The subject of this biography has been a resident of Rock Grove Township nearly thirty-seven years, having come here in the fall of 1850. The following year he purchased 120 acres of wild prairie land where some one had settled before him and put up a log cabin, but for some unknown reason had abandonded (sic) the claim to a successor of more courage and enterprise. This humble dwelling constituted a shelter for our subject and his family until he could erect something better. Upon taking possession of his purchase he bent all his energies to the cultivation of the soil, enclosed the land with fences as rapidly as possible, and put up buildings as his means would justify. He finally secured possession of forty acres adjoining, which was mostly cleared, and has now a valuable farm of 128 acres, with substantial buildings and all the other appurtenances of a desirable homestead. His possessions are the result of his own industry, and he may be pardoned for viewing with satisfaction the result of his labors and his savings. He will now pass the sunset of life in the enjoyment of a competency, while in the meantime he has established himself in the good opinion of his neighbors and acquaintances.

The Young family is of German ancestry who emigrated from across the Atlantic during Revolutionary times. Jacob R., our subject, was born in Union County, Pa., Jan. 22, 1824, and is the son of Abraham Young, Jr., son of Abraham Young, Sr., and both natives of Union County. Abraham, Sr., was a weaver by trade, and a drum major in the War of 1812. Abraham, Jr., continued with his parents in the county of his birth until eighteen years old, and then learned carpentering which he followed until quite an old man. He spent his entire life in his native county, folding his hands for his final rest after reaching the advanced age of eighty-five years.

The mother of our subject was formerly Miss Catherine Reedy, who was born in 1800, and became the wife of Abraham Young, Jr., about the 1819. Her father, Jacob Reedy, a native of Lancaster County, Pa., followed farming and also conducted a distillery. He accumulated a fine property, which comprised 200 acres of land with good buildings, which he acquired after his removal to Union County and in which county he spent his last days, departing this life after having rounded up fourscore years. Abraham and Catherine Reedy became the parents of ten children, of whom eight grew to mature years. Of these Jacob R. is the oldest living; William is farming in Union County, Pa.; Catherine became the wife of Samuel Karstetter, and died in Union County some years ago; Eliza, Mrs. B. Deitrich, is living in Pennsylvania; Adam is a resident of Fulton County, Ill.; Fannie, Mrs. Wolf, and Rachel, Mrs. Allen Rarer, are residents of union County, Pa.; Susannah married E. Campbell, and Mary married A. Speigelmeyer. Susannah and Mary are both deceased. The father served as Captain in the Pennsylvania Militia for several years, and was a man of much prominence in his community. He was a Democrat in politics, and a member of the German Reformed Church.

Jacob R. Young remained under the home roof until sixteen years of age, pursueing his studies in winter at the district school and assisting his father on the farm and in the sawmill with which the latter was connected. He now decided to learn the carpenter's trade, and being unusually skillful in the use of tools, commanded good wages from the start. He continued two years longer in his native State, and during 1843 migrated to Ross County, Ohio, where he was engaged in a brickyard two seasons, and afterward was employed as a cattle drover and farm laborer. In the fall of 1850 he determined to seek the Prairie State, and his movements upon his arrival here have been already indicated in our opening paragraph.

After Mr. Young could see his way clearly toward the establishment of a home and the prospect of being able to provide for a family, he took unto himself a wife and helpmeet in the person of Mrs. Elizabeth (Hartman) Etzler, their wedding taking place in Buckeye Township, in 1860. Mrs. Young was the daughter of Michael Hartman, a native of Lebanon County, Pa., who removed thence to Union County, and in 1857 came to Northern Illinois, locating in Buckeye Township, this county, where he followed farming until his death at an advanced age. The Hartman family are written of elsewhere in this volume, and formed no unimportant factors in the first settlement of this county. Of this marriage there were no children, but our subject and his estimable wife performed the part of parents to three orphaned children of a sister of Mrs. Young, and a daughter of Mr. Laborde. Mrs. Elizabeth Young departed this life at her home in Rock Grove Township in February, 1882. She possessed many excellent qualities of mind and heart, and with her husband was a devoted member of the German Lutheran Church.

Mr. Young is a Democrat in politics, and has filled the various local offices within the gift of his townsmen. Mr. Young has a fine fishpond on his place, the water being supplied by a living spring. The pond is supplied with many different varieties of fish; among the most rare we mention the famous German carp.

Contributed by Carol Parrish from Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 621