|
John Fackenthall Youngken |
John Fackenthall Junghen/Youngken/Youngkin was born on Aug. 1, 1805 in Herkimer County, NY, the son of Killian and Catherine (Fackenthall) Youngken.
He migrated in 1829 and settled in the village of Friendsville, Wabash County, IL. The town is said to be named for the many settlers to put down roots there who originated from Friendsville, Susquehanna County, PA. Said the 1976 book History of Wabash County, "the original proprietors [of the town] were William R. Wilkinson, John F. Youngken and Cyrus Danforth in 1854. Robert Parkinson sold the first goods from the Wood and Parkinson store from a room of the John Youngken house in 1835."
He first tied the marital knot with Harriet Danforth (Dec. 19, 1801-1858), daughter of Cyrus and Mary (Clarke) Danforth. The wedding was held in Mount Carmel, Wabash County.
Their three known children were John Cyrus Killian Youngkin, Samuel Thomas Youngkin and Mary Catharine McDowell.
Their primary income was derived by farming, as shown in the 1850 federal census enumeration, a year when Harriet's parents lived next door. In addition, in 1844, representing Wabash County, he served in the Illinois House of Representatives. He also was clerk of the semi-annual Sabbath Convention for South Eastern Illinois circa 1854. In 1856, he was an active committeeman on the Anti-Nebraska Kansas Meeting of the People. This group was formed in opposition to the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 and in an effort to repeal the Missouri Compromise forbidding slavery in U.S. territories north of a certain line.
The farm he owned as of 1858, when he owed unpaid real estate taxes, was part of the west half of northwest Section 24, Range 72, in Town 1 North, Range 13 West.
Sadly, Harriet passed away at the age of 56 on Aug. 31, 1858. John remained a widower for 21 months.
On May 23, 1860, he married a second time to Eliza Boileau (1814- ? ), daughter of Daniel Boileau of Tinicum, Bucks County. The nuptials may have been held in Reigelsville, Bucks County, by the hand of Rev. S.M. Andrews. The second union endured for a decade until cleaved apart by death.
In June 1866, living in Friendsville, IL, John received a bequest of $354.53 from the estate of his late aunt Anna Maria Fackenthall. He signed a document releasing Michael Fackenthall as estate administrator, with the language published many years later in a 1938 edition of the Younkin Family News Bulletin.
John died on May 27, 1870. Many years after John's death, Rev. S.C. Baldridge gave a sermon, published in 1896 in the Mt. Carmel Republican, which listed his name among the "unusual number of Christian men of talents and influence who have honored this village. To the thoughtful mind it must seem strange that a place so remote, so unimportant as this should have been blessed with the moral and influence of such men..."
The widowed Eliza moved to New Jersey, where she spent her final years. Death enveloped her in Frenchtown, NJ at the age of 85 on Sept. 2, 1899. Her funeral rites were conducted by a former pastor, Rev. William H. Filson, of Easton, PA and her nephew Rev. Horace D. Sassaman of Parsippany, NJ. News of her demise was printed in the Mount Carmel (IL) Register, saying she was "for many years a resident of Friendsville, and, for a brief period, of this city... The deceased had many friends among our older people. She was gentle and amiable, a high type of the gentlewoman of days gone by." An obituary in The Presbyterian edition of September 1899 said she "was blessed with a pious ancestry, and early consecrated her life to the Saviour, whom she served with rare devotion all the days of her life. Being the daughter of a ruling elder, and wife of a ruling elder, in the Presbyterian Church, she was conversant and greatly interested in the extension of Christ's Kingdom upon earth."
~ Son John Cyrus Killian "J.C.K." Youngken ~
Son John Cyrus Killian "J.C.K." Youngkin/Youngken (1839-1917) was born on Aug. 4, 1839 in Friendsville, Wabash County, IL. In young manhood he stood 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighed 140 lbs. and had a dark complexion, grey eyes and dark hair.
In the years before the Civil War, he graduated from Hanover College.
|
History of Wayne County, Illinois Courtesy Google Books |
When he was about 27 years of age, on Aug. 16, 1866, John entered into marriage with Julia Badolett VanAusdel (May 24, 1848- ? ), a native of Lawrenceville, IL. Their nuptials were led by Rev. Samuel C. Baldridge at Bridgeport, IL. Over the years, their marriage certificate was lost.
They became the parents of Harry Herman Youngken, Anna Kate Willis, Benjamin Noble Youngken, Charles "Thomas" Youngken and Cyrus "Donald" Youngken.
In the postwar years he was tapped to be principal of the Friendsville Academy, with Miss Finley as his assistant. In 1866, the seminary building was erected, where the school held classes. He continued until 1870 when he was named principal of the Mount Carmel (IL) Schools, replaced in Friendsville by Rev. Dr. William Henry Smith.
He is known to have been injured in an accident in Fairfleld, IL in early December 1877, he later wrote, "when "I was creeping by hands & knees on a board in a shed loft when it broke and precipitated me to the ground floor, a distance of about 9 ft, hurting my back, right hip and shoulder. I had to keep my bed for several days and it was several months before I could straighten up and walk with usual erectness. I hurt it a second time about the 1st of November 1885 in Mt. Carmel, Il., by helping to lift a stove at which time I was kept in bed and house several days longer than when first injured and it was several months again before I could walk erect without pain. Since which time I have been exceedingly careful about doing any thing which required lifting and ceased chopping, sawing & hoeing, except occasionally splitting kindling & digging potatoes. Last summer I hurt my back by simply digging a few potatoes, which caused me pain in walking for sometime." His physician Dr. Charles W. Sibley wrote in 1890 that "he is, in my opinion, totally disabled from hard manual labor."
In 1883, he was described by the Mount Carmel (IL) Register as " a prosperous business man of Fairfield." As compensation for his wartime service, John was awarded a military pension in July 1890 at a time when they were residing in Fairfield, Wayne County, IL. [Invalid App. #811.077 - Cert. #654.696]. He claimed he was suffering from hemorrhoids and an injured and weak back. Among those friends stepping forward to write letters and affidavits of support in the claim were Alice E. McDowell and Jannie E. Rupp. A profile in the 1884 book History of Wayne County, Illinois, produced by Globe Publishing Company, Chicago, says the following:
...He represented his district in the State Legislature and there characterized himself by introducing into that body a bill to restrict the liquor traffic. He was an earnest temperance worker, a zealous member of the Presbyterian Church, and the impress of his molding hand in the community in which he lived so long will never cease to be felt... He is an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, of which his entire family are members.
 |
| Copy of the Youngkens' marriage certificate, 1866 - National Archives |
As of 1896, the Youngkens' home was in Ventura, CA, where he was employed by the Ventura Lumber Company. He was named in the Feb. 6, 1896 edition of the Mount Carmel Register article about former Wabash citizens who had gone elsewhere to "grow up with the country" and now "wish they were home again." He said that he knew of no other Wabash Countians in Southern California "except of my own family from the Wabash." He also became a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, a veteran's organization, and belonged to its Cushing Post in Ventura. In mid-February 1907, he was admitted to dwell in the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Veteran Soldiers at Sawtelle in Los Angeles, although he eventually returned to their dwelling-place. Their final address together was at 5516 Echo Street, Los Angeles, where they had lived for a dozen years. As John's health declined, Mary hired a health aide at a dollar a day to be of assistance. At the age of 78, John died at home on Nov. 30, 1917. An obituary appeared in the Los Angeles Evening Express and the Mount Carmel Daily Republican, the latter of which opined that he "was a man of high character and a true Christian gentleman. He became a member of the Presbyterian church at Friendsville as a young man and continued in that faith until his death." Burial was in Forest Lawn Cemetery. The widowed Julia successfully petitioned to receive her late spouse's pension [Widow App. #1.114.298 - Cert. #860.626], and had to obtain a duplicate of her original but lost marriage license from the County Clerk of Lawrenceville County in Illinois. Julia remained in Los Angeles to the end of her life. With her health in decline, she received medical care from Dr. M.H. Chamberlin of 130 West Avenue in Los Angeles. She passed away at home at the age of 82 in mid-October 1930. Her son Harry traveled from Santa Paula to attend the funeral services. An obituary in the Ventura Morning Free Press said she had "lived in Ventura county for many years and was well known among the old time residents here."
Son Harry Herman "H.H." Youngken (1868-1942) was born on Jan. 28, 1868. He served as postmaster of Santa Paula, CA in 1905 and lived in the community for 54 years. In time he became employed as secretary of the Santa Paula Building and Loan Association, later becoming president. He had owned a ranch near Fillmore, CA. He wed Loula "Maud" and was the father of Ada Robinson, Gertrude Christensen, Irene Self and Ralph Youngken. The Selfs resided on the Youngken ranch at Fillmore in 1938. Circa 1938, they relocated to the Sespe District, and then in 1941 to Bakersfield. Sadly, Henry died in Bakersfield on Dec. 2, 1942. An obituary in the Santa Barbara News-Press said his passing "was a shock to his many friends... He was a musician, playing the cornet in many local musical organizations. After his retirement he devoted much time to his hobby, flowers, and many beautiful specimens were developed under his care."
|
Younkin Family News Bulletin, 1939 |
Son Benjamin Noble Youngken (1872-1951) was born on Oct. 1, 1872 in Fairfield, IL. He moved to Orcutt, Santa Barbara County, CA where he had charge of the machine shops of Union Oil Company and the Union Tool Company, circa 1912. The business later became the National Supply Company. Benjamin held memberships in the Al Malaikah Shrine Temple and Petroleum Pioneers. In 1892, he tied the knot with Caroline Baker ( ? -1938). Four offspring among their brood were Helen Frances Webb, Alice Ann Bennison, Phyllis Porter and Clarence Eldon Youngken. Sadly, Caroline died suddenly on Feb. 4, 1938. Benjamin outlived his spouse by a baker's dozen years and appears to have wed a second time to Ruby Rae Conlisk (1888-1985). He passed away at the age of 79, in Los Angeles, on Oct. 1, 1951. An obituary was published in the Los Angeles Times. Their remains sleep in eternal repose in Inglewood Park Cemetery.
Son Charles "Thomas" Youngken (1882-1938) was born on Feb. 20, 1881. He lived with his parents in Ventura in 1905 and later in Africa, where his daughter was born. He was the father of Helen Edith Youngkin, who married T.W. Poole in Schenectady, NY circa 1937. The Pooles sailed to the Philippines in 1938, where he was employed by General Electric Company.
Son Cyrus "Donald" "C.D." Youngken (1889- ? ) was born on Oct. 22, 1888 in Fairfield, IL. He relocated to California with his parents at the age of three, and dwelled with them in 1905 in Ventura, CA.
~ Son Samuel Thomas Youngkin ~
Son Samuel Thomas Youngkin ( ? - ? ) was born in Friendsville, Wabash County, IN.
He died at the age of 10. Nothing more is known.
~ Daughter Mary Catharine (Youngkin) McDowell ~
Daughter Mary Catharine Youngkin (1844-1883) was born on Jan. 27, 1844 in Wabash County.
On Oct. 25, 1864, she wed lawyer Charles E. McDowell (July 22, 1838- ? ), son of James and Elizabeth P. (Watson) McDowell of Mt. Carmel, Wabash County, IL.
They established a home in Illinois and were the parents of Hattie McDowell.
 |
 |
| Charles' entry in the History of White County, Illinois. Courtesy Google Books |
|
The McDowells' grave, Carmi, IL Courtesy "Carmian" |
Charles in 1869 was elected to the Illinois State Constitutional Convention and then in 1876 to the Illinois State Senate, representing the counties of Hamilton, Jefferson and White of the 46th District. In this role, along with James M. Sharp of Wabash County and William G. Bowman of Gallatin County, he signed a report circa 1870 proposing to restrict the right to vote to white males, although willing to let the state's voters decide whether "Negroes" should be allowed to vote.
He maintained his law practice, in partnership with J.I. McClintock, focusing on real estate. Charles was profiled in the 1883 book History of White County.
Their teenage daughter became seriously ill with rheumatism in September 1882, with her condition feared as hopeless. Her mother literally worried herself to death, dying on March 21, 1883. An obituary appeared in the Mount Carmel Register, saying "The terrible strain upon her mind and nervous system brought on general prostration of both brain and body, and a few days ago she was stricken down, soon lost consciousness and gradually sank until death came to her relief. Mrs. McDowell was a lady univerally beloved by all who knew her. Kind, cheerful and charitable, she made friends wherever she went, and to-day is mourned by the entire society of which she was one of the brightest ornaments."
Daughter Hattie rallied a bit in early March, but then descended into her own demise, succumbing to the spectre of death on June 16, 1883, after 10 months of suffering. Their remains were interred next to each other in the "Old Graveyard" in Carmi.
|
Copyright © 2023-2024 Mark A. Miner |
Research for this page conducted by Della Shafer and the late Donna (Younkin) Logan |