Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 462-463; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Thomas L. Young. An honorable position among the
agriculturists of Banner Township is held by the gentleman above named,
who is the fortunate possessor of two hundred and eighty acres of fine
land on section 4. The well-tilled acres are devoted to raising mixed
crops and the ordinary amount of stock, both grains and animals being
of good quality. A homelike dwelling and various outbuildings, together
with a well-kept orchard and garden and neat fences, indicate to the
passer-by that the land is occupied by a family of enterprise and good
judgment.
Mr. Young is third of six children born to John and Mary
(Lommason) Young, whose home was in Warren County, N. J. In that county
two sons and one daughter are now living George, who married Jane
Moore; Sarah, now the widow of James Cool; Peter, who married Josephine
Crissman. Two members of the parental family - John and Mary - are now
deceased.
He of whom we write was born January 17, 1833, on the homestead,
and reared there, receiving such an education as the common schools of
the day afforded. To that foundation he has added by reading and
observation, his effort being to keep himself well informed regarding
current events and topics of general interest. In 1858 Mr. Young came
to this county and securing work on a farm, spent a year in laboring by
the month. He then rented a farm in Mason County, began tilling the
soil for himself and gradually accumulated means with which to purchase
his present fine estate.
Mr. Young was fortunate in his choice of a life companion,
winning for his wife Miss Ellen Weaver, to whom he was united January
17, 1867. Mrs. Young is a daughter of Jacob and Mary A. Weaver who
settled in this county in 1839 and reared a family of nine children.
Mr. Weaver was a native of Virginia. The happy union of our subject and
his estimable wife has been blest by the birth of the following: Lenora
is the wife of Douglas McCann and lives in Canton Township; John is
still with his parents; Mary married Albert Provard and lives in
Buckhart Township; Judson, Abbie, Thomas and Jessie are yet with their
parents. Mathew Weaver, grandfather of Mrs. Young, died at the home of
his son Jacob at the age of one hundred and one years, seven months and
five days. He had never been sick a day until his last illness. Jacob
Weaver died at the age of eighty-nine years.
Our subject is of a retiring disposition and takes no active
part in political matters, except to deposit his vote, which is a
Democratic one. He and his wife belong to the Methodist Protestant
Church at Monterey and earnestly endeavor to practice in daily life the
grand principles in which they believe.
