Cumberland County, Maine - Captain Joseph Young ********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: C. Wendland SilverDrusilla@aol.com Copyright (c) 2005 by C. Wendland Caitlin's Gold Award Project, Girl Scouts USA, Rio Grande Girl Scout Council, El Paso, Texas ********************************************************************** Biography Captain Joseph Young Biographical Review Cumberland County, Maine Boston Biographical Review Publishing Company 1896 Page 189-190 Captain Joseph Young, a retired navigator, occupying the homestead of which his great-grandfather, Solomon Loring, was the original proprietor, is one of Yarmouth's most respected citizens. His birth occurred not far from the spot where he now resides, September 24, 1825, he being the eldest of the children born to John and Sophronia (Davis) Young. Among the very early settlers of this seaport town was a Joseph Young, who, with his young wife, Sarah Drinkwater, located here in Colonial days, and here reared their family, among their children being Bazaleel Young, the grandfather of Captain Young. Bazaleel Young was born in 1764, and lived to the age of fifty-seven years, dying in Yarmouth, July 26, 1821. He spent his years of active life on the seas, being a ship commander a large part of the time; and during our war with England he and his vessel's crew were captured, and held as prisoners three months. He was a very successful business man, and held in high regard by his fellow townsmen. He was a Whig in politics, and a member of the Congregational church. He married Mary Loring, a descendant of the Lorings of Yarmouth and the daughter of the above-mentioned Solomon Loring and his wife, Alice Cushing. They reared the following children: Hannah, William, John, Joseph, Mary Ann, Charles, Theodocia, Sarah Jane, and Elizabeth L. John Young followed the sea during his early years, and was master of a vessel for a long time. He subsequently turned his attention to agriculture, becoming owner of the old Loring farm, living on this place till his death, January 19, 1881. He was a man of marked intelligence and ability, active in town affairs, and served in various official capacities, being Selectman several terms; and in 1850 he was census taker for Yarmouth and North Yarmouth. His wife, Sophronia Davis, was born April 2, 1802, in Conway, N.H., and died on this homestead, July 5, 1867. She was the descendant of one of the early families of New England, and was the daughter of John Davis, a Revolutionary patriot, who served throughout the entire struggle, being in the battle of Bunker Hill, as well as in many other important and decisive engagements, and bearing with him to the grave the scar of a dangerous wound received in service. Mr. Davis subsequently removed to this State, spending his last days in the town of Norway, where both he and his wife, whose maiden name was Martha Walker, died, full of years and honor. John Young and his wife reared a family of eight children, four of whom have passed to the bourne from which no traveler returneth, namely: Captain Francis E., born April 6, 1829, a ship-master, who died May 12, 1856, in South America; John W., born May 16, 1831, died in Chelsea, Mass., in 1857; Alice Cushing Young, born November 3, 1836, died January 20, 1860; and Martha Walker Young, born June 29, 1838, died August 27, 1855. The four living are: Captain Joseph; Mrs. Caroline Howard Russell, of this town, born August 10, 1833, now the widow of the late William Russell, who died in 1888; Charles, born June 16, 1840, now residing in Eureka, Cal.; and Addin, born December 7, 1843, a hardware merchant in West Somerville, Mass. Joseph Young was reared a farmer's boy, receiving his education in the district schools, afterward spending a short time at the North Yarmouth Academy. At the age of seventeen years he shipped before the mast on board the schooner "Boston," commanded by Captain David Seabury; and after three years he was made mate of a vessel, serving first under Captain Jerry Buckman, afterward going with Captain Joseph Drinkwater on the "Lucy Ann" to the West Indies. He subsequently was given command of the "Petrel," and for many years was engaged in the West India trade, which was then the principal business of this section of the State, he being Captain of the following vessels: the "A. G. Hill," a bark; "Samuel Fales," a ship which he commanded six years; "Eureka," a bark; "Abyla," a bark; "Alice Vanard," a ship; and the "P. C. Merryman," a bark, which was under his command for a number of years. During the twoscore years that Captain Young sailed the seas he visited many of the more important ports of the world, and in his various voyages met with great prosperity, winning an excellent record for seamanship. The only accident causing loss that ever befell him was during a voyage across the Indian Ocean, when his ship was struck by a cyclone, and a few spars were sent overboard, the valuable cargo being entirely saved through his energetic efforts. The owners afterward complimented Captain Young very highly for his wise and heroic management, as in that storm many vessels were wrecked. Captain Young retired from the sea in 1885, and has since lived on the old home farm, where, in a situation commanding a fine view of Portland Harbor and the islands within, he has built a fine residence. This place is rich in historical associations, as on the very spot occupied by the Captain's dwelling the first meeting-house in the town was built, its pulpit being occupied for forty years by Parson Gilman, a preacher of note, who was succeeded by Francis Brown, also a prominent divine of olden times; and here George Whitefield, the English evangelist, held his hearers spell-bound one Sunday, in years long gone by. In that old meetinghouse never a fire was built, neither was it desecrated by artificial light of any kind. Not far from the farm-house stood the old garrison, or fort, used by the early settlers as a refuge from the savages, who were distrustful of the new-comers, the latter being obliged to go armed, even to attend public worship, Massachusetts having passed a law to that effect, saying that every man should "take to meeting on Lord's days his arms with him, with at least five charges of powder and shot.'' On June 26, 1855, Captain Young was married to Mahala A. Hill, who is a native of this town. She was born January 3, 1830, daughter of James and Lucinda (Anderson) Hill, both descendants of pioneers of Cumberland County. Five children have been born to Captain and Mrs. Young, three of whom are living, namely: Frank E., whose birth date was April 4, 1857; Grace H., born June 16, 1860 ; and Joseph A., born May 20, 1871, the last two being at home with their parents. The others were: Hattie L., born July 10, 1867, died August 20, 1869; and Helen, who was born November 14, 1873, on the South Pacific Ocean, died February 23, 1874, on the South Atlantic, and was buried at Cardiff, Wales. In politics the Captain is a stanch Republican; and, socially, he is a Mason, belonging to Casco Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and likewise to the Royal Arch Chapter. Religiously, both he and his wife are valued members of the Congregational church.