6th generation: James Absalom Young (my ggg maternal grandpa; Everett Alma Young's paternal grandpa)

James Absalom Young was born Feb. 1, 1861 in Chatham Hill, Smyth, Virginia.  

James Absalom Young raised his family in a small Mormon colony in Mexico called Colonia Dublan. There were several Mormon communities in that area, even now referred to as the “colonies.” There were many great leaders that came out of the “colonies.” James died when his grandson, James Brown, was about 7.

He had no formal medical training, but had a practical skill in taking care of the sick and injured. Essentially he was the doctor for the Mormon colonies when no other medical help was available. He raised a second family after his first wife Lillian Hurst, Jim’s grandmother, died. He was well thought of by his neighbors and his family.

“James Young was baptized in Fairview, Utah on May 30, 1869 by H. W. Sanderson and confirmed by Linzy A. Brady.  As a student he was recognized as very intelligent.  He grew up on the farm in Fairview and as a young man worked on the foundation of the Manti Temple with his father.  The family built a stone house that still stands one block off the highway. 

He and Lillian Adelaide Hurst were married February 12, 1879 at Fairview.  Two sons were born at Fairview, John Floyd and Philip Haines.  By 1883 they moved to Moab, homesteaded, and John Alma was born in 1883.  Next they moved to Ephraim, Conejos County, CO and later Sanford, AZ.  The family moved to Dublan, Mexico November of 1896.  It was there, on June 21, 1901, that Mary Agnes was born. 

He had no formal medical training, but had a practical skill in taking care of the sick and injured.  Essentially he was the doctor for the Mormon colonies when no other medical help was available.  He set legs, pulled teeth, gave antitoxin during the diphtheria epidemic and helped doctors in major operations, counseled young men and was considered very good in home remedies.  The young men loved him so much they called him Uncle Jim.  Church authorities appointed him Health Officer in the Ward, which he fulfilled to a high degree of success.  He was a ward teacher.  

One time a little girl named Ann got Typhoid.  Father and Ernest came over one night and administered to her.  Father said, “Sister Brown you lie down by your little girl and she will sleep, don’t disturb her, and she will rest and get well.”  And she did. 

Father helped Dr. Gay amputate Philemon Cox’s arm, which was badly mangled by a thresher belt; also removed a tumorous breast of Sister Holt.  He counseled the young men and they learned to love and respect him. 

My parents had family prayers, paid fast offerings and an honest tithe.  They were not married in the temple and my mother never had the privilege of going to the temple. Harold’s parents were married in the Salt Lake Temple.  My mother's endowment was done for her in the Manti Temple, December 5, 1912.  My father worried a good deal about his children and loved them and longed for them.

Our beloved Bishop Thurber met father on the train in Utah in 1912, and Brother Thurber requested of the presiding Bishopric that father be given a recommend to go to the Manti Temple and have his work done.  Father had quit the liquor habit.  He should and could have quit his tobacco and coffee at the time while he was visiting and not working in Utah.  If Gena had helped him quit coffee this would have added years to his life.  My father became very ill after a heart attack in May, 1927. He died November 1, 1927.  ‘There are many sadder things than death as father used to say.’ ” Mary Brown (daughter)

Note: some of the dates in these narratives seem to contradict each other.

Second account:  
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES ABSALOM YOUNG
Typed by his son, W. Ernest Young, April 28, 1965

James Absalom Young was born 01 Feb 1861, the day that Virginia seceded from the Union. Before the Civil War was over he remembered hearing a battle and saw his uncle, Parley R. leave for the front.  His father, John Floyd Young worked in a munitions works before he was an active soldier. The Youngs were not rebels by choice, but being just south of the dividing line, had to take part with the Confederates. James A. remembered the trek from Virginia into Ohio. The women, elderly people and children with good teams, crossed the mountains, but were robbed by the Bushwhackers, who were between the two armies. They had to hire an old mountaineer with an ox team to take them into Ohio. For about a year they remained in Ohio. Grandfather John Floyd took his family in a government supply train, hired as teamster, and crossed the plains. They arrived in Salt Lake City in 115 days and for a short time lived in Cottonwood. Brigham Young called him to help colonize in the Sanpete County at Fairview.

James Absalom was baptized in Fairview 30 May 1869 by H. W. Sanderson and confirmed by Linzy A. Brady. As a student he was recognized as very intelligent. He grew up on the farm in Fairview and as a young man worked with his father on the construction of the Manti Temple. The family built a stone house that still stands (1965) one block off the highway. He and Lillian Adelaide Hurst were married 12 Feb 1879 at Fairview. She was daughter of Philip Hurst and Lucinda Guymon Hurst.

Two sons were born at Fairview, James Floyd, 29 Mar 1880 and Philip Haines, 08 Sep 1881. By 1883 they moved to Moab, Utah, homesteaded, and John Alma was born 20 Aug 1883. Next they moved to Ephraim, Conejos County, Colorado, later called Sanford. At Ephraim William Harrison was born 23 Jan 1886 and Walter Ernest was born at Haynie’s Ranch near Manassa, recorded at Sanford 22 Nov 1887. Jesse Lewis was born at Sanford 08 Jan 1890 also Arthur Herald 20 Jun 1891. Absalom (stillborn) 23 Jan 1894. Eva Lucinda was born
12 Aug 1895. The family moved to Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico in November 1896.

Edna Emeline was born at Dublan 08 Jun 1897, Ida Lillian at Guadalupe, Mexico, 20 Feb 1900, and Mary Agnes was born at Dublan, Mexico, 21 Jun 1901. Grandfather Philip Hurst had moved from Fairview, Utah to Dublan, Mexico, about 1890. This influenced the move from Colorado of the James A. Young family, who lived about a year in Dublan, then they moved to Guadalupe six miles south, improved a farm, and later sold it and moved back to Dublan, where they built a nice brick home, acquired three farms and were quite prosperous at the time of the Mexican Revolution. They had to leave at the time of the Exodus of 1912 in July.

James A. Young, was interested in medicine, having studied much in books, was very helpful in pioneer life in Mexico; set legs, pulled teeth, helped doctors in major operations, was considered very good in home remedies. Many friends gave him much credit for help in times of epidemics. Church authorities appointed him Health Officer in the ward, which calling he filled to a high degree of success.

He was ordained an Elder 12 Sep 1902 by Bishop S. J. Robinson at Dublan, and ordained a High Priest 13 Mar 1910 by Apostle George F. Richards at Dublan. The new brick home was built in 1907, which mother Lillian A. enjoyed till 1910. She died at Providence Hospital in El Paso, Texas, following an operation 23 Aug 1910, and was buried at Dublan, Mexico. Father married Regina Lundgren 12 Feb 1912 at Dublan. She was a convert from Sweden. Due to the exodus of 1912, they went to Mount Pleasant, Utah. While there they did sealings in the Manti Temple for mother Lillian A. and for John Floyd, Ida Lillian, Mary Agnes, and by proxy for Arthur Herald, Jesse Lewis, Eva Lucinda, and Edna Emeline. Father and Aunt Regina were sealed also, all on 5 and 6 Dec 1912.  In 1913 father and family moved to Binghamton, Arizona. Heber Lamar was born there 02 Jun 1913. Joy showed up 25 June 1916. Ida Lillian died there 28 Jul 1913, Heber Lamar died 11 May 1915. In the autumn of 1917 Father, Aunt Regina, Mary Agnes and Joy moved back to Dublan Mexico. Five children were born there: Dora, Ruth, Leslie, Herman, and Gladys. Brother William H. had cared for the farm in Dublan up to 1914 and left due to a second exodus.

W. Ernest Young returned to Dublan later in 1914 from the Mexican Mission. He cared for the crops and taught school in Dublan, moved to Col. Juarez in 1919 to teach.

Father suffered a heart attack in the summer of 1927, and at that time dictated his history to W. Ernest, who wrote it in long hand in his journal. In October of 1927, Ernest took Father to Tucson to be with son J. Alma at his home in Binghamton to recuperate. Ernest, with his wife, returned to Dublan after the dedication of the Mesa Temple. Father died 01 Nov 1927 at J. Alma’s home. After receiving a telegram, Ernest took Regina and children by car to Deming, N.M. and was met there by J. Alma, who drove to Binghamton and attended the funeral on 02 Nov. 1927.

Aunt Regina and children lived in Dublan until 1935 when Ernest, called to Argentina as Mission President, considered it wise to take her and family back to Binghamton.  They arrived at the border city of Douglas with the family. Brother William H. met them and took them on.  Brother Philip had remained in Dublan but later moved to Binghampton, Arizona.

At the Mesa Temple, brother Philip was sealed to father and mother 28 June 1931.  Ernest was sealed to them 23 June 1931.

Father and mother, James Absalom and Lillian Adelaide Hurst Young were good, well-respected neighbors, honored for their integrity, having pioneered in Utah, Colorado and Mexico.  It was said of father that no person was ever denied help at his house.  The native Mexicans spoke of “Don Santiago” as a friend of all, and he was one of the best farmers in the country.

We, their children are grateful for our pioneer heritage.  This is only a brief sketch and the several children will have to fill in their own histories.  May we all hold fast to the Gospel that our ancestors suffered for and labored for the establishment of the Church in the west, and bequeathed to us the many blessings that we enjoy today.      - Walter Ernest Young
Third account:
James Absalom Young, born in 1860 in Chatham Hill, Smyth County, Virginia. He had memory of hearing a battle of the Civil War when he was just four years old.  

James Absalom Young came to Utah with his parents (John Floyd Young and wife Nancy Pritchett) and siblings. The Carpetbaggers took their teams of horses and wagons away from them, so they hired an old mountaineer to take them into Ohio. The family stayed there until they were outfitted to cross the plains. After crossing the plains, a journey that took them 115 days (almost 4 months), they first lived in Cottonwood. Brigham Young sent his father, John Floyd Young, to colonize in the Sanpete County at Fairview, Utah. James Absalom was baptized in Fairview, Utah on 30 May 1869 as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a young man, he worked with his father on the Manti Temple. (He worked in the stone quarry). The family built a stone house that was still standing (in 1965) just one block off the main highway. After he married Lillian Adelaide Hurst, they lived with his parents for a while. They lived next in Moab, Grand County, Utah; then in Ephraim, Colorado; next to Sanford, Colorado and then back to Fairview, Utah He later moved his family to Colonia Dublan in Mexico. His wife's father, Phillip Hurst had moved from Fairview, Utah to Colonia Dublan in about 1890 and that sparked the interest for James Absalom Young to move there too. He stayed there until he had to leave Mexico at the time of the Exodus of 29 July 1912, due to the Mexican Revolution. 

While living in Mexico, James Absalom Young was called on by many for help with medical problems. He studied and read all he could about medicine and nursing and served as a Health Officer in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. He pulled teeth, set bones, administered antitoxins and nursed the sick. The Church appointed him Health Officer in the Dublan Ward, which calling he filled to a high degree of success. 

He and his wife Lillian Adelaide Hurst were the parents of 12 children. After his wife died in 1910, following surgery in El Paso, Texas, he married Regina Lundgren on 12 Feb. 1912 in Colonia Dublan. She was a convert from Sweden and they had 7 children. Due to the Exodus in July 1912, they went to Mt. Pleasant, Utah but in 1913, he moved to Binghampton, Arizona with his family. In the autumn of 1917, he returned to Colonia Dublan with Regina and some of his children. His son, William Harrison Young had cared for James' property in Mexico in his absence, and another son, Walter Ernest Young tended the crops after his brother, William Harrison Young left in 1914. 

In the summer of 1927, James Absalom Young suffered a heart attack, so his son Walter Ernest Young took him to Binghampton, where he died in the home of son John Alma Young. James'second wife, Regina Lundgren Young remained in Dublan until 1935, at which time she came to Binghampton, where she spent the rest of her life.

He came to Utah at the age of 4 in the James M. Pritchett Company (1866).

He married Lillian Adelaide Hurst on Feb. 12, 1879 in Fairview, Utah.  They had 12 children together, 6 of whom lived to adulthood.  She died in 1910 in El Paso, Texas and he remarried 2 years later also on Feb. 12th in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. 

This picture was taken in the Fall of 1897.  Sitting is James Absalom Young, next to him is wife Lillian Adelaide Hurst holding baby Edna, who died in Jan. 1902.  On the left of James Absalom is Harold Arthur or Arthur Harold, who died in 1904.  On the right of Lillian is W. Ernest Young.  Standing in back, L to R is:  John Alma Young, James Floyd Young and William Harrison Young Sr.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF JAMES Absalom YOUNG’S ANCESTRY (as given to his son, W. Ernest Young by his father during the summer of 1927).

Father died 1st of November, 1927.

Our branch of the Young family came from Edinburgh, Scotland. John Young came over as British soldier under Major Carleton, about 1775 to 1780. After the British defeat he swore allegiance to the States, and married Elizabeth Oglesby, daughter of Alexander Oglesby and Hannah Haines. They made their home in Smith County, Virginia.

John had two sons that we know of - Alexander and Robert. Robert, our ancestor, joined the L.D.S. Church about 1836. It is believed he was converted by Jedadiah M. Grant. He never came west. His son Absalom McDonald Young also joined the Church at that time. He was a doctor and made a home for all the missionaries. He also preached the gospel for years in several Southern States. He was very faithful and well respected by all of his neighbors. He often defended the Elders with his gun and stopped mobs at his gate. He and his wife, Matilda Shepherd had a large family - 2 girls and 7 living boys. Our grandfather, John Floyd, the eldest, was born the 10th of February, 1836. He received all the education possible and taught school. During the Civil War, he was in service in a munitions plant of the Confederated Army. 

He was not a rebel by choice, but was drafted. He fought in the batt1e of Cowpens. While he was still in the Army, he had to go to Utah with Johnston’s Army as a teamster in 1857.   This gave him an opportunity to observe the Mormons in close contact, and he was fully converted and baptized by A. P. Ramey, 1858, near Salem, Utah.

The Youngs lost a lot of property and on the advice of John Floyd’s father, they prepared to migrate to Utah. Before they crossed the lines to Ohio, the bushwhackers deprived them of their teams and wagons and also their equipment and they were forced to walk over the mountain until they hired an old mountaineer to take them on their way. They arrived on the Ohio River in the winter. Grandfather John Floyd worked for Buckhorn Tanning Company.  In the spring of 1865 they took a boat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, arriving at Wyoming Boat landing in Nebraska. From this pointthey hired a teamster and they went with a company of 60 wagons, with 6 yoke of oxen to the wagon. The Indians made two attempts at raiding the wagon train. They circled the corral, but never attacked. Huge herds of buffalo were often seen. They arrived in Salt Lake City 113 days from Missouri in the fall of 1867. They lived first in Holliday. Robert Haines Young remained in Kansas City. Our ancestor moved to Fairview, Utah, in 1868, where they lived near the fort. There was Indian trouble. John Floyd was a very hard worker. The old stone home is still standing. He was wel1-respected and taught school, freighted, and farmed. He died in 1891 in Fairview. His wife, Nancy Emeline Pritchett died in 1885. 

Continuing History of James Absalom Young

James Absalom Young was the eldest child of John Floyd Young and Nancy Emeline Pritchett.   He was born when his father was 25 years old and his mother was 19 years old.  His father had been a teamster in Johnson’s Army to Utah, where he was baptized at Salem, Utah on 18 August 1858.   The missionaries, Jedediah M. Grant and Elder Dusenberry had labored among the people in Virginia.  The Youngs lived on the North fork of the Holston River, Rich Valley, in Smyth County, Virginia.  James Absalom Young’s grandfather, Absalom McDonald Young was a doctor and was also known as the Mormon Missionary.  The Youngs did not believe in slavery, but they had hired help James remembered hearing a battle of the Civil War when he was just four years old and in 1865 or 1866, they left their home to go to Utah.  The carpet baggers took their teams and wagons away from them and they hired an old mountaineer to take them into Ohio, where John Floyd Young was employed at the Buckhorn Tannery.   They stayed there until they were outfitted to cross the plains.  In crossing, the wagons formed a circle at night for their protection.  Some Indians were seen but they reached the Salt Lake Valley in safety.  John Floyd Young first stayed in the old fort in Salt Lake City and later moved to Holliday, where they live a short while, later moving to Lakeview, Sanpete County, where James Absalom attended school.   He was an outstanding student, winning prize for reading Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, “The Bells.”

James Absalom Young married Lillian Adelaide Hurst when he was 18 years old – she was only 17 years old.   They lived with his parents for a while, where Floyd and Philip were born.  As a young man, James worked in the stone quarry of the Manti Temple.  He always had a testimony of the gospel. By 1833, he and his family moved to Moab, San Juan County, Utah.    They homesteaded a quarter section there.  James fished and hunted and the family was quite well and happy there.  Philip climbed on the sandstone cliffs in back of the house and could not get down.  His mother had to climb up and get him down.    While living in Moab, their son Alma was born. By 1886, the family had moved to Ephraim, where James’ brother Brigham lived.  It was here that William Harrison and Walter Ernest were born.  Then they moved a few miles to Sanford, where Jesse Louis, Arthur Herald and Eva Lucinda were born.   Jesse Louis and Eva both died; he of spinal meningitis and she of Erysipelas.

John Floyd Young died in January 1891 and James returned to Fairview, Utah.  He loved his people.   There were quite a number ill and he stayed some time, leaving his wife and little family.  Lillian was not well, so James moved her to Old Mexico, where her father, Philip Hurst and his families lived - Lillian’s two brothers, Phil and Walter Hurst and half-brothers and sisters.  Floyd worked for his Uncle Philip Hurst, hauling water.  Edna Emeline Young was born 8 June 1897 in Dublan.  Ida Lillian Young was born at Guadalupe.  Lillian was not happy there, so they moved back to Colonia Dublan, where Mary Agnes Young was born.  James Absalom loved his family and he was quite a happy natured person.

They had moved to Mexico in the fall of 1896 and it took a month to travel there.  William Jennings Bryan was running for President.  Lillian’s brother, Walter Hurst met them at Palomus.  James and Lillian lived in Dublan at this time. 

James Absalom was very interested in medicine and read all he could on nursing.   He was also friendly with doctors who were employed by the railroad at Neuvo, Casas Grandes.  He pulled teeth, set bones, administered anti-toxin and nursed the sick.  Sister Eliza Skousen Brown said that James was a great comfort to her when her daughter Ann had typhoid.  James and Ernest came over one night and administered to her.   James said, “Sister Brown, you lie down by your little girl and she will sleep.   Don’t disturb her and she will rest and get well.”  And she did get well.   James had lots of plain, common good sense.   He helped Dr. Gay amputate Philemon Cox’s arm, which was badly mangled by a thresher belt.  He also removed a tumorous breast from Sister Holt.  He counseled the young men and they learned to love and respect him.

Lillian Adelaide Hurst Young died 23 August 1910 and James was very lonely.  He married Regina Lundgren on 12 February 1912, on the anniversary of his first marriage to Lillian. 

The Mexican exodus caused him to return to his old home in Fairview, Utah.  He took his wife Regina and two daughters to the Manti Temple, where he and she were sealed 5 December 1912 and the deceased children of James Absalom and Lillian were sealed by proxy to James and Lillian on 6 December 1912 in the Manti Temple also. 

In February 1913, James and Regina moved to Binghampton, Arizona with daughter Joy.  Their first child, Heber Lamar was born 2 June 1913 but passed away 11 May 1915.   In October of 1917, they returned to Colonia Dublan, where Dora, Ruth, Leslie, Herman and Gladys were born.  James became very ill in the summer of 1927 and lived only a week after moving to Binghampton.  He was buried beside his daughter, Ida Lillian and son Heber Lamar in November of 1927.

James Absalom Young and Lillian Adelaide Hurst had a total of twelve children but only six survived to adulthood.  The other six died as infants or very young children.  These six children are shown below:

Jesse Lewis Young

Born 8 January 1890, died 22 June 1890

Arthur Harold Young

Born 20 June 1891, died 4 April 1904

Absalom Young

Born 23 January 1894, died 23 January 1894 – stillborn birth

Eva Lucinda Young

Born 12 August 1895, died 5 March 1896

Edna Emiline Young

Born 8 June 1897, died 24 January 1902

Ida Lillian Young

Born 20 February 1900, died 28 June 1913

James Absalom Young  married (2) Regina Lundgren, daughter of Klas Herman LUNDGREN and Karin JANSSON on 12 Feb 1912 in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. They were sealed on 5 Dec 1912 in the Manti Utah temple.

Regina was born on 25 Sep 1890 in Forsa,, Helsingland, Sweden. She died on 1 Apr 1984 in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, USA. She was 

buried in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, USA.

James Absalom Young and Regina Lundgren had the following children:

1.   Heber Lamar YOUNG was born on 2 June 1913 in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, USA. He died on 11 May 1915. He was born in the covenant.

2.   Joy YOUNG was born on 25 June 1916. She died on 31 May 2001.

3.   Dora YOUNG was born on 13 Apr 1918.

4.   Ruth YOUNG was born on 21 Feb 1920. She died on 28 Sep 2001.

5.   Leslie Carl YOUNG was born on 7 October 1921 in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico.   He died on 10 April 1941 in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, USA. He was buried in April 1941 in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, USA. He was born in the covenant. He was baptized on 7             October 1929.  He was endowed on 9 January 1948 in the Mesa Arizona temple.

6.   Herman Parley YOUNG was born on 13/21 Feb 1923. 

Note: 

Gladys Young Butler died 6 Feb 2014 in Tucson, Pima, AZ and is buried in the Binghampton Cemetery here in Tucson.

Herman Parley Young died 13 Sep 2009 in St. David, AZ 

7.   Gladys YOUNG was born on 5 Dec 1925

James helped his father build this house in Fairview, UT 

Young family at Grandma Young's house

This picture was also taken in June 1948 at the Young family reunion in Binghampton (Tucson, Arizona) at Grandma and Grandpa Will Young's home according to Mary Young.