1545 - 1626 Submitted By:Lorna Borman Reverent Christopher Yonges, (RIN-22273) born England about 1545, died Southwold, England, 14 June 1626, buried two days later in the chancel of the church at Southwold; married Margaret ____, buried Southwold, England, 5 Nov 1630. In the chancel floor is set a brass tablet, 8 by 15 inches, bearing the following inscription: Yonges who Depted This Life ye 14 day of Jvne Anno Domini, 1626. A good man full of fayth was hee Here preacher of Gods word And manie by his ministrie Were added to the Lord. (Act. II 24.)"
Rev. Christopher Yonges, Vicar of Reydon and Southwold, England, was our last resident English Ancestor. In his boyhood the Reformation swept over England, and Rogers, Latimer and Cramer were burned at the stake. He married late in life (Queen Elizabeth did not favor the marriage of priests) and came to Southwold in the year in which the translation of the Bible into the King James version was completed. Shakespeare died in 1616, and Bacon in 1626, the same year as Vicar Yonges. No higher tribute can be paid to one of his calling than is contained in his epitaph, and we can believe that he was like a "father in Israel," leading his people into ways of righteousness. Children: (All born in England)
Family #2 - CAPT. JOSEPH YOUNGS In 1638, he was master of the "Mary and Anne," (the vessel in which the Rev. John Youngs' family came over), and carried passengers and cargo from Plymouth Plantation to England. In 1638 he was admitted an inhabitant of Salem, and together with his brother Christopher, were granted, each a half acre of land at Winter Harbor for their fishing affairs (to cure fish). He wa also granted a ten-acre lot "neere Mr Downings farme," and June 21, 1639, he was granted thirty acres of land. In 1640/42 he obtained judgements against Richard Graves and Richard Hollingworth, the principal shipwrights of Salem. He removed to Southold, Long Island, about 1649, and, in Sept of that year, he sold two houses in Salem to David Carwithy. At Southold he continued as master of a vessel, making trading voyages to Barbadoes and elsewhere, and in November, 1656, he was taking a cargo on the "Mary and Margaret," at Southold. He died intestate, and, on Jan 7, 1658, his widow had their property in Southold recorded, which showed that they had a "Whome" (home) lott, at the East end of the town on the north side of the highway between those of Arthur and Robert Smyth. An inventory of his estate, taken Sep 15, 1658, (after his share in his ship had been sold), amounted to 477 pounds, 9 shillings, showing him to have been one of the wealthiest men in Southold. In 1661, in an allotment of common lands, the widow received eight lots in Oyster Ponds, and this became the possession of her son Gideon, and was the celebrated 400-acre farm at Oreent, Long Island. She appears to have settled her sons on different parts of the large estate in the town, but to have retained the management until her death about 1669, the last record being a release given by her to John Cory, May 9, 1669. Four sons are mentioned in a record as follows: "All and every part of the lands that was in possession of Mrs Margaret Youngs widdow, that is now in possession of her sons Joseph, John, Gideon, or Samuel or any or all of them was recovered of her by lawe at a session held in Southold. John Youngs mariner being their attorney." There appears to have been another son, "Thomas," who was at Greenwich, Conn., and later at Oyster Bay, Long Island. The will of Thomas Warren, of Southold, England, dated March 4, 1641, names his daughter Margaret, wife of Joseph Youngs, bequeathing her 30 pounds. Their Children:
Family #3 - Thomas YOUNGS Thomas Youngs: The tradition in this family is that they are descended from the Youngs who settled Southold, Long Island, and he doubtless was the son of Capt. Joseph and Margaret (Warren) Youngs, and was probably named after her father, Thomas Warren, of Southwold, England. The first mention of him is on Oct 4, 1673, when he received a grant of land at Greenwich, Conn. He did not remain there long, and three years later he was at Oyster Bay, Long Island, where he became the progenitor of the Oyster Bay branch of Youngs. His removal is set forth in a conveyance to his son John, on Dec 2, 1689, of all his property in Greenwich, in which he is described as "Thomas Youngs, once an inhabitant of Greenwich, Conn, now a resident at Oishter Bay,Long Island. The time of his locating there is established by a grant to him by the Town of Oyster Bay on June 20, 1676, as follows, "unto Thomas Youngs, three acres of land for a home lot, lying on ye South West side of ye Cove Neck Swamp, ...with free commonage of grazing and timber, provided that ye said Thomas Youngs doth build upon ye said lot, or fence it within a twelve month and a day, if not return to the Town again without exception." This is the site of the original Youngs homestead, and the estate was built up by subsequent grants and purchases. In 1687 he was made an "equal townsman," and in 1694 he was granted the liberty to spin rope yarn and make rope "up the Hollow by his shop on ye Commons." On May 10, 1699, he executed a deed of gift to his "eldest son, John Youngs of Stamford," and on the same date to his son Thomas Youngs thirty acres of land nigh to Cold Spring. In 1703 he conveyed lands to his sons Richard and Samuel, and to Benjamin and Jonas, naming them as his two youngest sons. In the deed to his son Samuel he reserved to himself a strip of land "for a Rope Yard forever," which indicates that he continued the business of rope-making. In 1720 he sold to his son, Samuel, land which he bought of Richard Butler in 1715. The original deeds to his sons, Richard and Samuel, in 1703, and Samuel in 1720, with his signature affixed to each, was in the possession of William J. Youngs in 1886, and in each signature his name is written Younges. Thomas Younges wrote his name Younges and his sons did likewise, later generations of this branch have written it Youngs. Our English ancestor wrote it both Yonges and Younges. In recording the death of his daughter he wrote, "Elizabeth Yonges daughter to Mr Younges, vicar and minister. None other than the descendants of Vicar Christopher Younges of England are known to have spelled their surname Younges in America, and it seems clear that this Thomas Younges is rightly placed in this family. The will of Elizabeth Youngs, widow, relict of Thomas Youngs, of Oyster Bay, deceased, dated August 4, 1726, mentions her sons, Richard, Samuel and Jonas Youngs and daughter-in-law, Abigail Youngs, widow of Joseph Youngs, deceased, also "Neppe" the wife of her son Samuel, and grand-daughters, Elizabeth and Mary Youngs. A codicil mentions her grand-daughters, Mary and Elizabeth Ireland, and cousin George Townsend. Children of Thomas and Rebecca:
Family #4 - John YOUNGS Children of John Youngs by Ruth Elliot: all born in Stamford, Conn.
Children of John Youngs by Sarah (Clements) Dibble:
Sarah's will left her estate to Zachariah Dibble, John Dibble, David Dibble, Ebenezer
Dibble, Rueben Dibble, Benjamin Dibble, Clements Young and Deborah (Young) Pangborn.
Family #5 - Clements YOUNGS
Family #6 - Clemens YOUNG/Clements Youngs
Family #7 - Elam Young The family left Ohio in 1846, and wintered in Missouri. On May 7, 1847, they started to cross the plains with ox teams. Their journey was attended with many hardships and difficulties. They had deep rivers to ford, buffalo herds to encounter, and steep mountain passes to climb. One night twenty of their oxen were lost, and their long search in the morning for them was fruitless. Often night overtook them where no water was to be found, and both the emigrants and their oxen suffered from thirst. After innumerable hardships the party arrived at the Whitman Mission, Oct 10, 1847. There Dr. Whitman met them and gave needed instructions as to the best way to reach the Dalles. His kind advice and encouragement at this time, when it was so much needed, acted like "oil on troubled waters." Supplies being low, Dr. Young engaged the services of himself and sons to Dr. Whitman to assist in getting out timbers for a grist mill for the Cayuse Indians at the Whitman Station, about thirty miles north of the Whitman Mission. So the family started in that direction, and overtook a Mr. Saunders and his family, Mr. Saundres having been employed by the doctor to teach school. The next day they met Captain Bewley coming from the station. He had left his son, Crockett A., and daughter, Lucinda, at Dr. Whitman's. Mr. Young and his family remained at the station a week, and then went up in the mountains, a distance of about twenty miles, to get out lumber for the mill and granary. Elam's son, James, was engaged by Dr. Whitman to Haul lumber to the station, and a man by the name of Smith was sent up to cut logs. After they had been at work about six weeks, James was about ready to start down with a load on Monday. Rain, however, prevented him from starting until the following day. They told him to bring back some beef, as they were about out. He did not return when they expected him and they waited till the following Monday, in the meantime living on salmon, trout, and bread made of unbolted flour. Another brother, Daniel, then started down to see why James had not returned. Upon reaching the mission he learned from the women that were left, of the massacre of Dr. Whitman, his wife and twelve others, by the Cayuse Indians. See "Whitman Massacre" James had been killed when within a mile of the station, on the same day he left the mountains. The others were killed the day before, Monday 29, 1847. After Daniel arrived, the Indians held a council to decide what they would do with Smith and the Young family, the result being that they sent David back to tell them to come to the station. He reached the camp in the mountains about an hour before sundown, and told the terrible news. Half an hour later five big Indians, well armed, came to see that they did not make their escape. Feeling themselves entirely within the power of the red men, the next morning they yoked up the oxen and started for the mission, the Indians bringing up the rear as guard. They reached their destination a little after dark, and were at once shut up as prisoners in the same room in which the Indians that day had killed Bewley and Sales. These two men were sick at the time of the massacre, and when it was found they would get well, they too were killed and were thrown out the back door. With these dead bodies lying near the house, the floor covered with blood, the prisoners expecting soon to share a fate like that of their friends, the situation was indeed awful, and better be imagined than described. At the time of the massacre the Indians attacked all points at once. Some of the settlers were killing beef, others were working in the blacksmith shop, and one was at work in the mill. The teacher was in the schoolroom with his scholars. Dr. Whitman was in his library, reading. They shot the doctor through the head with a pistol, and that was the signal for the awful work to begin. After he lingered several hours, they tomahawked him. Mr. Whitman was wounded, as also was a Mr. Rogers, who was at their house. The two flew up stairs, and with an old musket, pointed down at the Indians, he kept them at bay for a time; but when they heard the Indians talk of firing the house, they went down, the Indians promising not to kill them. However, they were riddled with bullets. They lingered until after dark. Mr. Osborn, his wife and three little children, the youngest only a dew days old, were in a room by themselves when they heard the first report. At once aware of what was being done, he pulled up the flooring and they all crowded under the house, where they remained secreted until night. They heard Mrs. Whitman praying that night that the Lord would sustain her parents in the great affliction that would soon fall upon them. They heard Mr. Rogers moan and say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly," and then all was still. Later in the night they raised the boards and crept out from their hiding place, went down the Walla river five miles and secreted themselves in the brush, and during the day they heard the Indians passing up and down the trail. The next night they traveled down the river toward Fort Walla. His wife, with her infant, was in no condition to travel, soon became exhausted and could go no farther. He then hid her and the children in the brush, and he went on to the fort to procure assistance. The fort was then held by the Hudson Bay Company. Arrived there at noon, weak and hungry, Mr. Osborn asked Captain McBane, who was in command for a horse with which to go after his wife and children, but the Captain refused to render him any assistance. He gave him some food and told him to go to Umitilla, but not to come back to the fort. At this juncture an artist, named Stanley, came up, and learning of the situation, offered his horse. With an Indian as guide, and a little meat and some crackers, furnished by Stanley, Mr. Osborn returned for his wife and children, and started with them for Umatilla. By this time Mrs. Osborn was so much exhausted from exposure, fear and famine that she could not sit alone on the horse, and they tied her to the Indian. Learning that some of the murderers' lodges were near Umatilla, she refused to go any farther in that direction, saying, "I doubt if I can live to get there, and if I must die I may as well die at the gate of the fort." They then went to the fort, and were granted admittance. The next day a man by name of Hall, who was working on the granary at Whitman's and who was wounded in the face, reached Fort Walla. Captain McBane refused to let him in, but let him have a small boat. In it he started down the river, and that was the last seen of him. Saunders, the teacher, and the two Sager boys, aged fifteen and seventeen years, were among those massacred. Two boys by the name of Mason, who were at school, made their escape on horseback to Fort Walla. Dr. Whitman had adopted six children, whose parents had died in crossing the plains, four girls and two boys. These two were the Sager boys who were killed. The day following the massacre, Vicar-General Bronlett went to the mission and had the victims interred. He went there to baptize some of the murderers' children. That fall a priest and some nuns had made their station on the Umatilla, among Whitman's Indians, and the emigrants were puzzled to know how it came that the Catholic priests were exempt from harm during this time of trouble. A blacksmith by the name of Canfield was wounded in the side, made his escape and struck the trail that went east to the Nez Perces Indians, where Rev. H.H. Spalding had a mission. By traveling at night and hiding in the daytime, he reached the mission and told Mrs. Spalding of the massacre. Rev. Spalding had a mission on the Snake river, at Lapwai, 120 miles from Whitman's station, and they had been over to the Umatilla to visit some sick Indians who had sent for them. Dr. Whitman went home on Saturday, and Mr. Spalding remained until the following Tuesday. As the latter was returning he met the priest, Bronlett. An Indian soon passed them, and the priest then told Spalding of the massacre, and also told him to avoid passing the mission on his way home. The release of the prisoners was purchased by Peter S. Ogden, of the Hudson's Bay Company, who came from Fort Vancouver to Fort Walla, and gave the Indians blankets, butcher-knives and ammunition in exchange for the whites. December 31, before daylight, Mr. Young and his party started with ox team for the fort, reaching it about an hour after dark. They were all put into one room, and were so crowded that it was difficult to find sleeping room on the floor. Captain McBane allowed the Indians in the inclosure that night, and their was dance was kept up until after midnight. The captain came to our friends and said: "You must not say here what you think was the cause of the massacre, for these very walls have ears." Mr. Spalding and his family had joined the people at the fort. It should here be stated that he left his daughter, Eliza, at Whitman's while he made the journey above referred to, and she was among those prisoner. New Year's, the day following their arrival at the fort, the whole party started down the Columbia river in three batteaus, with crews of Canadian Frenchmen, Mr. Ogden, the chief factor in the company, being in the leading boat. The party was composed of sixty-two persons, ranging in age from one to fifty-seven years. They made the Dalles in Safety, on two occasions made portage of a mile or so, and in due time arrived at Fort Vancouver, suffering from cold and exposure, but glad of their escape. They remained there one day, and then embarked in two barges for Oregon City, their destination, which they reached without further mishap, on Jan 10th, 1848. At Oregon City Mr. Young's family secured a small, one-room shanty, into which they carried the few little bundles they had brought with them. John Quincy Adams Young and Daniel Young obtained a contract to cut twenty cords of wood for Mr. Stewart, a blacksmith. Later Daniel worked in a sawmill, his father made patterns for a foundryman, and he made ax-handles with a butcher-knife and sold them to the stores, receiving in payment "Oregon scrip," money issued by the merchants. The following spring, May 10, 1848, they removed to the Tualitin plains, in Washington county, and in the fall of 1849 they settled on what is now the T.L. McEldorony place. In the meantime, through the volunteers who went to fight the Indians, they recovered two of their cows and one ox. Here the father died, in his sixty-seventh year, and the mother in her seventy-fourth. Honest, industrious, hospitable and kind hearted people, they had the respect and esteem of all who knew them. Elam died Jan 9, 1855 and his wife Irene died Feb 20, 1865. Their Children were:
{FPFile: Youngs Family History.wpd} Note: If you have additional information on history or descending lines and would like to add them to the "Christopher Yonges" files, please feel free to submit them below.  Please place in the Subject Line: WEBPAGE-HISTORY 
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