Young, Charles Walker

From Lane Co Oregon

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Charles Walker Young
Personal Identity
OccupationFarmer
BirthplaceLa Fayette county, Missouri
BirthdateMay 12, 1830
Death
Place of Burial
FamilyJames Young (father), Mary B. W. Gillespie Walker (wife), Cal Young and 2 other sons, 8 daughters
Personality & Physical nature
Education
Hobbies & Interests
Religion
GenderMale
Heritage
Physical Characteristics
Social information
Affiliation
ResidenceSpringfield

History

CHARLES WALKER YOUNG

This pioneer gentleman of Lane county was born in La Fayette county, Missouri, May 12, 1830, and is the youngest son of James Young. Having resided in his native state until he grew to man's estate he there married, February 22, 1852, Mary B. W. Gillespie, and in the following May joined a company of which Jacob Gillespie, his father-in-law, was captain, and crossed the plains by ox-teams, enduring all the hardships attending that journey over the unknown wilds of trackless prairies and rugged mountains. Coming by the northern route to Oregon, on August 27, 1852, Mr. Young arrived at The Dalles, whence, after a short halt, he proceeded to Oregon City, then the central town around which immigrants congregated, where they arrived on September twenty-seventh. Messrs. Young and Gillespie now sought a place on which they should locate, and this they found in Lane county, the latter purchasing a section of land half of which the former took over, but it was not until February 22, 1853, that he took up his abode thereupon. Mr. Young's beginnings were but small indeed -- nay, infinitesimal -- he owed fifty cents borrowed from his father-in-law for the purpose of crossing a ferry, and with one dollar as a cash capital, he commenced life in the county. But his is not the nature that will content itself with "waiting for something to turn up." His amiable wife and himself at once hired out to Isaac and Elias Briggs, who then owned the tract of land on which the village of Springfield now stands, where the former took charge of the household affairs, but only for a short time, while her husband attended to the ferry-boat that crossed the Willamette at that point. A notion of Mr. Young's energetic nature may be gained from the fact that he was wont to walk to his work from the log cabin, which he had built in February, 1853, on his farm, and returning at night. Mr. Young continued at this work only a short time, after which he commenced working on his own property, fencing and improving it. During the first year he raised about three acres of wheat, each year since increasing the amount of land brought under contribution until now he owns sixteen hundred and forty acres of splendid farming soil. His family consists of eleven children -- three boys and eight girls. In another portion of this work will be found an excellent and truthful view of Mr. Young's residence placed in the midst of the most exquisite scenery.

["Illustrated History of Lane County, Oregon." Portland, Oregon: A. G. Walling, publisher, 1884. pg. 487.]

Burial

He is buried in Gillespie Cemetery.

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