Jeremiah "Jerry" Younkin was born on March 30, 1837 in Fayette County, PA, the son of George and Nancy (Johnson) Younken. He was a pioneer settler of Illinois and Iowa.

At the age of 18, Jeremiah married 19-year-old Caroline Vanatta (June 1836-1915), daughter of Samuel and Mary Vanatta of Richhill Township, Greene County, PA. The ceremony took place in Fayette County. 

They produced eight children -- Samuel Younkin, Benjamin "Franklin" Younkin, Catherine "Katie" Younkin, Lucy Jane Pollock, William Younkin, Edward Charles Younkin, C.W. Younkin, and George Younkin.

In about 1861, Jeremiah and Caroline migrated westward to seek their fortune. They relocated to Illinois and for several years lived on a farm in Wyanet, Bureau County. They are shown in Wyanet in the 1870 federal census.

Sometime between 1871 and 1874, they moved again to Dodge Township, Union County, IA. There, Jeremiah obtained a farm of 80 acres. The 1880 census lists the family in Dodge.

He returned to Connellsville for a visit in about 1886, then did not return for another 15 years.

By 1900, when the census again was taken, only Jeremiah and Caroline remained in their Dodge Township home. The census-taker recorded that only four of their nine children were alive at that time.

In June 1901, Jeremiah once again traveled back to his home region for a visit among family and friends. He told a reporter from the Connellsville Courier that:

...there is no better farming land in the world. He says there is a natural waste of more to the acre in that country than we can raise in Fayette. Younkin had not been in Connellsville for 15 years and says he would scarcely know the town, there are so many improvements, chief among which are the big buildings, new overhead bridge, street railways, the extension toward the South Side and South Connellsville, and the general improvements in the railroads hereabouts. he will visit here and in Greene county for a couple months, having rented his farm, he says, and will have nothing to do for a while but enjoy himself.

Caroline passed on June. 30, 1915 at the age of 77.

Jeremiah outlived her by a dozen years. He died in Union, Iowa on May 31, 1927 at the age of 90. He was laid to rest in Greenlawn Cemetery in Afton, Union County. [Find-a-Grave]

~ Son Samuel Younkin ~

Son Samuel Younkin (1860- ? ) was born in about 1860 in Pennsylvania.

As a very young boy, he migrated with his parents to Illinois.

~ Son Benjamin "Franklin" Younkin ~

Son Benjamin Franklin Younkin (1862- ? ) was born in 1862, the first of the family to be born in Illinois. He grew up on the family farms in Illinois and Iowa.

At the age of 28, on June 7, 1890, he was married to Helen E. Ayres (1868- ? ), daughter of O.B. and Anna (Stone) Ayres. The nuptials were celebrated in Osceola, IA.

Franklin also married Louise M. (1875- ? ), a Pennsylvania native.

Circa 1920, census records show him living in Joplin, Jasper County, MO, at 2413 Pennsylvania Avenue.

~ Daughter Catherine "Katie" Younkin ~

Daughter Catherine "Katie" Younkin (1865- ? ) was born in about 1865 in Illinois.

~ Daughter Lucy Jane (Younkin) Pollock ~

Daughter Lucy Jane Younkin (1869- ? ) was born in 1869 in Illinois.

On Feb. 3, 1886, in a ceremony held in Afton, IA, she was wedded to William B. Pollock ( ? - ? ). He was the son of James P. and Eliza (McVey) Pollock.

~ Son William Younkin ~

Son William Younkin (1871- ? ) -- sometimes misspelled "Elbiam" by researchers -- was born in 1871 in Illinois.

~ Son Edward Charles Younkin ~

Son Edward Charles (or "Clarence") Younkin (1874-1963) was born on Aug. 28, 1874 in Dodge Township, Union County, IA. He may also have used the name "Edwin."

He joined the Emanuel Baptist Church as a young man.

On Feb. 24, 1901, at the home of the bride's parents, he was united in holy matrimony with Eva May Harris (April 15, 1875-1945), daughter of William and Eliza (Walker) Harris and a native of Mahaska, IA.

The couple produced five offspring -- Isele A. Younkin, Ivan E. Younkin, Clarence Charles Younkin, Orpha Younkin and Pearl Younkin.

The Younkins made a home in Afton, IA in 1915 and Lorimor, IA in 1927. At some point he transferred his church membershipo to Lorimor Baptist Church.

Sadly, Eva May died at the age of 70 in Macksburg, IA on Dec. 7, 1945.

Edward lived for another 18 years after his wife's death, He passed away in Macksburg at the age of 88 on March 25, 1963. Burial was in Lorimor Cemetery, Union County. An obituary said he was survived by 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. [Find-a-Grave]

Daughter Isele A. Younkin (1903- ? ) was born in 1903 in Dodge Township, Union County, IA. She married (?) Pyle and in 1963 lived in Independence, MO.

Son Ivan E. Younkin (1905- ? ) was born in 1905 in Dodge Township, Union County, IA. He relocated to California and in 1963 was in Pleasanton, CA.

Son Clarence Charles "Kelly" Younkin (1908-) was born in 1908 in Dodge Township, Union County, IA. When he was 26 years of age, on June 21, 1934, he was joined in matrimony with Elizabeth Maxine Lamb (April 23, 1913- ? ), daughter of James Richie and Jennie (Payden) Lamb of Pleasant Township, Union County. The nuptials took place in Afton, IA. They were the parents of two sons -- Max Charles Younkin and Dean L. Younkin. In the early 1960s, their home was in Marshalltown, IA. By 1993, Kelly and Maxine lived in San Marcos and traveled to Kingwood, Somerset County, PA to attend the Younkin Reunion-East.

• Grandson Max Charles Younkin (1935- ? ) was born in July 1935 in Lorimar, IA. On Sept. 6, 1956, when he was 21 years of age, he married Carolyn Louise Brawner (March 29, 1937- ? ), a native of Alexandria, VA. The wedding was held in the bride's hometown. Their four children were Dawn DeLynne Younkin, Kelli Sue Younkin, Barry Dean Younkin and Julie Beth Younkin.

• Grandson Dean L. Younkin (1935?- ? ) was born in about Oct. 1935. In San Diego, on June 5, 1965, he wedded Karen "Jill" ( ? - ? ).

Daughter Orpha Orlene Younkin (1911- ? ) was born in 1911 in Dodge Township, Union County, IA. She was united in wedlock with Dale Foreman ( ? - ? ), son of Francis and Nancy Myrtle (Cornelison) Foreman. The one known son born to this union was Merlin Ree Foreman. Her home in 1963 was in Macksburg, IA.She passed away on Jan. 10, 2005.

• Grandson Merlin Ree Foreman (1941- ? ) was born in Oct. 1941. When he was 21 years of age, on May 17, 1963, he married Jeryann Wood (April 1940- ? ). The wedding ceremony was held in Denver. Their one known child was Reese Lynn Foreman.

Daughter Pearl Younkin (1913-) was born on Oct. 11, 1913 in Dodge Township, Union County, IA. In nuptials held in Lorimar, IA on Jan. 26, 1933, when Pearl was age 19, she married Richard Leroy Jeter (Jan. 10, 1910-1972). They bore two children, Ernest Richard Jeter and Berta Jeter. The family relocated to LaMesa near San Diego, CA. Richard died in LaMesa at the age of 61, just three days after Christmas in 1972.

• Grandson Ernest Richard Jeter was the father of Kelly Jo Jeter.

• Granddaughter Berta Jeter  (1936- ? ) was born in Oct. 1936 in Union County, IA. When she was 17 years old, on Dec. 11, 1953, she married Curtis Marker ( ? - ? ). The ceremony was held in Scotts Bluff, NE.

~ Son George Younkin ~

Son George Younkin (1880- ? ) was born in 1880 in Dodge Township, Union County, IA.

In 1915, he resided in Calloway, NE and in 1927 in Wichita, KS.

~ Son C.W. Younkin ~

Son C.W. Younkin ( ? - ? ) was born in (?).

C.W. dwelled in Amos, NV in 1915 and in Los Angeles in 1927.