John Young (June 12, 1802April 23, 1852) was an American politician. He served in the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

(1832, 1845–1846), the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

(1836-1837, 1841–1843) and as

Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has ...

(1847-1848).

Early life

Young was born in

Chelsea, Vermont Chelsea is a town in and the shire town (county seat) of Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2020 census. Geography Chelsea is located in a river valley in central Vermont. The First Branch of the White Rive ...

on June 12, 1802. As a child, his family moved to Freeport (now Conesus) in

Livingston County, New York Livingston County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 61,834. Its county seat is Geneseo. The county is named after Robert R. Livingston, who helped draft the Declaration of Independence and ...

, where his parents operated an inn. He attended the schools of Conesus and Lima Academy in

Lima, New York Lima (, the name is a shibboleth) is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Livingston County, New York, Livingston County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 4,305 at the 2010 census. The town is in the ...

. His academy education enabled him to qualify as a schoolteacher, after which he taught at schools in

Livonia, New York Livonia is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 7,809. The town contains a village also named Livonia. The town is on the eastern border of the county. In the 19th century numerous ...

. He later studied law with Augustus A. Bennett of

East Avon, New York East Avon is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Avon, Livingston County, New York, United States. The population was 608 at the 2010 census. History The First Presbyterian Church of Avon, at the northeast corner of the ...

, and Ambrose Bennett of

Geneseo, New York Geneseo is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Livingston County, New York, Livingston County in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York, United States. It is at the south end of the five-county Rochester metropol ...

. In 1829, Young was admitted to the bar, after which he began a practice in Geneseo. Among the prospective attorneys who later studied under him was his brother in law James Wood, and Young and Wood later formed a partnership.

Start of career

He entered politics as a

Jacksonian Democrat Jacksonian democracy was a 19th-century political philosophy in the United States that expanded suffrage to most white men over the age of 21, and restructured a number of federal institutions. Originating with the seventh U.S. president, Andr ...

, but shortly afterward joined the

Anti-Masonic Party The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest third party in the United States. Formally a single-issue party, it strongly opposed Freemasonry, but later aspired to become a major party by expanding its platform to take positions on other issues. After ...

. He was a member of the

(Livingston Co.) in

1832 Events January–March * January 6 – Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison founds the New-England Anti-Slavery Society. * January 13 – The Christmas Rebellion of slaves is brought to an end in Jamaica, after the island's white plan ...

. Young was elected as a Whig to the

24th United States Congress The 24th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1835 ...

, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Philo C. Fuller, holding office from November 1836 to March 3, 1837. In 1840 he was elected to the

27th United States Congress The 27th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. between March 4, 1 ...

, holding office from March 4, 1841, to March 3, 1843. He was again a member of the Assembly (Livingston Co.) in

1845 Events January–March * January 10 – Elizabeth Barrett receives a love letter from the younger poet Robert Browning; on May 20, they meet for the first time in London. She begins writing her ''Sonnets from the Portuguese''. * January 23 ...

and

1846 Events January–March * January 5 – The United States House of Representatives votes to stop sharing the Oregon Country with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom. * January 13 – The Milan–Venice railway' ...

Governor of New York

In 1846 Young was the Whig nominee for governor. He defeated incumbent

Silas Wright Silas Wright Jr. (May 24, 1795 – August 27, 1847) was an American attorney and Democratic politician. A member of the Albany Regency, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, New York State Comptroller, United Stat ...

and served one term, January 1847 to December 1848. As governor, Young favored expanding the Erie Canal, oversaw establishment of the state court of appeals, and opposed the Mexican War. He also pardoned farmers who had been imprisoned for participating in the

Anti-Rent War The Anti-Rent War (also known as the Helderberg War) was a tenants' revolt in upstate New York in the period 1839–1845. The Anti-Renters declared their independence from the manor system run by patroons, resisting tax collectors and successful ...

, including leader Smith A. Boughton. In 1848 Young was defeated for the Whig nomination for governor by

Hamilton Fish Hamilton Fish (August 3, 1808September 7, 1893) was an American politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York from 1849 to 1850, a United States Senator from New York from 1851 to 1857 and the 26th United States Secretary of State fro ...

, who went on to win the general election.

Later career

In 1848 Young was a delegate to the 1848 national convention. He first backed

Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...

for president, but supported

Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...

after Taylor was nominated. After Taylor assumed office he rewarded Young with the appointment as Assistant

Treasurer of the United States The treasurer of the United States is an officer in the United States Department of the Treasury who serves as custodian and trustee of the federal government's collateral assets and the supervisor of the department's currency and coinage produc ...

in New York City. Young served until his death in New York City from

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

on April 23, 1852. He was buried at Temple Hill Cemetery in Geneseo.

Family

In 1833 Young married Ellen Harris of

York, New York York is a town in western Livingston County, New York, United States. Its population was 3,397 at the 2010 census. The Abbey of the Genesee in the town's hamlet of Piffard is locally famous due to the production of Monks' Bread. History I ...

. They were the parents of four children.

References

Sources

Bio at National Governors' Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, John 1802 births 1852 deaths 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis Governors of New York (state) Members of the New York State Assembly Tuberculosis deaths in New York (state) 19th-century American Episcopalians Anti-Masonic Party politicians from New York (state) Whig Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Whig Party state governors of the United States 19th-century American politicians People from Livingston County, New York