Joseph W. Younts

    Joseph W. Younts, engaged in farming on Section 27, Washington Township, was born in Troy, Miami County, Ohio, the date of his birth being April 18, 1854. His parents, George and Mahala (Michael) Younts, were born in the State of Ohio, the father June 5, 1816, and the mother in Hamilton County, July 20, 1818. They reared a family of twelve children to maturity -William H., Philip F., John A., Samuel, Elizabeth A., Charles A., Abraham W., Mary C., Margaret E., J. W., Daniel H. and Lydia A. Four of the sons, William, Philip, Samuel and Charles, were soldiers in the war of the Rebellion. Philip and Samuel were members of Company G, Fifty-seventh Indiana Infantry, and Philip died in Texas in November, 1865, after receiving his discharge. Charles was a member of Company I, Seventh Indiana Cavalry Regiment, and was killed at Okolona, Mississippi, February 29, 1864, and was buried on the battle field. The father died in Eaton, Delaware County, Indiana, February 9, 1878. He was a son of Philip and Margaret (Burket) Younts, who were born in North Carolina, and died in Miami County, Ohio. He is of German descent.  His great-grandfather, Solomon Younts, with three of his brothers emigrated from Germany to America, and Solomon served in the Revolutionary war. Philip Younts was a soldier in the war of 1812.

    Joseph W. Younts, whose name heads this sketch, was but two years old when brought by his parents to Delaware County in 1872, coming to Blackford County, where he was married December 20, 1876, to Miss Cassie May Stobie, who was born on the farm in Washington Township on which she is now living April 2, 1859. She is the daughter of John and Susannah (Hadden) Stobie. Her father was born in Scotland, where he remained until attaining his majority. He then came to America, settling in Wells County, Indiana, where he lived until after his marriage to Susannah, daughter of William and Catherine (Cabun) Hadden, which occurred July 8, 1858. He died April 27, 1871, and is buried in Hadden Cemetery. Mrs. Stobie was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, April 7, 1815., where she lived until 1839, when she came to Blackford County with her parents, and is now living on the farm which her father entered, with her only child, Mrs. Younts.

    Mr. and Mrs. Younts have had born to them four children as follows -William S., born February 16, 1879; Grace A., born May 14, 1880; Harry M., born January 16, 1884; and Ora E., born December 2, 1886. Mr. Younts was reared to the avocation of a farmer, which he has always followed, and has now a fine farm containing eighty acres of well improved land. Both Mr. and Mrs. Younts are consistent members of the Methodist Protestant Church, and are numbered among the respected citizens of Washington Township.

    Mr. Younts is secretary of Hartford City Lodge, No. 262, I. O. O. F., and is also a member of Fidelity Lodge, No. 52, I. O. G. T.

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887.