Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
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File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

Author: History of Will County IL, 1878

John YOUNG, retired; P. 0. Joliet; was born in Ulster Co., N. Y., July 18, 1798; he 
remained at home on his father's farm until he was 15 years of age, when he went to 
work at the milling business under his father, who was also a mill proprietor; he 
followed this business until the age of 22, and then engaged in general merchandising 
in the village of Esopus, Ulster Co., and afterward removed to Greene Co., N. Y., 
where he was married, in 1825, to Miss Caroline THOMPSON, daughter of Rev. James 
THOMPSON, an Episcopal clergyman of Greene Co. He continued in the mercantile business 
eight years, and them moved to Brooklyn and established the Brooklyn Collegiate 
Institute, which he continued till 1844, when he removed to New York City and opened 
a private select school. In 1849, he came to Will Co., and entered 560 acres of land 
from the Government in the present township of Manhattan, to which he added by purchase, 
from time to time, untill at one time he owned over nineteen hundred acres, being one 
of the largest land owners in the township; on the organization of the township in 1850, 
there were but ten voters living in the township, the most of whom were from New York; 
Mr. YOUNG proposed Manhattan as the name of the new township, and it was immediately 
adopted. He was chosen the first Supervisor, and held the office eight years; in 1851, 
he became President of the Will Co. Agricultural Society, serving until 1859 ; he has 
also held several subordinate offices, among which may be mentioned School Trustee 
Commissioner of Highways, etc. His wife died in 1858, leaving a very promising family 
of three sons and one daughter - James T., now President of the New York Printing and 
Dyeing Company;. Mansfield and Edward, now among the substantial business men of Joliet, 
and, Caroline E., wife of Francis L. Cagwin, of Joliet. Mr. Young continued to reside 
in Manhattan until May, 1876, when he removed to Joliet, and now resides with his son 
Mansfield.


Additional Comments:
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.