YOUNG, GEORGE H. - The call of the soil has wooed many men from the activities of city life and brought them back to the farm, where they find they can be of the most usefulness, both to themselves and to the community at large, and an example of this is found in George H. Young, now living retired after forty years spent in agricultural pursuits, who in early life was engaged in numerous business enterprises all over the county. Mr. Young, who is one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Pawnee, Ill., was born November 2, 1832, in Pittsylvania County, Va., a son of William H. and Lucinda (Mann) Young. His paternal grandfather was a native of Virginia and a soldier during the War of 1812, in which he contracted sickness that ended his life after he returned home. Grandfather Mann came to Virginia from England in the early days, but in 1835 removed to Kentucky, where he carried on a millwright business and farming until his death. William H. Young was born in Virginia in 1810, and his wife in 1813, and after their marriage in that State removed to Caldwell County, Ky., where they followed farming until their deaths.

George H. Young received his education in the public schools of Kentucky, and until he was twenty years old resided on the home farm, assisting his father and engaging in various out-of-doors sports, of which as a youth he was very fond, and for which he has never lost his liking. Before he had attained his majority he became overseer on the farm of a widow in Kentucky, a position which he held for two years, then becoming foreman in an iron works at Marion, Ky. After four years there, Mr. Young engaged in a dry goods business at Dycusburg, Ky., until 1861, and during the following year first came to Sangamon County, shortly afterwards, however, going to California, where for three years he was engaged in the lumber business and also managed a dry-goods establishment. In 1865 he came back to Sangamon County and settled down to farming, in which he was uniformly successful, and which he continued to follow until 1904, in which year, deciding that he had earned a rest, he retired, and since that time has been one of Pawnee's foremost citizens. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Young was for many years a School Director and Road Overseer, and his activities in the political field have been of much benefit to his party in this section. With his family he attends the Methodist Church.

In July, 1867, Mr. Young was united in marriage to Mrs. Elnora (Haley) Lochridge, widow of Joseph Lochridge, and she died in Sangamon County, her birthplace, in 1884. The Haleys came originally from Virginia, Mrs. Young's father, James Haley, dying in the early days of cholera. Her mother, who belonged to the Higgins family, also came from Virginia. By her first marriage Mrs. Young had two children, Edward, who is deceased, and Juliet, who married Neal McTaggart and lives in Sangamon County. To Mr. and Mrs. Young there were born the following children: William E., born in Sangamon County in 1868, married Cora Brown and is now living in California; Lou, born in Sangamon County in 1870, married John Twist, now living in Taylorville, Ill., has one child, Luella; Thomas M., born in 1872 in Sangamon County, married Pearl Watkins, and now lives in Pawnee, Ill., where he is engaged in the grain elevator business; and Walter, born in Sangamon County in 1875, married Sadie Greenawalt, by whom he had two children, Walter and Geraldine, is now engaged in railroading and makes his home in Pawnee.

Mr. Young has always been known as one of the public-spirited men in whatever community he has made his home and can be counted upon to lend his support, time and means towards all movements which have for their object the betterment of civic, religious or educational conditions of his section. During his long residence in Sangamon County he has made many acquaintances, and his friends are legion.