My Genealogy Hound

Hon. J. H. Young, farmer and stock raiser, of the Fourth District, two miles northeast of Dixon Springs, was born in Jackson County in 1828. He is of a family of fourteen children, born to James and Elizabeth (Draper) Young. The father was of English origin, born in South Carolina in 1788; he came to Tennessee when a small boy. He was a farmer and merchant of Jackson County. In 1814 the militia of Tennessee was ordered to New Orleans. He went under Maj. William Carroll, of Nashville, and served as adjutant of a regiment in the battle of New Orleans on the 8th of January, 1815, acquitting himself with high honor. He served his county in the capacity of sheriff and justice of the peace for many years. He represented Jackson County in the State Legislature of 1837-38; his death occurred in 1860; the mother was born in South Carolina in 1788 and departed this life in 1871. The subject of this sketch received his early education in the common schools of Jackson and Smith Counties, and later attended Burritt College, at Spencer, Van Buren Co., Tenn. He began business for himself at the age of seventeen years. In 1849 he engaged in merchandising in Smith County, and continued until the outbreak of the war. In 1859 he married the only child of Wilson T. and Mary B. (Bridgwater) Martin, Miss Nannie E. She was born in Smith County in 1834 and became the mother of three children: Sam M., who is justice of the peace in Smith County and a successful stock raiser; Mary M. (deceased), and Fannie M. Young, who is now a student in the Nashville College for young ladies. Mr. Young previous to the war was a Whig and is now a stanch and influential Democrat. He represented Sumner and Smith Counties in the State Senate in 1871, the first session of that body after the adoption of the new constitution. He served as justice of the peace in the Fifth District of Smith County from 1853 to 1857, resigning on account of other business duties. He has been unusually successful in life and now owns about 1,400 acres of valuable land. He is living now on the farm upon which the father of Judge Peter Turney was raised. Mr., Mrs. and Fannie Young are devoted members of the Christian Church. The grandfather of Mr. Young, whose name was William, was of English descent and was born in Virginia. When a lad he was taken prisoner by the Cherokee Indians and held by them eight years, and was exchanged by treaty. He married a Miss Holland and moved to South Carolina. Later, he moved to Simpson County, Ky., and about 1791 to Peyton Creek, now in Smith County, Tenn. He died on his farm there about 1799.