One of the oldest and most honored families of White County is that represented by William H. York, of Burnetts Creek. He himself is a native of this county, and since reaching manhood has been closely identified with farming and stock raising and varied public and private interests around Burnettsville. Not only has the York family been identified with White County since the very beginning of its improvement for the uses of civilized men, a period of fully eighty years, but the members of the different generations have exercised such qualities of industry, true civic worth, as to make this long residence a fact of no little importance and significance in the history of the community.
The ancestors of Mr. York who established the home in Jackson Township in 1835 were his grandparents, Jeptha and Susanna (Slaid) York. His grandfather was born in Darke County, Ohio, while his grandmother was a native of Maryland, and they were married in 1808. White County had very few settlements in 1835, and Jeptha York preempted eighty acres of land on section 24 of Jackson Township, and spent the rest of his years in improving and cultivating it, and died there in 1846. His name does not appear in the official annals of the county, since he had no desire for public office, hut in the early days usually supported the whig ticket. He was a member of the Baptist Church. On coming to Jackson Township he built a log house, and that was his home until his death. Though not a politician, he aligned himself with public-spirited movements in his community, was esteemed for his liberal and broad-minded attitude toward those interests which unite the people of a locality and cause it to make definite progress. The children of Jeptha York and wife and the dates of their birth are given record as follows: Bellender, born June 30, 1809; Lydia, September 14, 1811; Patty, January 28, 1814; Clementine, January 10, 1816; William, October 10, 1817; John, January 31, 1821; Rebecca, April 27, 1823; and Susanna, May 20, 1834. The last named, now more than eighty years of age, is living at Rogers, Arkansas.
The lineage is carried into the next generation by John York, who was born in Darke County, Ohio, January 31, 1821. He was about fourteen years of age when he arrived with his father in White County, and up to the time of his death on August 9, 1894, could narrate from his personal recollection practically all the important events during the history of White County since pioneer times. His life was spent as a farmer, and after his marriage his home was in section 14 of Jackson Township until he retired, and from about 1876 he lived in Burnettsville. As a republican he cast one of his early votes for Abraham Lincoln, but immediately after the war changed his polities to support the democratic party. For three years he was honored with the important position of township trustee, having been elected on the democratic ticket, and for a number of terms served as a party committeeman. He was one of the liberal supporters of the Baptist Church in Jackson Township and served as a trustee. His industry and business judgment are illustrated by the fact that at the time of his death he was the owner of about 400 acres and some town property. He never joined any secret organizations, but in movements for the community good could always he found on the right side. John York married Sarah J. Ryerson, whose parents, John and Elizabeth (Winegarner) Ryerson, were among the very early settlers of Cass County, Indiana. Mrs. John York died January 30, 1901. There were four children: William H.; Jonathan S., who lives in Burnettsville, married Nancy L. Davis and they adopted a boy, A. G. Bell, as their own son, and he bore the name of A. G. York and is now deceased; Lydia, the second child, died in infancy; and Amanda J. is the mother of five children by her marriage to George Mertz, and they live just north of Burnettsville.
The birth of Mr. William H. York occurred on the old farm in section 14 of Jackson Township January 27, 1843. He grew up in that neighborhood, attended the public schools, and was already looked upon as a young man of good habits, industry and with a promising future when he was married, November 18, 1862 to Miss Barbara J. Mitchell, a daughter of William and Mariah (Thebes) Mitchell. Mrs. York is a sister of George Mitchell, who is said to have been the first white child born in Jackson Township and now deceased. Thus by their marriage two of the very old families were united. Mr. and Mrs. York became the parents of three children. The first, John B. M. York, died in infancy; Ida M., now deceased, married George B. Tam, a well known citizen mentioned elsewhere in this publication; Julia A. is the wife of Samuel J. Showalter, living two miles north of Burnettsville, and their children are Charles A., a student in the University of Indiana, and Ida Jane. Mrs. York is a native of White County, born November 28, 1845, the eighth in a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters, of whom three are living. James W., who is a widower, is a resident of Cass County, Indiana, and an old soldier. In politics he is a republican, and he is a member of the Baptist Church. Franklin James, who is also a widower, resides in the State of Washington. Mr. Mitchell, the father, was born in Carlisle County, Kentucky, in 1812, and his death occurred in August, 1864. He was a farmer and general business man and an official. He was reared in his native state, and, coming to Indiana, was here married. In the early days he was a whig and then became a republican. He was a man of prominence in his day and community. Mrs. Mitchell, the mother, was born in Fayette County, Ohio. She became a physician, and practiced medicine for forty years. She was a member of the Christian Church. Her death occurred in November, 1895, and both she and her husband lie buried in the McConahay Cemetery, where beautiful stones are erected to their memory. Mrs. York was reared in White County. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Burnettsville, of which she is one of the officials, and she has nobly performed her part in the rearing of their children and in establishing their home and property. Mr. and Mrs. York have three of the old parchment deeds, two executed under the hand and seal of President Polk, and bearing the dates July 1, 1845, and May 1, 1848, and the third, issued by President Taylor, is dated February 11, 1858. These are valuable heirlooms in the County of White as well as in the home of Mr. and Mrs. York.
Having married and taken upon himself the responsibilities of a home and family, William H. York, with the co-operation of his good wife, made a sturdy and steady progress through successive years, and was soon in a prosperous condition as a farmer. On November 20, 1888, he moved to Burnettsville, and on April 7, 1893, was appointed postmaster at Burnetts Creek, and gave a capable administration of the duties of the position four years and fifteen days. Since retiring from office he has spent most of his time managing his farm, and at the present time owns 100 acres and some town property, having given his two daughters forty acres each. Mr. York is a lifelong democrat, was for many years identified with the Baptist Church, but is now a member of the Methodist Episcopal denomination and a trustee in the home church.
"Broadview Farm" is an attractive name for a country place, and the traveler in Prairie Township is impressed with the eminent consistency of applying such a title to the valuable, well managed and beautiful farm of J. V. Younger in section 3. For many years successfully engaged in diversified agriculture and the raising of high grade stock, Mr. Younger has more than thirty years of residence to his credit in White County and enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who have known him from earliest youth.
He was born in Brown County, Ohio, March 2, 1857, a son of Joseph and Anna (Oldenhagen) Younger, the former a native of Ohio. His mother was born in Germany, but when a little girl came with her parents on a sailing vessel that was delayed by adverse winds and did not land its passengers on American soil until ninety days had elapsed since the date of starting. The Oldenhagens located in Ohio, where the daughter grew up and married Mr. Younger. They became the parents of nine children, one of whom, George, died in infancy, while J. V. Younger is the oldest of those now living. The others with names and dates of birth are: Mary, 1860; Walburga, 1862; Rickey, 1864; Elizabeth, 1866; Rose, 1869; Catherine, 1876; and John, 1878.
The Younger family first came to White County in 1864, and remained in the county during that year and part of 1865, when they moved down into Tippecanoe County. Joseph Younger was a farmer and stock raiser there for a number of years and both parents died there. He was a democrat in politics.
J. V. Younger was about seven years old when he first came to know White County, but grew up and spent most of his early days in Tippecanoe County. His education was limited to a few terms in the common schools, and at the age of fourteen the necessities of the family compelled him to become self-supporting, his wages being contributed to the household exchequer. In this way he was well trained to bear responsibilities when he reached manhood, and a few years later on February 8, 1881, took upon himself the obligations of a home and family by his marriage to Miss Minnie Primmer. Her parents, Noah and Barbara (Geyer) Primmer, came to White County about 1870, locating in Princeton Township. Mr. and Mrs. Younger have had a happy married life of thirty-five years, and in that time six children have come into their home: Elva Blanche, deceased; Earl, deceased; Warner, a farmer in Big Creek Township; Anna; Pearl; and Charles.
It was in 1884 that Mr. Younger and wife removed from Tippecanoe to White County, and the following twenty-five years were spent on the old John P. Carr farm. He then bought the John Price farm of 197 acres, and has since lived there and his management and industry have made Broadview Farm well worthy of its distinctive title. Besides the general crops he raises a number of graded live stock. All his land is under cultivation and extensively tiled, and since taking possession Mr. Younger has erected a substantial group of buildings and carried on other improvements.
In politics he is a democrat but no aspirations for public office have ever interfered with his course of quiet industry. His family are members of the Presbyterian Church at Chalmers and he takes much interest in fraternal matters, being affiliated with the Knights Templar Commandery of the Masonic Order at Delphi and is also affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, both of Chalmers, Indiana. Mrs. Younger is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star at Brookston, and of the Rebekahs at Chalmers, Indiana.