipment was each man’s own trusty Dechard rifle with its accessories, his sure-footed mountain horse, and his pocketful of parched corn. These men knew little of professional warfare, but they did know how to keep tories and Indians from their settlement. When England's sharpshooter colonel, Patrick Fergusen, sent them a letter that said unless they came on to join him and the British king he would "march over the mountains and hang every one of them," it made them furious.
It was during a time when the American revolutionary cause was looking grim. Failure after failure had come to the American arms in the South. The engagement at Musgrove’s Mill, about two months earlier, was indeed rather a victory for the whigs, some of the King’s Mountain men taking part in it. While trying to harass the British, the Americans fell into a trap, yet they fought off their enemy and escaped with all the prisoners they had taken. Ferguson chased them to the Blue Ridge and then sent the insolent letter which caused his ruin. Colonels Shelby, Sevier, Cleveland, Campbell, Winston, and Hampton, had sent a letter to the American General Gates, asking him for a trained officer to lead them. The letter said in part, "We have collected at this place about 1500 good men, drawn from Washington, Surry, Wilkes, Burk of North Carolina, and Washington County Virginia, and expect to be joined in a few days by Colonel Williams of South Carolina with about a thousand more."
At the close of the same day the letter was written, Campbell was nominated by Shelby as temporary commander, on the grounds that he was the only Virginian of regimental rank. During the next two days the leaders picked out the best men with the best horses and rifles. Then on the morning of 26 Sep 1780, about 900 men assembled for a prayer by Rev Samuel Doak and began their long march to North Carolina to halt Ferguson. The men on foot and those with poor horses were told to follow. In their rapid advance, the frontiersmen could not spare the time to deal with a large body of tories forming to join Ferguson. Passing this force they were joined at Cowpens by 60 men from Lincoln county under Colonel Hambright. They were also joined by an equal number of South Carolina men under Major Chronicle and by a band under Colonel Williams of the same state. During thirty-six hours the riflemen never alighted but once at Cowpens. They had little to eat but parched corn. A persistent rain made them wrap their guns and ammunition in sacks, blankets, and even their hunting shirts. It was necessary to keep their powder dry, even though their bodies were drenched by the cold downpour.
When they caught up with Colonel Patrick Ferguson on the morning of 7 Oct 1780, they went into the fight with neither rest nor refreshment. The battle lasted only an hour. Toward the end of the battle, Ferguson tried to make a desperate break through the Whig lines. Pat Alderman, p 100 wrote: "With two companions, he made a sally toward Sevier's position on the hill. Wielding his sword in his left hand, he cut and slashed until his sword was broken. The Colonel and two of his fellow officers were shot down by crack riflemen. These Frontiersmen had come a long way just to get Ferguson. Max Dixon wrote in his book entitled, "The Wataugans" p 60, that the battle was over in "sixty-five minutes." The frontiersmen, having ended their threat to security, needed to get back to the frontier where they had left Major Charles Robertson to protect the home front in Washington County, and Colonel Anthony Bledsoe in command of the Sullivan County home force (Pat Alderman, p 82). After an absence of two weeks, the victors returned home.
Losses at Charleston and Camden in the Revolutionary War had discouraged many patriots, but new encouragement came as Thomas Sumpter, Francis Marion, and Andrew Pickens launched guerrilla attacks against the British. In September 1780, Cornwallis invaded North Carolina and on October 7th, Col. William Campbell’s 900 American frontiersmen destroyed the force of 1,100 Loyalists under Maj. Patrick Ferguson, covering Cornwallis’ left flank. The loss, sustained at Kings Mountain, just over the boarder from North Carolina into South Carolina, forced the British to retreat and became one of the pivotal battles of the war.
But the returning frontier soldiers had no time to wait for words of praise and promises of reward. They had to hurry back by the nearest path to their wives, children, and the old men and boys who were left to protect the settlements from the Indians. They were just in time to beat off a thousand Indians who were on the march, having learned that the fighting men had gone to King's Mountain. At King’s Mountain these soldiers had trapped and annihilated a British army more numberous than themselves. Yet they came near being reprimanded by the Continental Congress for taking the war path without express permission. If they had failed there might have been trouble, but all is well that ends well. So in time the state governments of Virginia and North Carolina and the central government as well gave official recognition to the leaders and men who gained one of the most momentous victories of the Revolution.
FHL book 975.743/M2b, ‘Battle of Kings Mountain Participants 7 Oct 1780’, page 12 lists BAILE BORAN [Bazel Boren], of Washington Co Virginia. Page 39 lists WILLIAM YOUNG also of Washington Co Virginia. It is not known if this was William Alma Young’s grandfather or not, but the book ‘King's Mountain Men’, FHL book 975.743/D3w, page 150 lists BAILE BORAN as a lieutenant in the militia of Washington County September 1780, and states that "it is well known that all well members of this militia marched with Colonel Campbell." page 236 lists WILLIAM YOUNG under Colonel Campbell as well, and that he "received a bounty warrant" for his service. This was a paper that entitled him to a certain number of acres of land, given to veterans by the government. The amount of land awarded depended upon the applicant’s rank and time of service. The warrant directed the government surveyor to set aside land in what later became a part of the states of Kentucky, Illinois, and Tennessee.
If this was William Alma Young’s grandfather, then he may have used his bounty-warrant to purchase land on the South Fork of Indian Creek that runs into the Caney Fork of the Cumberland River. This is near present-day Enigma in Smith Co Tennessee. Lloyd Young said, (Report of Research for Young Ancestry by Eleanor M. Hall, 1970, page 2), "I have always been told that five brothers came to the lower end of Putnam County and settled on a Revolutionary War grant in the section now known as Buffalo Valley and Indian Creek. They owned and occupied all the land from the Caney Fork River at Buffalo Valley on Indian Creek to the top of the hill toward Cookeville, at a place now called Boma. My father and I went to the section above Indian Creek, and he showed me where his father, Lewis Hartford Young, was born. He was the son of Allen [grandson of Wm & Elizabeth Huff Young]."
Another clue to the origin of the Young family, was one of their occupations. Besides farming, they were gunsmiths, and it is a historical fact that German immigrants supported the Revolutionary War effort by making guns and gunpowder. Eleanor M. Hall wrote in her ‘Report of Research’, 1970, pp 5-6, "High on the steep hillside we found the old Young Home, last occupied by Sam Bartlett, a great grandson of Mark Young, number four of the five Young brothers. The location is secluded and remote. On this particular farm there were limestone caves just past the barns and across the branch, almost opposite the house, but hidden from it by dense growth. These caves produced saltpeter enough to supply the needs of the Young family with gunpowder. With a bit of careful management there was often enough to sell when the poled raft of goods went down the river to Nashville every spring. The caves were used for blacksmith shop, gunpowder factory, distillory and armory. The story is still told that a beautifuly carved gun, inlaid with silver, was made by David [Young] and purchased at the fair by an English Lord who gave him $1000 for it. The lord took the gun with him to England and placed it in a London Museum where it is still on exhibit. I was told by Melonee Reeder in 1951 that Dave Brazel still owned a gun that had been made by David Young.... There is a story that Dop (Adolphia) Young, left a store of guns in one of the caves. He wrapped them in oiled wolf skins for safe keeping then sealed the cave by caving the front off to hide the entrance, when he left that country to join the Latter-Day Saints in Nauvoo in 1842."
In 1787, four year after the end of the Revolutionary War, North Carolina provided for a lottery to raise money for the construction of a road from Clinch Mountain to Bean’s Lick. An old hunter and pioneer named Peter Avery was employed to mark the route. He laid out a road during the winter of 1787 and the spring of 1788 through present-day Monterey, across the Cumberland River at Fort Bount on to Bledsoe’s Lick now known as Castilian Springs. The Cherokee Indians claimed all this territory and contested the right of the white people to travel or construct any road through same. These Indians served notice on the white settlers that they could not travel this road unless they paid toll. An effort was made by the Territorial Government to avoid conflict with the Indians in this regard but it became necessary to provide militia escorts for any settlers who attempted to travel this route. A great number of people were endeavoring to move into the territory around Nashville. During all of this time there were frequent conflicts with the Indians and a great many of the settlers lost their lives in these conflicts. The travel increased over this road however, and the establishment of a garrison at Fort Blount was for the protection of these travelers.
In 1790, when the federal government created The Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio," it was still very much a wilderness. The Cherokee Indians held a large area in middle Tennessee and in fact, the word Tennessee came from the name of a Cherokee Indian village. Early maps show little more than the names of streams and widely spaced plantations, around which grew small settlements. When William Alma Young’s father, Jacob Young, was old enough to leave home, he purchased property in the new town of Springfield, in Robertson County, near where Bazel & Susannah Boren lived. He married their daughter Mary Boren, and settled down there. They named their first child Squire Boren Young, after Squire Boone of North Carolina. Their second child, William Alma Young, was named after his grandfather, William Young. William Alma Young’s mother, Mary Boren, was 16 years old when she married Jacob Young, and Jacob was 28 years old. It was said that he was "an excellent mechanic," which in those days meant that he was skilled in repairing and operating farm machinery. One of the tools he owned was a cotton press, used to make oil from cottonseed. He was also listed in the Springfield court record as having been paid to make repairs on the jailhouse.
Robertson County Tennessee was formed in 1797. William Alma Young was born near the place where the town of Springfield developed, and eventually became the county seat. The new county was named in honor of Gen. James Robertson, the founder of the Cumberland Settlements. But the first white man to actually settle in this area on the Red River was a friend of Bazel Born, named Thomas Kilgore. Kilgore's Station became an important settlement in the migration of white settlers. Other early settlements in in the area were Caleb Winters House, Miles Station, and Crockett's Fort. The first Robertson Co Tennessee courthouse was built of hand-hewn logs in 1799, as were most of the houses.
The original Young family settlement on the South Fork of Indian Creek became a part of a new county of Smith with an act of the legislature on 26 Oct 1799, and a new road was planned from Knoxville through to Nashville. One of the commissioners chosen for the construction of the road was William Walton, who had established a ferry some years before at the present site of Carthage Tennessee. Walton and his companions made the road directly south from Carthage up by way of Cookeville intersecting with the old road south with the present site of Monterey. An early description of the road was given as follows (FHL book 976.851/H2j, vol 2, page 67, from the journal of Steiner & Schweinitz, 25-27 Nov 1799): "On the last mountain there is the parting of the ways. The road to the left goes to Caney Fork and the one to the right to Fort Blount. We took the latter. The mountain down which we had to go is at once so steep that we had to lead our horses. We had nine miles more to the first house. The first low land to which we came was not bad and is, in part, level and had some cane along the streams, where we allowed our horses to graze, for the fodder we had brought iwth us had just given out. Here, on the high trees, we saw the first Cumberland parrots. They are green in color, have red bills and are somewhat larger than pigeons. They have a loud note and are commonly assembled in great numbers, so that they make unusual racket. They fly very fast and because they always alight on the highest trees we could not observe them closely. Beyond this plain there are again barren hills, the soil becomes poorer and then one crosses the Cherokee line into the Mero District of the State of Tennessee. Near at hand is the first house where a man by the name of Blackburn dwells. He and his family live, as do the Indians, by the chase and they make use of their advantageous location to sell provisions and fodder to travellers at high prices, since usually they reach here in great need. Corn costs a dollar a bushel and bear’s flesh 1/8 of a dollar a pound. Among other things the people here were occupied with gathering dry grass on the barren hills, which was to be sold to travellers for good hay. We proceeded three miles further and camped along a creek where cane grew and of the abundant wood lying about we made a good fire."
"We continued through poor, broken country and for eleven miles met with neither house nor hut. Then we came down Flynn’s Creek between two very high hills covered to the top with thick, high cane and tall timber. Most of this cane was an inch in thickness and fifteen or sixteen feet high. In this valley, we had to ride through Flynns Creek fourteen times. Its bed almost entirely covered with small round pebbles, alongside the same was morass. In this valley, it was extremely cold, because the sun could scarcely shine through the tall cane even during the noon hours. Two families that had arrived here several days ago, with many children, were stopping in these cold quarters without roof or lodgment and contemplated spending the winter here, because here in the cane they could best provide for their cattle, counting more than sixty head. In the main, the land is good but mountainous."
"At noon, we came to the Cumberland River in Sumner County. It has rocky banks but is not broad. We were taken across it at Fort Blount, where during the last Indian war there had been a garrison, now there remains a roomy house. From here, we continued steadily westward on a new but very muddy road and turned in, early in the morning, on account of the bad road, at a good-sized plantation belonging to the Widow Young not far from the river. Soon a family followed us, also going down to the River, who dwell far below Clarksville, 150 miles west of Nashville. They informed us that the country down the river to where theylive and even beyond was inhabited, not indeed thickly, as there were dry hills where no one lived, between which lay the settlements. The night was cold and the morning of the 27th so very cold that a bucket of water newly filled was frozen over in a very few minutes, therefore we were very glad for the good night’s lodging, though we were obliged to pay well for it. Five miles further on, we came to a well located plantation, called Dickson’s Spring (Dixon Springs) were the Caney Fork Road again unites with the Fort Blount Road. An abundant spring flows forth from under a rock shelf and forms at once a bountiful creek that drives mills not far from here."
The Widow Young referred to in the journal of Steiner & Schweinitz was Elizabeth Holland Young, late wife of William Young -- no relation to the William Young married to Elizabeth Huff. The story is that he was captured by Indians when he was a child in Virginia and held by them for eight years (FHL 976.852/H2h, vol 1, section F839-840). Because he was too small to keep up with the tribe, the Cherokee captor said he would end the boy’s life. At that point another Indian stepped forward and said, "I want him for my slave, give him to me!" Later, William and his older brother John, also a captive of the tribe called the Overhill Indians, claimed they had been taken as far west as "the chalk plains." They were deeply indoctrinated in Indian ways, until William was 21 years old and an official treaty freed him and his brother to be repatriated. But John had to persuade William to leave the tribe.
This particular William Young married Elizabeth Holland and moved to South Carolina and then to Kentucky. Soon after his marriage, he left home to hunt along the Cumberland River. On Christmas night in 1779 he and his young friend, a man named Marchbanks, camped on the north bank of the river and watched while James Robertson and his party crossed the ice to settle the town now called Nashville. That same night, his wife gave birth to a baby girl back home, who much later grew up to marry Marchbanks. Eventually William and his wife Elizabeth Holland settled on Sanderson Branch of Peyton Creek in Pleasant Shade,Tennessee. When he died in 1799 at Tillman Dixon’s house in Dixon Springs Tennessee, he was buried still wearing Indian rings in his nose and ears. After her husband’s death, Elizabeth Holland Young married Mike Murphy.
WILLIAM & ELIZABETH HOLLAND YOUNG were the parents of JENNY YOUNG, who married William Marchbanks; MARGARET YOUNG, who married Sampson Williams; JOHN YOUNG, had a son named Alphonso who joined the Mormon Church and helped build Nauvoo; SARAH YOUNG, married (1) Dr. Nathan Ridley, (2) Dr. Monroe, (3) Adam Hall; ANNE YOUNG, married George White; JAMES YOUNG, born in South Carolina, grew to a very tall 6 foot 6 inches, married Elizabeth Draper abt 1788 and had 14 children, was a farmer and merchant in Jackson county, captain in War of 1812, first sheriff and Justice of the Peace, represented his county in the state legislature of 1837-38, died in Bagdad Tenn 21 Aug 1860; NANCY YOUNG, married William Thomas; DICY YOUNG, married Nathan Haggard.
ALPHONSO YOUNG, born 23 Sep 1805 in Smith Co Tennessee (Reorganized Minute Book, Wheeking Water Branch Record, Nebraska 1852-71), was baptized a Mormon 15 May 1841 and listed in Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register 1845-46. He was mentioned on the Nauvoo List of Members (Nauvoo, Early Mormon...Series 1839-46 by Lyman Platt, Illinois, Nauvoo City Tax Lists 1843-1844). He accompanied John D. Lee on a proselytizing mission back to Tennessee from Nauvoo in 1842. Alphonzo was baptized in proxy for his grandfather William Young who had married Elizabeth Holland, in the Nauvoo Temple on 7 May 1843 (Nauvoo Temple Baptism Record, book C, page 23a). He did not accompany the main group of Mormons to Utah, and joined the Reorganized LDS Church in Iowa.
The Act establishing the County of Smith provided that courts of pleas and quarter sessions should be held "with the same power and authority as the courts of pleas and quarter sessions of the counties heretofore by law established," and directed that the first term should commence on the third Monday in December following, at the house of Major Tilman Dixon. As it was a quarterly court the other terms would necessarily commence third Mondays in March, June and September. After the first term the court was to meet at "such places as it might adjourn to".
On 6 Nov 1801, an act of the legislature attached a large portion of Wilson County lying south of the Cumberland River and west of Caney Fork River, while taking off a portion of Smith County on the east side to constitute the newly formed Jackson County. Shortly after, the south boundary of Smith County was extended south to the state line with Alabama. In 1805, an act was passed to limit the size of Smith County to 625 square miles described as, "Sumner and Wilson on the north, by a parallel with the upper boundary of Sumner County to the Cumberland River, and from thence a parallel line with the upper boundary of Wilson County to the Indian boundary line, and with the same south 45 degrees west to the southeast corner of Wilson County." Willis Jones and Lee Sullivan were appointed to ascertain by actual survey the eastern boundary of the county so as to reduce it to its constitutional limits.
Historical sketches and traditions of Jackson County found in the Jackson County Sentinel of 6 Sep 1933, FHL book 976.851/H2j, vol 1, page 177 says that, "A great many of the present residents of the Jackson and surrounding counties will be interested in the following partial list of the residents and landowners in the territory embraced in Jackson County in the years 1801, 1802, 1803, and 1812 (among others) John Sevier, first governor of Tennessee, LEONARD HUFF, DAVID YOUNG, MARK YOUNG, JAMES YOUNG captain in War of 1812 and 1st Sheriff, ELY YOUNG, SAMUEL HUFF, ANDREW JACKSON future president of U.S." These Huffs may have been close relatives of Elizabeth Huff Young. Mark Young was one of Jacob Young’s brothers. William Alma Young’s uncle David Young met and married a daughter of James Vance, one of the guards who accompanied settlers along the Wilderness Road. These military escorts were charged with protecting against Indian attacks.
The question of locating the seat of justice was the most difficult and perplexing one the people of Smith County had to settle. It continued for years to be a source of strife and division. The Legislature appointed commissioners to locate the town of Smithfield for this purpose, but evidently they failed to do it. In August 1804, the Legislature appointed new commissioners to hold an election of the voters of the county to decide between Bledsoeboro and the lands of William Walton, at the mouth of Caney Fork, as the location of the county seat. Andrew Green, John Gordon, and James Ballow were appointed in the Act authorizing it to superintend the election. It was held at the house of Mr. Walton, for three consecutive days, as soon after the passage of the law as notice could be given. Colonel Walton furnished unlimited supplies of venison, beef, and barbecued bear meat, nor was a full supply of whiskey lacking. Parties between the two places were nearly equally divided. The contest was fierce, and for a long time doubtful. The Bledsoeboro people called the Caney Fork men the ‘Moccasin Gang’ and the Caney Fork men retaliated by naming their opponents the ‘Pole Cats.’ In the forenoon of the last day, the polecats took possession of the polls and raised the defiant shout of victory. Nothing daunting however, the Moccasin Gang formed a solid column, pushed the head of it to the voting place and stood while their friends walked over their shoulders to vote. Victory at the close was found perched upon the standard of the moccasins, and the county seat of Smith became Carthage. This result was largely due to the personal popularity of Colonel William Walton, and to his abundant supply of refreshments during the days of the election. There was ill blood on both sides for years, and many a fight occurred between them in consequence when they should meet at Carthage.
Such was life on the early Tennessee frontier, and the most common place to meet and discuss politics was at the local grist mill while awaiting the grinding of grain. One such mill located near the Young family settlement was owned by James Vance on Indian Creek. Although grist mills, mill ponds and streams provided an idyllic atmosphere for socializing, their reason for being was for much more practical purposes. They were not only essential ‘food processors’ for the early settlers but also served as barometers of the economic growth of the county, as few of the early settlements flourished without the proximity of a mill. Family picnics were frequently enjoyed there; lengthy sermons and baptisms saved many souls on hot summer Sunday afternoons; carefree boys swam, dived and frolicked in the swimming hole; lovers gazed into each others’ eyes as they strolled along the banks ‘Down by the old Mill Stream.’
WATER GRIST MILLS, by Sue Maggart
I Wandered today to the hill, Maggie,
to watch the Scene below.
The Creek and the old rusty mill, Maggie,
where we sat in the long, long ago.
The green grove is gone from the hill, Maggie,
where first the daisies sprung;
The old rusty mill is still, Maggie,
since you and I were young.
The younger children probably swam in Vance’s mill pond while their older brother David Young was courtin’ the owner’s daughter, Elizabeth. David Young and Elizabeth Vance were married abt 1802, and they purchased 222 acres adjacent to the mill (FHL film 0319081 pages 203-204). "This indenture made this eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and three. Between Robert King of the county of Roan [Rowan] in the state of Tennessee [North Carolina] of the one part, and DAVID YOUNG of Smith County and said state of the other part. Witnesseth that the said Robert King for diverse good considerations and especially for and in consideration of the sum of five hundred dollars current money of Tennessee to him in hand paid before the sealing of the presents. The receipt hereof is hereby acknowledged and confessed hath given, granted, bargained and sold unto the said DAVID YOUNG his heirs and assigns forever, one certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the state of Tennessee and county of Smith on the South Fork of Indian Creek that runs into the Caney Fork of Cumberland River. Containing two hundred and twenty two acres, lying round JAMES VANCE’s Mill. Be the same more or less and bounded as follows (to witt): Begining at two Sugar trees on the west side of a hill. Thence due south, thirty poles to a stake. Thence east one hundred and forty poles crossing the creek to a large Hickory and White Oak on the south side of a large hill. Thence north one hundred and thirty poles to a stake. Thence west two hundred and sixty poles to a stake. And from thence one hundred and thirty poles to the begining. Wtih the reversion and reversions, with the remainder and remainders, appurtenances, rents and profits thereof. And all the estate, rights, title, inherent claim and demand of the said Robert King his heirs. Of, in or to the said land and premises with the appurtenances to hold to him the said DAVID YOUNG his heirs and assigns forever. And the said Robert King for himself his heirs and assigns, the said land and premises with the appurtenances unto the said DAVID YOUNG. The right and title to be good and lawfull, free and clear from the claim or claims of any person or persons whatsoever. In witness whereof the said Robert King hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal the day and year first above written. Robert King (seal). Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of JAMES VANCE (jurat) and William Skiles. State of Tennessee of Smith County Court. December term 1802. The execution of the within deed of conveyance was proven by the oath of JAMES VANCE one of the subscribing witnesses. Registered the 7th of March 1804. DB. Let it be registered T. Williams."
David & Elizabeth Vance Young raised their family on the Indian Creek property, near their parents and other relatives. David Young’s grandparents were not William & Patience Sinclair Young of Stafford County Virginia as is commonly believed. This mistake comes from a set of Salt Lake Mormon temple records dated 26 Jun 1917 (FHL film 183469, pages 1364 and 1370) as follows: "WILLIAM YOUNG, born about 1722, of Essex Co Virginia, died after 1747, grandfather of David Young. PATIENCE SINCLAIR, born 1718 of stafford Co Virginia, died 1747, grandmother of David Young. SARAH YOUNG born 1 Apr 1747 of Essex Co Virginia, aunt of David Young. JAMES YOUNG born 28 Sep 1797 near Watertown Wilson Co Tenn died 7 Jun 1881 son of David Young. NANCY BRANCH born 8 Mar 1800 of Watertown Wilson Co Tenn died 17 Apr 1875 daughter-in-law of David Young. LEWIS VANCE YOUNG of Austin Texas died Dec 1881 son of David Young. THOMAS YOUNG born 1834 Wilson Co Tennessee died 1894 grandson of David Young. MARY JONES married 1890 of Rutherford Co Tennessee died 1894 relative of David Young. FRANCES YOUNG born 10 Aug 1825, Watertown, Wilson Co Tennessee; died 13 Feb 1901; father James Young, mother Nancy Branch, married WILLIAM BRYAN; David Young deceased grandfather."
The "Wilson Co Tenn David Young" family was as follows (FHL book 929.273/Y84n, David Young and Sarah Phillips Descendants): "DAVID YOUNG Sr, born 1774, married Sarah Phillips 9 Dec 1796 in Davidson Co Tennessee, died 13 Apr 1856 in Wilson Co Tennessee. SARAH PHILLIPS, born 7 Sep 1776, daughter of David & Sarah Phillips Young. JAMES YOUNG, born 28 Sep 1797, son of David & Sarah Phillips Young, married Nancy Branch 15 Oct 1815 in Wilson Co Tenn, died 7 Jun 1881. ELIZABETH YOUNG, born 22 Mar 1799, daughter of David & Sarah Phillips Young, married Edward Wheeler 24 Oct 1818 in Wilson Co Tenn. DELPHY YOUNG, born 19 Dec 1800, daughter of David & Sarah Phillips Young. JOSEPH YOUNG, born 18 Mar 1802, son of David & Sarah Phillips Young. DOAK YOUNG, born 12 Jan 1804, son of David & Sarah Phillips Young, married Sarah Reeder 12 May 1826, died 1874 in Wilson Co Tenn. CARSON YOUNG, born Nov 1806, son of David & Sarah Phillips Young. DAVID YOUNG, born 17 Jul 1808, son of David & Sarah Phillips Young. SARAH YOUNG, born 20 Apr 1811, daughter of David & Sarah Phillips Young. ALEXANDER A. YOUNG, born 15 Feb 1813, son of David & Sarah Phillips Young, ALPHA YOUNG, born 4 Jul 1814, son of David & Sarah Phillips Young, NANCY YOUNG, born 20 May 1816, daughter of David & Sarah Phillips Young. MARY YOUNG, born 12 Aug 1818, daughter of David & Sarah Phillips Young, married Beverly Cornwell 19 Feb 1840 in Wilson Co Tenn. LOUISIANA YOUNG, born 11 Apr 1820, daughter of David & Sarah Phillips Young, married P.Y. Davis 11 Apr 1820 in Wilson Co Tenn. FRANCES YOUNG, born 7 Feb 1822, daughter of David & Sarah Phillips Young, married Matthew Skeen 5 Jan 1842 in Shop Springs, Wilson Co Tenn."
The David Young family of Indian Creek in Smith County Tennessee was as follows: DAVID YOUNG, born 18 Jun 1772 in the frontier territory of Virginia, son of Wm & Elizabeth Huff Young, married Elizabeth Vance abt 1802 in Smith Co Tennessee, died 10 Oct 1847 at the Mormon Summer Quarters in Nebraska and buried there. ELIZABETH VANCE, born 17 Oct 1784 in the frontier territory of Virginia, daughter of James & Margaret Reynaud Vance, died 24 Jan 1847 in Summer Quarters Nebraska and buried there. WILLIAM FREDERICK YOUNG, born 3 Dec 1807 in Jackson Co Tennessee, son of David & Elizabeth Vance Young, married Mary Webb abt 1832, died Feb 1847. JAMES VANCE YOUNG, 29 Jan 1809 in Smith Co Tennessee, son of David & Elizabeth Vance Young, died 14 Sep 1835. ISAAC YOUNG, born 30 Jan 1810 in Jackson Co Tennessee, son of David & Elizabeth Vance Young, died 12 Feb 1811. JOHN YOUNG, born 19 May 1811 in Jackson Co Tenn, son of David & Elizabeth Vance Young, married Priscilla Hawley 4 Jul 1846 in Nauvoo, Hancock Co Illinois, died 31 Oct 1886 in Grove, Shelby Co Iowa. LEWIS VANCE YOUNG, born 3 Jan 1815 in Jackson Co Tennessee, son of David & Elizabeth Vance Young, married Nancy Armstrong abt 1835, died 1 Dec 1881. MARY VANCE (POLLY) YOUNG, born 10 Nov 1817 in Smith Co Tennessee, daughter of David & Elizabeth Vance Young, married John D. Lee 27 Feb 1847 in Winter Quarters, Nebraska Territory (polygamist marriage), died 7 Apr 1883 in Nutrioso, Apache Co Arizona, buried in Nutrioso. LOVINA YOUNG, born 25 Sep 1820 in Smith Co Tennessee, daughter of David & Elizabeth Vance Young married John Doyle Lee 27 Feb 1847 in Winter Quarters, Nebraska Territory (polygamist marriage), died 4 Jul 1883 in Nutrioso, Apache Co Arizona, buried in Nutrioso. DAVID ISOM YOUNG, born abt 1822 in Smith Co Tennessee, son of David & Elizabeth Vance Young, died of Cholera 1847, before marriage in Summer Quarters, Nebraska Territory and buried there.
The marriage of Wm & Patience Sinclair Young, and birth of their first two children, is documented in the Overwharton Parish Register of Stafford Co Virginia. These Youngs can be traced to their ancestor, Vincent Young, who came from Kent Co England and was the first sheriff of Stafford Co. His descendents migrated northward through Stafford, Prince William, and Fauquier County Virginia. It is quite possible that Wm & Patience Sinclair Young are the ancestors of the Wilson County Tenn Youngs, because the Overwharton Parish Register records were not published until after 1917 when the temple ordinances were done in Salt Lake. A book found on the 4th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, entitled "David Young and Sarah Phillips Descendants" 929.273/Y84n, shows that their ancestors lived in middle Tennessee in the present area of Wilson County. They are often confused with the Wm & Elizabeth Huff Young family of Smith County, because of their oldest son, David Young, who was born 18 Jun 1772, and his son Lewis Vance Young, born 3 Jan 1815. However, the David Young listed in the 1817 temple records is an entirely different person.
Sometime later, a descendent of the Moody family in Salt Lake incorrectly connected Wm Young, husband of Patience Sinclair to the Michael Cadet Young family of southern Virginia. Michael Cadet’s line is easy to trace because he is descended from prominent English Royalists. But there is no documented evidence of this connection either.
David Young is listed in several places on the Robertson County records, along with his brother Jacob Young and their Boren and Bryan relatives. He was a witness in a trial on 17 Jul 1798 and was paid for his traveling expense. John & Sarah Alley Boren were Mary Boren Young’s uncle and aunt. John Bryan was Bazel Boren’s brother-in-law. It is not known if Adam Young was a relative (FHL book 976.8464/P2w, Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Tuesday 17 Jul 1798): "Case of Elener Logue vrs Michael Purtle. Witnesses: DAVID YOUNG, one days attendance & sixty miles traveling; SAMUEL CROCKET, ADAM YOUNG, JOHN BRYAN, JOHN BOREN, & SARAH BOREN, one days attendance & 30 miles traveling; Robert Barnet and Zachariah Betts, one days attendance & 24 miles traveling."
The Act establishing counties generally provided that a court of pleas and quarter sessions should be held four times per year or quarterly. The Court was composed of all the Justices of the Peace in the county, which included Bazel Boren. These were appointed by the governor and were given the title of Esquire during their term in office (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Wednesday 18 Jul 1798): "Present William Fort, John Philips, James Norfleet, and BAZEL BOREN Esquires. Elener Logue vrs Michael Purtle. Order name of Robert Barnett as security for plaintif be struck out and James McDaniel & John Dorris be inserted, being by their consent freely given in April court previous to the trial."
Certain business licenses required a bond, which was a type of insurance policy secured by the properties of well-known individuals. However, it was only legal requirement in the which no actual money needed to be produced (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Tuesday 22 Jan 1799): "William B. Powel licenced to keep a tavern, bond 200 dollars with JACOB YOUNG and Francis Byrd his securities."
Two of Bazel Borens’ brothers, William and Moses, were listed as jury members on 23 Jan 1799 (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Wednesday 23 Jan 1799): "Case of William Montgomery Vrs William Miles. Jury members, Thomas Hutchison, Thomas Christmas, Jacob R. Pickrel, John Parchment, John Brooks, James Henderson, John Briscoe, Patrick Martin, Thomas Simpson, WILLIAM BOREN, MOSES BOREN, Thomas Yates, who find for the defendant."
David Young was listed as a jury member, along with Wiliam Boren on 24 Jan 1799 (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Thursday 24 Jan 1799): "Case of George Frazer Vrs Nathan Smith. Jury members, James Henderson, Peter Spencer, Asaph Parker, Jeffery Lively, James Herod, WILLIAM BOREN, Anderson Cheatham, John Parchment, Thomas McIntosh, William Farmer, DAVID YOUNG, Philip Parchment, who find for plaintif his damage 25 dollars plus costs."
The Legislature had appointed John Young and James Norfleet commissioners, to locate the town of Springfield in which to erect the county buildings and to act as agents in the sale of town lots. It is not known if this John Young was a relative of Jacob Young or not. In the 17 April 1799 court, Jacob Young was granted a lot in town. His father-in-law Bazel Boren, who was the court recorder at the time, approved the sale (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Wednesday 17 Apr 1799): "Deed John Young and James Norfleet, Commissioners of Springfield, to JACOB YOUNG (one town lot) proven by Bazel Boren."
Jacob Young was listed as a jury member, along with his brother David Young, and William Boren on 18 Apr 1799. William Dorris was the husband of Sarah Boren who was Mary Boren’s sister (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Thursday 18 Apr 1799): "Henry Airs Vrs Benjamin Nail. Slander. Jury members, Thomas Hutchison, Francis Byrd, Allen Parker, JACOB YOUNG, WILLIAM DORRIS, Volentine Choate, DAVID YOUNG, George Chapman, William Karr, WILLIAM BOREN, Jacob Pickrell, George Martin. Find for plaintif, assess damage to one hundred dollars."
On 19 Apr 1799, Jacob Young was listed as a jury member, and Bazel Boren’s brother, Stephen, as a witness. William Dorris’ father, Isaac Dorris, was ordered by the court to foreman the building of part of the road from Springfiled to Nashville (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Friday 19 Apr 1799): "George Briscoe Vrs John Cheatham. Assault & Battery. Jury members, Lawrence Carr, Jacob Pickrell, James Powel, William B. Powel, George Chapman, Joseph Philips, Lawrence Howse, Benjamin McIntosh, JACOB YOUNG, Charles McIntosh, Henry Airs, William Lowry who find for defendant. Plaintif obtained appeal to Superior Court, bond 500 dollars, Hugh Henry & David Hooser security. Tobert Head witness proves 5 days attendance, Martha Head 5 days, Nimrod McIntosh 5 days, STEPHEN BOREN 5 days." Page 107: "Isaac Dorris to oversee the new road from Karrs Creek through Springfield to Logan County Road as marked by Jury of View, all hands within one mile and half work on same in clearing it out. Samuel Crocket to oversee road from Karrs Creek to Sychamore (lately marked from Springfield to Nashville) all hands living on Browns creek & those living on Sychamore waters above the road leading from Nashville to Clarksville work on same."
In April 1800, David Young purchased 39 acres of land in Robertson County (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Tuesday 22 Apr 1800): "Deed James Menees, Sheriff to DAVID YOUNG, 39 acres 36 poles, acknowleged."
David Young served as jury member in July of 1800, along with Bazel Boren and Moses Boren (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Tuesday 22 Jul 1800): "Jacob McCarty vrs Samuel Todd. Attachment. Jury Members, John John Hardin, William Crunk, DAVID YOUNG, Robert Black Jr, MOSES BOREN, John Price, David Rounsevall, BAZEL BOREN, Barton Coates, Britain Bryan, John Robins, William Sale, who assess plaintif damage to eighteen dollars and twenty five cents plus costs."
Jacob Young and his father-in-law Bazel Boren appeared as witnesses in the 21 Jan 1801 court. Witnesses were paid a fee, based on the amount of time spent in court. They both must have been living near the court house at the time, because they did not claim any travel costs. Jacob Young was appointed to serve on the jury in the following court session along with his father-in-law, Bazel Boren (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Wednesday 21 Jan 1801): "Thomas McIntosh vrs Anderson Cheatham. Assault & Battery. Witnesses, JACOB YOUNG proves 3 days attendance, BAZEL BOREN 2 days." Page 166: "Jurors to next County Court, George Pool, David Jones, David Huddleston Sr, Richard Matthews, John Somorville, Moses Beason, Webster Gilbert, Zachariah Tucher, Henry Johnson, Nimrod McIntosh, William Karr, James McKinley, Abraham Tippy, Joseph Robertson, Thomas McIntosh, Caleb Winters, Benjamin Wood, JACOB YOUNG, Robert Simpson, Samuel Musgrove, Elias Fort, Elias Fort Jr, Eppa Lawson, John Siglar, Levi Moore, Walter Stark, BAZEL BOREN, William Benson, Arthur Pitt, William Lusk."
Jacob Young was paid for doing repairs on the county jail in Janurary 1801. It is said that the Young brothers were all good at working with metal and machines (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Thursday 22 Jan 1801): "JACOB YOUNG produced account for one dollar for working on jaol, which was allowed."
Jacob Young was nominated as a grand juror in April 1801 (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Monday 20 Apr 1801): "Grand Jurors elected, David Huddleston foreman, Nimrod McIntosh, Abraham Tippy, Webster Gilbert, Elias Fort Jr, Walter Stark, Arthur Pitt, Caleb Winters, William Benson, Elias Fort, Moses Beason, John Siglar, Richard Matthews, JACOB YOUNG."
Jacob Young was granted a license to operate a cotton press by the January 1802 court. The cotton press was used to crush seeds of the cotton plant to obtain oil for sale.(Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Wednesday 20 Jan 1802): "JACOB YOUNG, possessor of a cotton press, gave bond, Joseph Robertson & Abraham Tippy his securities, took oath."
Sarah Boren Dorris’ father-in-law, Isaac Dorris, was appointed to the office of Marshal of Springfield in January of 1802. His relatives, Bazel Boren and Jacob Young posted security for the bond (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Thursday 21 Jan 1802, p. 227): "ISAAC DORRIS appointed constable, bond 620 dollars, WILLIAM DORRIS and SAMUEL DORRIS his securities, took oath. James Menees, Esquire, duly elected Sheriff, bond $125, BAZEL BOREN, JACOB YOUNG, John Brooks, securities, took oaths."
John Bryan, who was Bazel Boren’s brother-in-law, was given the responsibility of seeing that one of the roads leading from Springfield was maintained. The court order indicates that Bazel Boren lived near the Red River. John Dorris, older son of Isaac Dorris, was given the charge of maintaining another one of the roads out of Springfield (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Wednesday 21 Jul 1802): "Order JOHN BRYAN to oversee road, Logan to Springfield, from State Line to fork, one road leading to Betts, the other to Springfield, all hands within one mile west of road from the Line to James Karrs, also the other side all in Captain Bryants Company on Red River to include BAZEL BOREN. John Dorris son of Isaac to oversee road from Springfield to Port Royal from fork north of Sulpher Fork to Menees’s, hands between said road & Sulpher Fork work on same."
Jacob Young purchased 50 acres in Robertson County in October of 1802 (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Monday 18 Oct 1802, Springfield): "Deed Christopher Funkhowser to JACOB YOUNG, 50 acres proven by John Young."
Bazel Boren was listed as a jury member in January of 1802 (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Tuesday 19 Jan 1802): "Dan Lynn vrs John Powers. Trespass. Jury members, John Hardin, James Long, Caleb Winters, James Mays, Charles Simmons, John Washington, David Spence, Andrew Irwin, Edward King, Abraham Tippy, Jesse Martin, BAZEL BOREN, who find for defendant. Thomas Woodard, Constable, allowed 2 dollars for guarding John Volentine, a criminal, to District Jaol at Nashville. William Hunter allowed 1 dollar, 33 1/3 cents for service as guard in above business."
The divisions of the county were military, not civil, as now, and the primary divisions were Captain’s companies. Jacob Young was given the responsibility of being one of these captains. Francis Boren was a younger brother of Bazel Boren (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Wednesday 20 Oct 1802): "Jurors appointed to next County Court, William Benson, William Spiller, FRANCIS BOREN, Charles Wheaton, Charles Bradon, William Huddleston, Anthony Jones Sr, James Mays, James Stark, Robert Galispie, Walter Stark, Benjamin Porter, Jesse Jones, William Crocket, Samuel Crocket, Nimrod McIntosh, James Bell, Jacob Pinkley, Lawrence Carr, Jiles Connel, Mark Noble, James Elliott, James Walker, Henry Airs of Caleb Creek, Isham Rogers, Lovick Ventress, James H. Bryan, Patrick Martin, Benjamin Koen, JACOB YOUNG. Order Benjamin Menees, Esquire, take lists of taxable property in that part of Robertson County south of Cumberland River. John Philips, Esquire, for Captain JACOB YOUNG’s company; Isaac Dortch Esquire for Captain James Blackwells company; Charles Miles, Esquire, for Captain Dardin’s company; Thomas Strain, Esquire, for Captain Abraham Young’s Company; John Hutchison, Esquire, for Captain Simmons company; Martin Duncan, Esquire, for Captain Bryan’s company."
Jacob Young sold a lot in the town of Springfield in April 1803, perhaps to raise money to pay off some of his debts. He owed 104 dollars to James Latham, and he was ordered in conjunction with Sheriff John Flynn, to pay an overdue debt to David Jones. Sheriff Flynn was ordered to sell 200 acres of land for payment of the debt and court costs. Jacob Young was also appointed to serve as a juror to the next court (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Tuesday 19 Apr 1803): "Jurors to next court, John Appleton, David Huddleston, Andrew Irwin, Richard Matthews, Samuel McMurry, Walter Stark, William Spiller, Moses Winters, Andrew Washington, Thomas Sellars, William Crocket, John Burnley, Joseph Latimer, JACOB YOUNG, Holland Dardin, William Atkins, Lawrence Carr, James Gardner, Nimrod McIntosh, James Blackwell, Cordial Norfleet, James Elliott Jr, Peter Browner, Asaph Parker, John Crane, James Jones Jr, Peter Pinkley, James Walker, Matthew Mathes, Thomas Little. Deed, JACOB YOUNG to Levi Noyes, one lot in Springfield, acknowleged. David Jones vrs John Flynn and JACOB YOUNG. Judgement for 31 dollars 90 cents debt and costs 50 cents before a Justice of the Peace, execution for which has been levied on 200 acres the property of John Flynn. Sheriff to sell agreeable to Law to satisfy judgement & costs. George Bell vrs Jacob Young as Garnishee of James Latham. Defendant made oath he is indebted to James Latham 104 dollars. Judgment is entered against said YOUNG in behalf of George Bell for aforesaid sum."
Isaac Dorris deeded land to his son, Isaac Dorris Jr in October 1803, and Stephen Boren was sued for 310 dollars in the same court. The bond, required for the appeal, was secured by Bazel Boren and Isaac Dorris (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Wednesday 19 Oct 1803, p. 272): "John C. Hamilton vrs STEPHEN DORRIS. Covenant. Damage 310 dollars. Defendant obtained appeal to Superior Court, bond 650 dollars, BAZEL BOREN & ISAAC DORRIS securities. Deed, Isaac Dorris to Isaac Dorris, 28 acres acknowleged."
Jacob Young was ordered to pay another debt in the same court, where General Andrew Jackson was given guardianship of his orphan children on 20 Oct 1803. Jacob Young was one of the members of the jury. All these people knew each other well (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Thursday 20 Oct 1803, p. 273): "Wyatt Bishop vrs JACOB YOUNG. Debt. Jury find for plaintif, assess damage to 66 dollars 99 cents plus costs. General Andrew Jackson appointed guardian for orphan children of Captain Edward Butler, deceased -- Caroline S. Butler, Eliza Butler, George W. Butler, Anthony Wayne Butler, gave bond 8000 dollars, with Bennet Searcy & George Bell his securities. p. 274, Andrew Morris vrs John Cromwell. Appeal. Jury members, James Mays, Samuel Henry, JACOB YOUNG, Henry Airs, Uriah Swann, Josiah Skinner, William Sale, James Yates, Jacob Pinkley, Joseph Payne, John Cheatham, Julius Elmore, who find for plaintif for one dollar 62 and 1/2 cents plus costs."
Jacob Young continued as jury member in the 21 Oct 1803 court. It is not known if Peter Young was a relative or not (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Friday 21 Oct 1803, p. 276): "State vrs Edward King. Presentment. William Smith, County Solicitory. Jury members, William Ragsdale, Jacob Sigler, Joseph Payne, ISAAC DORRIS, JACOB YOUNG, William Wills, Levi Dunn, William Sale, Henry Johnson, John McElhainy, Abraham Dean, who find defendant not guilty. Court orders prosecutor to pay all costs. State vrs George Browning. Presentment. Jury, William Ragsdale, Jacob Sigler, Joseph Payne, JACOB YOUNG, William Wills, Levi Dunn, William Sale, Henry Johnson, John McElhainy, Abraham Dean, Nimrod McIntosh, Isham Rogers, who find defendant not guilty. Court orders prosecutor to pay all costs." Page 277: "State vrs Enoch Holman. Indictment. William Smith Solicitor. Jury, George Browning, ISAAC DORRIS, JACOB YOUNG, William Wills, Levi Dunn, John McElhainy, Abraham Dean, Edward King, Thomas McIntosh, Isham Rogers, Peter Young, Nimrod McIntosh, who find Defendant Not Guilty. Following Justices to take Lists of Taxable property for the ensuing year, make return to our next Court, James Crabtree, Esquire for Captain Abraham Young’s company; Joseph Doris, Esquire, for Captain Charles Simmon’s company; William Johnson, Esquire, for Captain John Krisel’s company; Archer Cheatham, Esquire, for Captain William Briscoe’s company; Isaac Philips, Esquire, for Captain J. Skinner’s company; James Norfleet, Esquire, for Captain J. Blackwell’s company; Hardy S. Bryan, Esquire, for Captain John Bryan’s company. William Connell, Esquire, for that part of Robertson south of Cumberland River."
Although Abraham Young is listed along with David and Jacob Young in the Robertson Co court records, there is no indication that they were related (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Monday 4 Aug 1806): "Present the Worshipfull John Philips, Joseph Dorris, Martin Duncan, James Crabtree, and Hardy S. Bryan, Esquires. Grand Jurors, John Coleman foreman, William Robertson, James Johnston, Henry Fiser, Marvel Lowe, Holland Dardin, Jacob Pinkley Jr, Henry Airs, John Gardner, Elijah Hughs, William Mason, James Elliott, John Robertson, Daniel Johnson, Wyatt Bishop. ISAAC DORRIS, Constable, sworn to attend Grand Jury. Clerk to receive lists of delinquent taxes during this term B/S Ballas Corder to Abraham Young Sr, proven by JACOB YOUNG and Abraham Young Jr."
The Abraham & Margaret Young family was as follows (deposition of W.W. Pepper: "In a very ancient looking volume of the Bible, I find the following family record which I know to be in the hand writing of Esquire Young." Filed 1857. Includes birth dates of the children in A.B. Young’s family. Robertson Co Tennessee Court Records, FHL book 976.8464/P28d, # 590; Petition of the heirs of Margaret Young, excepting Abraham Jr and Gabriel to have their mother’s will declared invalid): ABRAHAM (A.B.) YOUNG, born abt 1788, married Margaret abt 1807, lived in Robertson County Tennessee, divorced 1847, died 31 Jul 1847. MARGARET ___, born abt 1790, married Abraham Young abt 1807, lived in Robertson County Tennessee, divorced 1847, died 22 Jan 1857. MARCUS D. YOUNG, born 7 Nov 1808, son of Abraham & Margaret Young, died 25 Aug 1847, his widow Temperance Young and children, Lucy Young and Marcus Young lived in Autauga Co Alabama. SARAH (SALLY) CAVITT YOUNG, born 17 Jun 1810, daughter of Abraham & Margaret Young, married Mr. Pack, husband died before 1847. ELIZABETH (BETSY) FORNEY YOUNG, born 11 Jul 1812, daughter of Abraham & Margaret Young, married S.H. Stewart, husband died Jul 1850. ALFRED (A.D.) YOUNG, born 13 Dec 1815, son of Abraham & Margaret Young. ABRAHAM (A.B.) YOUNG, born 11 May 1819, son of Abraham & Margaret Young. MARY (POLLY) YOUNG, born 4 Apr 1821, daughter of Abraham & Margaret Young, married Evans A. Long, lived in Montgomery Co or Autauga Co Alabama. FRAKLIN (F.L.) YOUNG, born 24 Jan 1823, son of Abraham & Margaret Young. SUSAN YOUNG, born 23 Jan 1825, son of Abraham & Margaret Young, married Samuel Gilbert. GABRIEL LEA (G.L.) YOUNG, born 25 Oct 1826, son of Abraham & Margaret Young. LOUISA D. YOUNG, born 14 Apr 1830, son of Abraham & Margaret Young, married James L. Jones. PERNECY YOUNG, born abt 1832, daughter of Abraham & Margaret Young, married W.W. Pepper; Pernecy died leaving one child named Young Pepper.
Jacob Young was ordered to help maintain one of the roads from Nashville to the Kentucky line in August 1806 (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Tuesday 5 Aug 1806): "William Armstrong and JACOB YOUNG to oversee Old County Line Road from Nashville to Kentucky. Armstrong and YOUNG to divide the road and hands as they shall agree, not to concern with hands that belong to other roads."
Bazel Boren was paid for transcribing the court register books in January 1807. As register, he was given the job of making a formal or official record to use as a voting list (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Tuesday 6 Jan 1807): "BAZEL BOREN, Register. Allowed 124 dollars for transcribing the Registers books assigned to him for that purpose."
The court accepted a low bid for the building of stocks in the public square in January 1807, and for the building of a corral for stray cattle and horses. The "stocks" consisted of a wooden frame with holes for confining the ankles and sometimes the wrists of a wrongdoer sentenced to be exposed in this way to public view and ridicule. Jacob Young was appointed to serve on the next jury (Robertson Co Tennessee Court, Thursday 8 Jan 1807, p. 433): "Commissioners of Springfield agreeably to Court order, lett building of Stocks, and stray pen to lowest bidder, Henry Watkins Jr. Stray pen $9.99 + 14.96 = 24.95. Above work recieved as well done. p. 434, Jurors to next Court, Patrick Patterson, JACOB YOUNG, George Patterson, Thomas George, James Payne, Moses Renfro, William Yates, Jesse Martin, John Sherod, William Gosset, Henry Hunt, Azariah Dunn, John Gardner, Thomas Polk, Robert Perry, John Young, David Lucas, Stephen Cole, William Cole, Mark Cole, John Pinkley Jr, Jacob Damewood, Thomas Smart, Jonathan Huddleston, Wyatt Bishop, William Huddleston Sr, John Brooks, Jesse Jones, Thomas Appleton, John Grant, John Crocket."
Jacob Young’s parents, William & Elizabeth Huff Young, purchased 300 acres on Sullivan’s Bend of the Cumberland River in Smith County Tennessee on 6 Dec 1807. The deed confirmed the fact that they had been living on the south side of the Cumberland River and eastward in Jackson County, on Indian Creek (FHL film 0319081 pages 90-91): "This indenture made this sixth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seven. Between Lee Sullivan of the state of Tennessee and county of Smith on the one part and WILLIAM YOUNG of the state & county [crossed out] aforesaid and county of Jackson of the other part. Witnesseth that the aforesaid Lee Sullivan, for and in consideration of the sum of nine hundred dollars to him in hand paid by the aforesaid WILLIAM YOUNG. Before the signing, sealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge, hath granted, bargained, sold, aliened, consigned and confirmed. And by these presents do grant, bargain and sold, aliened, consigned and confirmed unto the aforesaid WILLIAM YOUNG his heirs and assigns. A certain tract or parcel of land by estimation three hundred acres. Lying and being in the state and county aforesaid and is within the following described bounds (to witt): Begining at a Lynn Hackberry and Sugar tree, William Robertson north west corner on the bank of Cumberland River. Then up the river with its meanders two hundred and thirty eight poles to a large Sycamore and Maple. Then east one hundred and sixty poles to a White Oak on Lodovick Vodine’s line. Then south with said Vodine’s line forty six poles to a large white oak at Vodines corner. Then east with Vodine’s line one hundred eighty poles to a hickory and McCann’s west boundary line. Then south with McCann’s line one hundred and sixty poles to an ash at William Roberton’s north east corner. Then west with said Robertson’s line to the begining. To have and to hold the aforesaid lands and premises with all and singular priviledges, estate right, title, claim and demand of him the said Lee Sullivan and his heirs whatsoever unto the aforesaid WILLIAM YOUNG his heirs and assigns forever. And the aforesaid Lee Sullivan for himself and his heirs the lands and premises hereby intended to be conveyed and every part and parcel thereof shall and will warrant and forever defend against the lawfull claim or claims of all maner of persons whatsoever. In witnesss whereof the aforesaid Lee Sullivan hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal the day and year above written. Lee Sullivan (seal). Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of James Wright and Frances Green. State of Tennessee, Smith County. March term 1812. Then the execution of the within deed of conveyance was acknowledged in due form in open court. Let it be registered. Joseph W. Allen, clerk. Registered this 17th day of March 1812."
Jacob and Mary Young had five children before they separated in about 1808. Mary’s father Bazel Boren, convinced her to move north with him to Union County Illinois, where her children with Jacob Young grew up. Years later one of the sons, Alfred Young in his autobiography attributed his parent’s divorce to a long work-related absence of his father from home (FHL film 0237886). Their family was as follows:
JACOB YOUNG, born 18 May 1774 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, son of William & Elizabeth Huff Young, early settler of the Springfield area of Robertson Co Tennessee, married (1) Mary Boren abt 1802, divorced, married (2) Polly Huff abt 1812 in Robertson Co Tennessee and had at least two more children. He died about 1842 in Putnam Co Tennessee.
MARY BOREN, born 6 Sep 1784 on the fronteer in western Virginia territory, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married (1) Jacob Young abt 1802 and had five children; divorced abt 1810 and married (2) her cousin Willis Boren 30 Jun 1819 in Union Co Illinois and had eight more children. She moved to Gibson Co Tennessee with her husband and children, where they joined the Mormon Church in 1843. She died about 1848 at Winter Quarter in Pottawattamie Territory.
SQUIRE BOREN YOUNG, born 1803 in Robertson Co Tennessee near present-day Springfield, son of Jacob & Mary Boren Young, married Lucinda Boren 22 Feb 1822 in Alexander Co Illinois, lived in Gibson Co Tennessee, returned to Union Co Illinois, where he died in 1838.
JOHN YOUNG, born 1804, Robertson Co Tennessee near present-day Springfield, son of Jacob & Mary Boren Young, died 1816 before marriage in Union Co Illinois.
WILLIAM ALMA YOUNG, born 28 Aug 1805 near Springfield, Robertson Co Tennessee, son of Jacob & Mary Boren Young, married Leah Holland Smith 11 Nov 1826 in Gibson Co Tennessee, joined the Mormon Church in 1841, died 2 Sep 1875 in Washington City, Washington Co Utah and buried in the old section of the Washington City cemetery 3 Sep 1875.
ALFRED DOUGLAS YOUNG, born 13 Apr 1808 near Springfield, Robertson Co Tennessee, son of Jacob & Mary Boren Young, married Malinda McIntosh 1 Dec 1831 in Union Co Illinois, joined the Mormon Church in 1842, died 17 Mar 1889 in Kanab, Kane Co Utah and buried in the Kanab cemetery 18 Mar 1889.
ELIZABETH YOUNG, born 1809 in Union Co Illinois, daughter of Jacob & Mary Boren Young, died 1825 before marriage in Union County.
On 16 Aug 1811, three years after his separation from Mary Boren, Jacob Young was listed as having purchased the Revolutionary War Grant of a North Carolina soldier from the soldier’s heirs in Smith County. He married (2) a cousin, Mary (Polly) Huff, and it is assumed that they lived on this land near Levina Young Marley, until Jacob’s death in about 1842. JACOB & POLLY HUFF YOUNG had at least two children: JACOB YOUNG Jr, born abt 1813, and SUSAN YOUNG, born abt 1815.
Mary Boren’s father Bazel died in 1812, and she began living with her 16-year-old cousin Willis Boren. They were eventually married on 30 Jun 1819 in Union Co Illinois (copy of original marriage license, FHL book 977.3995/V2d, page 1). Despite his young age, Willis was a good father to Mary’s children by Jacob Young, and they enjoyed a happy married life together. Mary had eight more children with Willis Boren. Their family was as follows:
WILLIAM WILLIS BOREN, born 11 Mar 1796 in the frontier territory of Virginia, later Robertson Co Tennessee, son of John and Sarah Alley Boren, married (1) his cousin Mary Boren on 30 Jun 1819 in Union Co Illinois, (2) Mary Sampson 28 Feb 1848 in Winter Quarter, Nebraska, (3) Sophia Dutton DeGraw 18 Jan 1857 in Provo, Utah Co Utah. He died 25 Nov 1895 in Tropic, Garfield Co Utah and was buried in the Tropic cemetery 27 Nov 1895.
MARY BOREN, born 6 Sep 1784 in the frontier territory of Virginia, daughter of Bazel & Susannah Bryan Boren, married (1) Jacob Young abt 1802 and had five children, divorced and moved to Union Co Illionis, where she began living with (2) her older cousin Willis Boren abt 1812, later married on 30 Jun 1819, joined the Mormon Church in 1843, died abt 1847 in Winter Quarters Nebraska.
ANDREW BOREN, born abt 1813 in Union Co Illinois, son of Willis & Mary Boren, died a child in Union Co Illinois.
SUSAN BOREN, born abt 1814 in Union Co Illinois, daughter of Willis & Mary Boren, married John McIntosh 11 Nov 1826 in Gibson Co Tennessee.
HULDA BOREN, born abt 1816 in Union Co Illinois, daughter of Willis & Mary Boren.
PERSADA BOREN, born abt 1818 in Union Co Illinois, daughter of Willis & Mary Boren, married John Flowers 24 May 1838 in Gibson Co Tennessee.
PERCILLA BOREN, born abt 1820 in Union Co Illinois, daughter of Willis & Mary Boren, married Burl Patterson 9 Jul 1836 in Gibson Co Tennessee, died 15 Feb 1900 in Harrison Co Iowa.
MARY BOREN, born abt 1822 in Kentucky, daughter of Willis & Mary Boren.
CARL BOREN, born abt 1823 in Kentucky, son of Willis & Mary Boren.
SARAH ANN BOREN, born 28 Oct 1825 in Madison Co Illinois, daughter of Willis & Mary Boren, married Thomas Washington Smith (brother of Leah Smith Young) 15 May 1842 in Gibson Co Tennessee, died 13 Oct 1908 in Tropic, Garfield Co Utah and buried in the Tropic cemetery.
William Young died on 31 Oct 1818 and his wife Elizabeth Huff Young died the next year on 22 May 1819. Two years later, their property on Sullivan’s Bend was purchased by their daughter Lovina and her husband Adam Marley. The money was used to settle the affairs of the estate which was administered by their son David Young (Smith Co Deed Book 1 page 40): "DAVID YOUNG of Jackson County Tennessee, executor of the last will and testament of WILLIAM YOUNG, deceased. Deeds to Adam Marley of the County of Smith, State of Tennessee, for the sum of $1500, he being the highest bidder.... land in Smith County conveyed to the deceased by Lee Sullivan Dec 6th, 1811, on the south bank of Cumberland River, one William Robertson’s line, on the northwest corner.... on Joshua Beasley’s line, 300 acres. 10 Dec 1822. The land sale indicates that William Young had a Will, but it has not been located. Levina Young, the youngest daughter of William and Elizabeth Huff Young married Adam Marley on 10 May 1814. They probably lived on the Plantation and helped to manage it until the death of Levina’s parents. It has since been known as the old Marley place and is described as being on Sullivan’s Bend of the Cumberland River. Adam Marley’s father Robert Marley, owned land in Sumner County when it was still a part of North Carolina. In 1842, boundaries of the Marley tract in Sullivan’s Bend are defined as "running along the east bank of Strothers Spring Branch,... thence down to west bank of said branch near Strother’s Mill" (Circuit Court Enrollment 1825-1842, p. 492).
William Alma Young never really knew his grandparents William & Elizabeth Huff Young, or his natural father Jacob Young for that matter, because he was only 3 years old when his parents separated. Mary took her children and moved with her father Bazel Boren, to the Jonesboro area of south-western Illinois. William Alma grew up there and learned how to farm under the tutelage of his mother’s family, the Borens. When he was 14, the family moved to an area of Kentucky, near the borders of Illinois and Tennessee. They lived there about two years and moved into Madison County, Tennessee. Mary & Jacob Young’s oldest child, Squire Young, married his relative, Lucinda Boren 22 Feb 1822 in Alexander Co Illinois.
Alfred Douglas Young wrote the following in 1887 (FHL film 0237886). "I was born in Springfield, Robertson County, Tennessee on the 13th day of April 1808. My father's name was Jacob Young. My mother's maiden name was Mary Boren. My father had a son named Squire who lived long enough to have a large family. He also had a daughter Elizabeth who was the next younger child than Squire who died when about eighteen years old and before marriage. My brother William Young was a little more than two years older than myself (born 28 August 1805). He raised a large family and died in the town of Washington in Southern Utah. His wife's maiden name was Leah Smith who is now 1887 living at Pahorah (south of present-day Henrieville), Kane County, Utah. My brother John, born between William and myself died when small, perhaps when five or six years old. The apparent accidental separation of my father and mother took place before I was born. My father was an excellent mechanic and went from home for a considerable distance to labor on a large job and was not heard from for a year. My mother's father persuaded her to go with him to the State of Illinois when I was about one year old. There she lived for several years single, without hearing from her husband. She afterwards married another man named Willis Boren. We lived there until I was about twelve years old when the family moved into the State of Kentucky, where they lived about two years and moved into Madison County, Tennessee."
The Boren/Young family moved westward into Gibson County Tennessee when it opened up for settlement. Alfred Douglas Young wrote (FHL film 0237886): "I was raised a farmer and was married in the nineteenth year of my age. My wife's name was Melinda T. McIntosh. By her I had two sons; John William now 1887 living and Darius Bainbridge Young. I moved my family to Union County, Illinois and there Darius B. Young died at the age of about six months. The mother died on the 3rd of August 1829 or 30. There in Union County Illinois, I married my second wife Annie Chapel who died in the town of Provo Utah 14th of February 1882. After living in Union County, Illinois for six years, I moved to Gibson County Tennessee and then into Henry County in the same state and about fifty miles from my former residence."
Andrew Jackson had led a group of Tennessee troops to victory against the Creek Indians during the war of 1812 and David Crockett, who had volunteered as a scout for Jackson attained the rank of captain. It is possible that William Alma Young’s grandfather, Bazel Boren died fighting the Indians during this time. He was known to have died in 1812. Jackson ran unsuccessfully for the presidency of the United States in 1824, and then was elected president in 1828. In 1818, the Chickasaw Indians who had owned nearly all of west Tennessee including the future Gibson County, ceded their land to the federal government and were moved west of the Mississippi River. David Crocket was among the first to settle on the new land and the Young/Boren family came soon after.
In the beginning the land that is now Gibson County Tennessee was a land of dense forest of varying hardwood trees. It was abundant with wild game. Deer, elk, beaver, otter, mink, raccoon, panthers, bears, and bobcats lived in the immense forest. This rich land was the favorite hunting ground of the Chickasaw tribe. They were unique lands because the Chickasaw tribe was given a deed to them by the United States and signed by George Washington, guaranteeing them this land. They were a highly civilized society and were feared by all other Native Indians because of their fearlessness in battle, but were friendly to the whites. Then on 19 Oct 1818, acting representatives of the government, Major General Andrew Jackson and Governor Isaac Shelby, purchased all of west Tennessee and west Kentucky for 300 thousand dollars from the Chickasaw tribe. There were no roads in the area, and the rivers could not be navigated by flatboat. Hearing about the healthful climate and rich new land, the Youngs and Borens joined with the settlement that had become quite rapid after 1822.
The first whites to settle in the area which later became Gibson County were Thomas Fite and his brothers-in-law John Spencer and James Randolph. They constructed the first house on the Little North Fork of the Forked Deer River, about eight miles east of the present site of Trenton. That same year, Luke Biggs located about four miles northeast of the present city of Trenton. It is believed that the two Young brothers, Squire and William arrived at this time and settled nearby.
Trenton was first called ‘Gibson Port,’ so named in honor of Thomas Gibson, a younger brother of Colonel John H. Gibson. Thomas Gibson had come to this site in 1821. He built a cabin and had a small stock of goods which he sold to other settlers. The name of the town was changed to Trenton by an act of the General Assembly of Tennessee on 2 Nov 1825. The first court, known at that time as the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, met and organized at the house of Luke Biggs on 5 Jan 1824. Following appointments of the officers, their first act was to set the tax rates. The settlers were taxed on land owned, slaves, male horses (studs), male donkeys (jacks), and carriages.
These were the days of the wide-brimed hat and buckskin clothes for the men that could afford it, and the long rifle. They constructed cabins of logs laid one upon another to a height a little above a man’s head. A dirt floor usually served first, then a split log floor was laid later. Doors were hung on wooden pegs. The furniture was crude and mostly homemade. They built their homes near springs and cleared areas for gardens and for crops to feed the horses and a milk cow. They became expert woodsmen and learned the ways of the indians, discovering that they didn’t need to own much property in a land where they could hunt for their food. Hunting and fishing became the chief sports out of necessity. The women wore homespun linsey or calico dresses, but held in reserve a poplin or silk gown for dances or Sunday meetings. The large portion of settlers were already attracted to some Church organization with moral training and at least some denominational preference. The Baptists and Methodists dominated. The earliest type preacher was usually a local farmer.
William Alma Young was in his early 20’s in Gibson County, when he began to think about marriage. Social diversions in Gibson County consisted of Church meetings, quilting bees for women and the men indulged in tree cutting and log rolling. Horseracing was a favorite community sport. In fact, transportation was almost wholly on horseback. Many young men going from meeting sought out some young woman and asked permission to ride home with her. Much of the sparking and courting was done from saddle to saddle. This is doubtless how William Young and Leah Smith met, and were married on 11 Nov 1826 (FHL book 976.823 V2w). William Alma was 21 years old and Leah only 16 when they married. She was descended from the Smith, Love, and Agee families who were prominent settlers in early Tennessee. Her parents were James Agee & Margaret Love Smith. Their family was as follows:
JAMES AGEE SMITH, born 6 Dec 1787 in Manikintowne, Goochland Co Virginia, son of George Thomas & Leah Agee Smith, married Margaret Love 24 May 1810 in Smith Co Tennessee, died 20 Dec 1875 in Pahreah, Kane Co Utah, buried in the Washington City cemetery, Washington Co Utah.
MARGARET LOVE, born 18 Apr 1790 in Chester Co South Carolina, daughter of William Franklin & Rachel McCool Love, married (1) Hezekiah Stephens Sr in 1806 and they had one son named Adam Stephens, (2) James Agee Smith 24 May 1810 in Smith Co Tennessee, died 12 Mar 1865 in Washington City, Washington Co Utah and buried there.
LEAH HOLLAND SMITH, born 1 Dec 1810 in Nashborough Tennessee, daughter of James Agee & Margaret Love Smith, married William Alma Young in Gibson Co Tennessee, died and buried in Nevada.
RACHEL SMITH, born 22 Aug 1813 in Nashborough Tennessee, daughter of James Agee & Margaret Love Smith, married Thomas Ross 30 Sep 1835 in Gibson Co Tennessee, died 21 Dec 1900 in Joseph City, Sevier Co Utah and buried there.
THOMAS WASHINGTON SMITH, born 23 Dec 1815 near Lancaster, Smith Co Tennessee, son of James Agee & Margaret Love Smith, married (1) Mary Ann Ross 3 Mar 1836 in Gibson Co Tennessee, (2) Sarah Ann Boren 15 May 1842 in Gibson Co Tennessee, (3) Susan Reynolds 1 Apr 1848 in Winter Quarters, Pottowattamie Territory, (4) Nancy Ross 8 Oct 1857 in Salt Lake City Utah. He died 28 Dec 1892 in Pahreah, Kane Co Utah and buried there.
ROBERT LOVE SMITH, born 13 Oct 1819 in Nashville, Smith Co Tennessee, son of James Agee & Margaret Love Smith, married Elizabeth Ann Carroll in Gibson Co Tennessee, died 16 Nov 1888.
WILLIAM WILLARD SMITH, born 13 Oct 1819 in Nashville, Smith Co Tennessee, son of James Agee & Margaret Love Smith, married Eliza Matthis 1842 in Adair Co Tennessee.
SAMUEL HOUSTON SMITH, born 7 Aug 1828 in Nashville, Smith Co Tennessee, son of James Agee & Margaret Love Smith, married Maryann Elizabeth Maxwell 11 Feb 1858 in Salt Lake City Utah, died 21 Sep 1913 in Utah.
The new couple, William Alma & Leah Smith Young, went to work, building their own cabin and participating in community activities. There were no roads in the newly acquired Indian land, and it was a legal requirement that a man, irregardless of social or financial status, must work on roads that were being constructed within a six mile radius of his home. From this we learn that among the close neighbors of the Youngs were the David Crockett family of frontier legend. The Young and Crockett families knew each other well, and lived parallel lives until the Youngs joined the Mormons (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes): "Ordered that Andrew Craig, David Crockett Sr, David Crockett Jr, Daniel Conlee, SQUIRE YOUNG, William Ferguson, John Gray and Patterson Crockett be appointed a Jury of View to run and mark a road from Trenton to the Weakly County line in a direction to Dresden.
Willis Boren and his two stepsons, Squire & William Young were ordered to help clear one of the new roads on 4 Sep 1826 (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes page 34): "Ordered that Samuel S. Crafton be appointed overseer of the road from this place (Trenton) to Carroll Co as far as Leopard’s Creek and he allowed the following hands: E. Brite, Benjamin Moore, William Butler, Soacly Farthing, William McDaniel, John Drury, ESQUIRE [SQUIRE] YOUNG, WILLIAM [ALMA] YOUNG, WILSON BROWN [WILLIS BOREN], Preston Conlee, Peter Marrs Conly, Mathew Leopard, John Hassell, J.F. Randolph, William Allen, James Graham, Meed Pearce."
Leah Smith’s father, James Smith, and brother, Richard Smith, were also ordered to work on one of the new roads (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes page 184): "Ordered that B.G. Addcock be appointed overseer of the road from this place to Carroll Co Line commencing at Leopard’s Creek and ending at Rutherford’s Fork of Obion. And be allowed the following hands: JAMES SMITH, RICHARD SMITH, Thomas Bennett, John Gray, David Gray, James Waldrop, John Waldrop, D.R. Hailey, James Roach, James Connell, John Connell, David Moon, P.W. Lord, James Higgins, B.G. Addcock, John Foster Ingland, William Ingland, Joseph Ingland, William Cribbs, John Cribbs, Johnson cribbs, Edward Kiling, James Clackston, James H. Miller, Gilbert Cribbs, Doctor Cribbs, Benjamin Carroll."
Squire Young had jury duty on Tuesday morning, 4 Dec 1827 (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes page 63): "The following were summoned to serve as Jurors of this term of Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions: Theophilus Williams, Wilson Brown, John Murphy, John W. Buckner, Turner R. Gibbs, William Ferguson, Overall Sanderson, Hesse L. Ross, SQUIRE YOUNG, Daniel Conlee, Jeptha Billingsley, Samuel Patterson, Patterson Crockett, Owen Wood, Hardy Hunt, John Wilson, William T. Webb, Marshal H. Sanders, William Mathews, Edmund Tidwell, John Parker, Thomas Brown and Isaac Jetton. James Turner and William B. Howard constables."
Squire Young and his stepfather Willis Boren were given the responsibility to mark out one of the new roads. This was generally done by scouting out the area and deciding which direction the road should go, according to the lay of the land. Then trees along the way were marked by cuttings chunks out of the bark with an ax or hatchet, or by stacking rocks up to show the way. Workmen with horses, axes, shovels, and picks would then move along the path, removing trees, rocks and other obstacles, and building bridges over the creeks (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes page 87): "Ordered that the following be a Jury of View to mark a road from the highland where the Dresden and Huntingdon Road fork to the county line in a direction of Paris, to wit: Elijah Billingsley Jr, SQUIRE YOUNG, WILLIS BROWN [BOREN], B. Baker, John Murphy, David L. Thomas, Jacob Mills, Jacob Bradbury."
On 7 Sep 1830, the court fined Leah Smith’s father for missing his required jury duty (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes page 60): "Ordered that James A. Smith, David Canada, Hiram Porter, and old David Crockett be fined the sum of five dollars each as absent jurors."
The court approved Squire Boren Young’s sale of 75 acres of land in Gibson County on 4 Jun 1832 (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes page 81): "Transfer of a plat and certificate from SQUIRE YOUNG to Bartholomew Baker for 75 acres was ackowledged. Proven by John B. Hogg and John Gray."
On 10 Jun 1832, the log cabin where the court was being held was condemned and a new one was ordered to be built (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes):. "The Clerk’s office is unhealthy and not fit for the use of the clerk. Ordered that bids be let for the construction of an office on the east side of the public square on Lot no 14 belonging to Thomas Fite."
Leah Smith’s father was given guardianship of an orphan by the name of William Smith. He was the same age as Leah’s younger brother, Robert Love Smith who was born 13 Oct 1819. His relationship to the family is not known (FHL book 976.823 P2w, Gibson Co Tenn Court Minutes page 99): "JAMES A. SMITH appointed guardian of William Smith an orphan."
Gibson County was divided into military companies instead of civil districts at first, and each district was called by the name of the company captain. Taxes were originally listed by a Justice of the Peace who was assigned the area of a company. However, as often as not in those days, no land was claimed, because the people simply built a cabin in a likely spot and lived there until the natural resources began to dwindle, and then they moved to a new place (FHL book 976.823 R4w, vol 1 pages 33-35, Gibson Co Tax Lists 1827): "Captain Henry H. Robert’s militia company taxable property taken by me Beamon Fowler Jr (among others) WILLIAM YOUNG, 50 acres, 0 town lots, 1 white poll, 0 black poll, 0 stud horses; JAMES SMITH, 0 acres, 0 town lots, 1 white poll, 0 black poll, 0 stud horses; RICHARD SMITH, 0 acres, 0 town lots, 1 white poll, 0 black poll, 0 stud horses; WILLIAM SMITH, 0 acres, 0 town lots, 1 white poll, 0 black poll, 0 stud horses; JAMES SMITH Jr, 0 acres, 0 town lots, 1 white poll, 0 black poll, 0 stud horses."
James Agee Smith, father of Leah Smith and Thomas Washington Smith was born 6 Dec 1787 in Sullivan Co Tennessee, son of George Thomas & Leah Agee Smith. He married Margaret Love on 24 May 1810 in Gibson Co Tennessee, and they became the parents of 7 children. He died 20 Dec 1875 in Washington City, Washington Co Utah and was buried there (FHL film 1320965, cemetery records of Washington City, Washington Co Utah): "James Agee Smith; born 6 Dec 1787, died 20 Dec 1874, parents Thomas Smith & Leah Agee, spouse Margaret Love."
James A. Smith’s paternal ancestors are believed to have descended from James Smith of the original Jamestown, Virginia colony. His maternal grandfather Mathieu Age' gave up French nobility in 1690 to came to America, where he and his family could practice their Protestant faith without fear of being persucuted or killed by Louis XIV. Begining in 1685, hundreds of thousands of these "Huguenots" as they were called, were murdered and persucuted in France. All who could get to the borders, fled to Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and England. King Wiliam and Queen Mary of England were benefactors of the Huguenots and offered some six hundred of them the opportunity of settling in Virginia Colony. Many of them chose to live at the old deserted Indian village called 'Manakintowne.' This was about 15 miles west of present Richmond, on the south side of the James River. Ten thousand acres of land were set aside for them bordering on the river. They formed a church and named it King William Parish. The Vestry Book of 1707-1750, written in French, reposes in the Library of the Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va. Mathieu Age’ was one of the residents of Manakintowne.
William Alma & Leah Smith Young began raising their family in Gibson Co Tennessee, where they lived for 16 years -- from the time of their marriage in 1826 until they moved to Hancock Co Illinois in the spring of 1842. They eventually had 11 children, including 1 adopted Indian child. Their family was as follows:
WILLIAM ALMA YOUNG, born 28 Aug 1805 near Springfield, Robertson Co Tennessee, son of Jacob & Mary Boren Young, married Leah Holland Smith 11 Nov 1826 in Gibson Co Tennessee, joined the Mormon Church in 1841, died 2 Sep 1875 in Washington City, Washington Co Utah and buried in the old section of the Washington City cemetery 3 Sep 1875. He was one of the first settlers in Washington City.
LEAH HOLLAND SMITH, born 1 Dec 1800 in Smith Co Tennessee, daughter of James & Margaret Love Smith, married William Young 11 Nov 1826 in Gibson Co Tennessee, died 18 Aug 1897 at the Horn Springs Ranch, Lincoln Co Nevada and buried there.
WILLIS SMITH YOUNG, born 16 Mar 1829 near Trenton, Gibson Co Tennessee, son of William & Leah Smith Young, married Ann Cherry Willis 28 Sep 1850 in Big Cottonwood, Salt Lake Co Utah, died 16 May 1910 in Escalante, Garfield Co Utah and buried 19 May 1910 in the Escalante cemetery. He was one of the first settlers in the towns of Toquer, Kanarra, and Escalante Utah.
JAMES ALFRED YOUNG, born 14 Feb 1830 near Trenton, Gibson Co Tennessee, son of William & Leah Smith Young, died as a child before 1842 in Gibson County.
ETHA LINDA MARGARET (MALINDA) YOUNG, born 12 Mar 1834 near Trenton, Gibson Co Tennessee, daughter of William & Leah Smith Young, married 19 May 1850 her first cousin John William Young (son of Alfred Douglas Young and Malinda McIntosh) in Big Cottonwood, Salt Lake Co Utah, died 25 May 1917 in Monticello, San Juan Co Utah and buried 27 May 1917 in the Monticello cemetery.
WILLIAM DARIUS YOUNG, born 4 Aug 1837 near Trenton, Gibson Co Tennessee, son of William & Leah Smith Young, died Jan 1848 near Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Territory.
RACHEL DERINDA YOUNG, born 11 Apr 1839 near Trenton, Gibson Co Tennessee, daughter of William & Leah Smith Young, had epilepsy or some similar affliction, never married, believed to have died about 1894 in Pahreah, Kane Co Utah and buried there.
SQUIRE LEBASTIAN YOUNG, born 7 Oct 1841 near Trenton, Gibson Co Tennessee, son of William & Leah Smith Young, died Jan 1849 while crossing the plains to Utah.
HARRIET ELIZABETH YOUNG, born in 1843, Nauvoo Illinois, daughter of William & Leah Smith Young, married (1) Enoch Ephriam Dodge abt 1862 in Washington Co Utah, divorced 12 Sep 1864, married (2) William Lewis Penrod. She is believed to have died in Arizona.
FRANCIS MARION YOUNG, born 6 Dec 1846 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Co Iowa, son of William & Leah Smith Young, mother Leah Smith; died Aug 1849 crossing the plains to Utah.
WILLIAM ALMA YOUNG Jr (BILLY AL), born 3 Aug 1849 in Wyoming Territory while crossing the plains to Utah, son of William & Leah Smith Young, married Emily America Riggs 1 Oct 1865 in St George, Washington Co Utah. He died 22 May 1914 in Show Low, Navajo Co Arizona, buried 23 May 1914 in the Show Low cemetery.
LEAH ANN YOUNG, born 6 Aug 1855 in Harmony, Washington Co Utah, daughter of William & Leah Smith Young, married (1) James Seymore, divorced, married (2) a Basque sheep herder named Austine Guearo about 1880 in Escalante, Garfield Co Utah, died in Provo Utah 15 May 1937.
SUSAN YOUNG, born 1856, an Indian orphan adopted by Wm & Leah Smith Young, died while a child in Washington County Utah.
Alfred Young stopped by to visit his relatives in Gibson County in July 1841, while on a journey to the State of Mississippi. His mother and stepfather were still there, as was his brother William Young and family. He wrote that the widow of his oldest brother Squire was there also, which gives an approximate time of Squire’s death. While they were all there together, the family listened to the missionary teachings of their relative John McIntosh and his companion Timmons, and were converted & baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons). Alfred recorded that during his conversion process, he had a personal vision of Christ, and his brother William afterward saw the same vision. They were so excited about their new religion that they traveled back to middle Tennessee to find their natural father Jacob Young and his family, with the intention of converting them also. In connection with others, they were involved in preaching the gospel of the Mormon church to relatives, friends and other people in Tennessee until about 60 had joined. During this time, they were impressed with the power of the new priesthood they possessed, and became more convinced than ever that the principles of the church were true.
Beginning in January 1842, they went with Douglas Hunt on horseback to visit friends and relatives who lived in Smith County Tennessee. On the way, they stopped near Springfield, in Robertson County, about 25 miles north of the city of Nashville and were hospitably received by their aunt Sally (Sarah) Dorris who was the sister of Mary Boren, and her daughter who was about 18. Mrs. Dorris had heard something about the Saints from Coleman Boren who had joined the Church, and she invited them to preach in her home. This they did, and then continued on their journey to Smith County where they met with numerous friends, baptized about 20 persons and organized a branch of the Church. They discovered that their father Jacob Young had died, but they visited with their uncle Mark Young who was about 60 years old at the time (brother to their father Jacob Young) and set him apart to preside over the branch, along with a young man named John Young.
Some two years earlier, in May of 1839, John D. Lee and a companion Levi Stewart had come into Tennessee on a mission for the Church. Their missionary work began in Jackson County Tennessee, where Stewart's relatives lived. Stewart remained there, and John D. Lee pushed on to work in Rutherford County and the towns near Nashville. The only account of this mission is the one written from memory and published in Lee's "Confessions", but on the flyleaf of the diary of his next mission he noted, "during a short mission that I took in 1839 I baptized 27 persons of which I have kept no record." Lee returned to Nauvoo Illinois on 1 Oct 1839.
The call now from church headquarters was for all who could do so to "gather to Zion". With this in mind, William Alma and Alfred Young decided to sell their properties in Tennessee and move up the Mississippi River to "Nauvoo the Beautiful" -- a fitting name of the new city of the Mormons being built on the east bank of the river, in Illinois. The brothers felt that they must join the main body of the church, to be where they could associate with the prophet Joseph Smith and other leaders. William Alma Young’s home in Gibson Co Tennessee was approximately 360 miles downstream on the Mississippi River and 50 miles east. The record (Journal of Alfred Young) says that Alfred and William Alma took their families over land to Nauvoo rather than in a ferry boat up the river. When William Alma Young first arrived in Nauvoo, he was 37 years old, and his wife, Leah Smith Young, was 32. Their oldest son, Willis Smith Young, named after his step grandfather Willis Boren was 13 yrs old. Their other children included Etha Linda Margaret Young whom the family called Melinda, 8 yrs old; James, 7 yrs old; William Darius, 5 yrs old; Rachel Derinda, 3 yrs old; and one-year old son Squire Lebastian, named after his uncle Squire Young. William and Leah Smith Young added a baby daughter to their family in Nauvoo in 1943. Little Harriet Elizabeth crossed the plains to Utah with her parents at the age of 6 years.
The two Young brothers, William Alma & Alfred Douglas, were devoted to their new religion, and believed that the priesthood that they were given could help them perform miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. Alfred Young wrote (FHL film 0237886): "Sometime in April my brother and myself arranged our affairs to gather to Nauvoo. In the midst of much persecution and annoyance which entailed on us some loss of property, we got started on our journey. On the way, we fell in company with a brother by the name of West with a family who were journeying to Nauvoo. He had a son 18 or 19 years of age who was afflicted with an evil spirit. He was continually making a noise and was very unpleasant company. The weather being showery we camped one day near a school house to dry our wet clothes. While I was in the house by myself someone made known to me that the mother of the lad wished me to lay hands on him for his recovery. When we attempted to do so, being strong, he contended with us and I simply rebuked the evil spirit. He came out of the lad and the latter lay at our feet a natural pleasant looking boy. But when the evil spirit went out of the boy, he entered into my oldest son, John William, who was standing near. He was at once seized with terrible contortions of body. This caused considerable excitement in camp. I took him up in my arms and started into the school house followed by my brother William. We laid him down and prayed, asking the Lord to give us power to cast out the evil spirit. We then laid hands on him, rebuked the evil spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus and bid it depart, and trouble us no more. It departed and left us in peace. Nothing of importance occurred during the remainder of the journey to Nauvoo, where we arrived on the 9th of June 1842."
The two Young brothers and their families arrived in Nauvoo too late to see the famous military parade of the Nauvoo Legion held on 7 May 1842, when Joseph Smith and John C. Bennett rode side by side as they reviewed the Mormon army of twenty-six companies, totaling two thousand men. At the conclusion they staged a sham battle for the entertainment of the spectators and the experience of the soldiers. The noise and dust, the clashing of arms, and the general confusion gave it all a very real appearance, and somewhere in the melee the Prophet's life was endangered. This near "accident" fanned into flame the smoldering differences. Bennett was accused of conspiring to bring about the death of Joseph Smith and was excommunicated from the church. Within a fortnight he resigned his position as mayor of Nauvoo, and Joseph Smith was appointed to fill the vacancy.
It was into this atmosphere of great commotion and gathering of Mormons that the Tennessee frontiersmen, William Alma and Alfred Young arrived with their families on 9 June 1842. They were soon after met by a letter written by John D. Lee and printed in the Times and Seasons newspaper June 15th. It was dated 18 May 1842, Putnam Co Tennessee (shortly after they had left) and accused them of heresy because of the miracles that had occurred during their missionary labors. Brother Lee had been sent by church authorities back to his former mission area in Tennessee. He was gone only two and a half months, leaving Nauvoo on March 18 and returning 20 May 1842. He wrote in his journal that he was warmly greeted by his friends in Tennessee, who "collected together & wished I should prech to them as they were starving for the word of life & salvation" (1840-1844 Diary of John D. Lee, typescript copy at the Utah State Historical Society). On a baptismal day held 12 Apr 1842, he baptized twenty-three persons, among whom were William and Alfred Young's uncle David Young, his wife Elizabeth Vance Young, their daughters Mary V. (Polly) and Lavina Young (both of whom later would become Lees' wives), and younger brother David Isom Young. Lee's journal contains several poems encouraging his friends to come to Nauvoo.
Lee’s letter, finding fault with William Alma & Afred Douglas Young, read as follows (Times and Seasons, Vol.3, p.820-821): "Mr. Editor, Dear Sir; It devolves upon me, although a painful duty, to announce to you the present state and condition of affairs as we have found them in this place. On the 18th of March I arrived at the city of Nashville, and after visiting several branches of the church, and setting them in order according to my appointment, I was informed by Dr. Alfonzo Young, that recently, a branch of the church had been organized in Putnam county, by William and Alford Young, who professed to teach our principles, viz: The faith of the Latter Day Saints. In order to give you the opportunity of suppressing the progress of difficulties arising from false teachers, we address this line to you for your information; being thoroughly acquainted with many of the principles taught by them, and also of the evils resulting from their teachings and conduct. They profess to be empowered with ten supernatural gifts, nine of them are contained in the 12th chapter of 1st Corinthians -- raising the dead they claim as the 10th. Mr. Daniel Hunt, one of their coadjutors, in addition to the gifts above mentioned, claims to be the personage spoken of in the 20th chapter of Revelations who is to bind the dragon a thousand years; he also professes to have the power to seal up unto eternal life. They have made six proselytes near the town of Alexandria, De Kalb county. The authenticity of the Book of Mormon was by them held in obscurity, and when interrogated on the subject they would reply, that the time would come when they should arrive at its contents; that the book was not designed to be taught to the gentiles at present, and that it was only to be taught to the Jews in order to effect their restoration. They pretended to raise the dead while in Smith county, twenty miles distant from this place, on two different occasions; one of these miraculous displays of the spirit, was exhibited in raising one of the above named ministers who died while on his mission to this place, and in performing this operation as well as many others strange manoeuvers, they would act as the spirit dictated, and when satan would approach them they would wind up his bands -- this they did to prevent his influence over them -- by a motion of the hands and accompanied with words uttered in a harsh heavy tone, this was the second revolution performed. They have some tremendous combats with the devil in order to prepare for the contest, they would take off their coats and hats and roll up their sleeves, as though they had a Goliath to encounter, and after an engagement of several hours, they would finally succeed in divesting the room of these demons; but frequently after the doors were closed great exertion was made to prevent them from returning again. These were some of the effects of that spirit which animated the bosom of these counterfeit Mormons. They taught their converts to contend for the same spirit which they possessed, and when they obtained it and were impelled by it, it produced a change of countenance depicted with horror; a trembling, twitching, falling down and wallowing in the mud; others would snort like wild beasts, bark as dogs, run through the creek, pretending to sing and speak in tongues, crying prophecy, prophecy; others would lie in a swoon for several hours, and springing to their feet again, state that the spirit had commanded them to chastise certain characters who were present, and would then fall upon them with all their strength as though they were to be exterminated in reality; one of these young ladies feel on her knees before me, and said, although I was a stranger yet she loved me because I was a preacher, and attempted to put her arms around my neck; I put forth my hand and rebuked the evil spirit by which she was actuated, and she immediately fell to the earth and wept with shame. Those gentlemen I have not seen who introduced these principles into this neighborhood, they left here some time in the month of March, and directed their course for the western district of Tennessee. But this was the deplorable situation of these miserable and unfortunate proselytes when Dr. [Alphonso] Young and myself came to their relief. This course of conduct, you are well aware, produced great opposition to the faith of the Latter Day Saints, particularly by those who were watching for iniquity, in so much that we were threatened with mobs if we did not leave the neighborhood immediately, stating that Mormonism had already destroyed the peace of some of their citizens; however, we did not regard threats, and knowing most asuredly if we should shrink from our duty and not proclaim against such proceedings, and discard all such conduct and folly as was exhibited in this place by these imposters, that we would not stand acquitted before that God to whom we must, as well as all men, render an impartial account of our stewardship. -- Under these considerations I determined to try to remove the veil of obscurity, that sin should be reproved, and truth vindicated; so I frankly told them that the spirit by which they were actuated, emenated from Lucifer, the prince of darkness, and that its delusive influence would ultimately prove destructive to all the souls that were influenced by it if they did not resist it immediately. Elder Samuel Frost came to my assistance a few days after I arrived here, and has been laboring diligently with me ever since to remove the prejudice and erroneous notions that were imbibed by many in consequence of false teachings; and truly the Lord has blessed us, and confirmed the word by signs following; for the sick have been restored immediately by the prayer of faith through the atoning blood of the covenant, in the name of Jesus. Unclean spirits, also, have been subject to the priesthood through our administration in a number of instances, the most of those that were possessed of the evil spirit have been restored to their proper mind, indeed I never realized so sensibly the worth of the power of the priesthood since I have been called to the ministry, as I did on this occasion. I have baptized 28 persons in Rutherford, Smith, and Putnam counties. Brothers Frost and Linzey have baptized 22 in Knox county. We have many calls to preach, as prejudice has given way to a great extent, and I think there is not only a possibility, but a probability, of effecting a considerable work in this place. We remain, as ever yours, In the everlasting gospel of peace, John D. Lee, A. Young, Samuel B. Frost."
An editorial, written by the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, followed Lee’s printed letter in the Times and Seasons as follows: "We publish the foregoing letter entire; and for the information of the citizens of the neighborhood where the circumstances transpired, take this opportunity of expressing our decided, unqualified disapprobation of the proceedings of William and Alford Young. If they have ever been united with this Church and are not cut off, we withdraw fellowship from them until they make satisfaction for what they have done; we commend Elders Lee, Young and Frost for the course they have taken in this affair, and would recommend that all those who have entertained this spirit and will not repent and reform, be cut off from the Church; such spirits ought at all times to be opposed and put down, for they are of the devil; the spirit of God never was, is not now, nor never will be manifested in the indecorous manner, that the spirit above referred to manifested itself in. It is a shame for any man, much more a woman, to participate in such outrageous, inhuman, abominable and devilish transactions; and we frequently wonder where men put the little common sense that they possess, when they suffer themselves to be influenced by such unreasonable, ungodly spirits. David once feigned himself mad, in order that he might escape from the hands of a king who held him in bondage, but these men voluntarily and unblushingly act the madman, and would fain palm their wild rantings, their braying and beastly propensities, which is the product of a frantic brain and bewildered imagination, and the offspring of satan upon God and the Mormons, by calling it the spirit of God and themselves Mormons. If this be the spirit of God we are ignorant of it, and if this be Mormonism we have it yet to learn. The plain principles of truth, the gift and blessings of the gospel as they existed in the primitive days; the pure principles of truth as taught by our Lord Jesus Christ, and taught and administered in by the Apostles, subject us to sufficient approbrium, without having fathered upon us the offspring of satan, and the ebulitions of a frantic mind and disordered brain. We would refer our readers to an article written upon this subject in the 11th No of this vol. headed ‘Try the Spirits.’ As we have so lately written upon this subject, it will be unnecessary for us to enter into particulars at the present; but we would say, "Try the spirits,’ ‘prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.’ Paul has said ‘God is not the author of confusion, but of order as in all the churches of the Saints. ED [Joseph Smith]."
The article on false spirits referred to by Joseph Smith, had appeared in the Times and Seasons, vol 3, page 743 and was written by John Taylor. Needless to say, these articles in the Nauvoo newspaper upset the Young brothers very much, and especially when they were called to account before the High Council of the church. In Alfred Young's words (FHL film 0237886), "It seemed very severe on us as we had preached the gospel in all sincerity of heart, and in our simplicity had believed in the gifts of the Gospel as promised to the Saints in all ages. Whatever we had done we did it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ never failing to give him the glory. We at once demanded a hearing before the High Council, expecting that must be made up of men who believed in the gifts of the Spirit as we did. It soon commenced to hear our case. The charges were prepared by John D. Lee. They accused us of teaching false doctrine, of doing miracles under false pretenses and of depreciating the Book of Mormon as of Divine origin. At the time we believed the book according to our knowledge, but at that early period we had but little knowledge of it ourselves nor were we prepared to make much use of it. The Bible we, like other sectarian Christians, had studied and been traditionated in and we used what was in our hands and what was evidently at that time, the most effective weapon for the defence of truth, yet we had a testimony that the Book of Mormon was of God and ever bore that testimony when there was any occasion."
"On account of feeble health I was barely able to attend the Council and it devolved on my brother (William) to do the talking necessary in our defence. After he was done I simply bore testimony to the truth of what he had said. The Council was much divided but finally decided by a majority vote that we should acknowledge that our labors in Tennessee were not of God, but of the devil, that we had been deceived and had acted under evil influences. I got on to my feet and said that I came there expecting to abide their decision, but I regretted that I could not do it. I bore my testimony to them tha