Alameda
County
Biographies
ROBERT
S. YOUNG
A descendant of a prominent Pennsylvania
family, Robert S. Young, although a resident of California but a comparatively
short time, has filled positions of importance most ably, and at the present time
is superintendent and owner of the R.S.Young Supply Company, one of the well-equipped
planing mills of Oakland, Cal., which furnishes employment for twenty-six men
the year around and for thirty-two in the busy season, and has a volume of
business aggregating $50,000 annually, with a purely local trade. November 12, 1902, he purchased of Vincent
Chloupek the City Brass Works, an entirely separate business, which employs
eight men constantly and does about $15,000 worth of business per annum,
shipping to San Francisco and other points.
Born in Union county, Pa., April 23, 1856, Robert S. Young is one of a
family of twelve children, six boys and six girls, born to William and Eleanor
(Snodgrass) Young. From his paternal
grandfather he inherits a cheerful disposition and the desire to look upon the
bright side of life and to help others to do the same.
The career of William Young was a most
unusual one and shows him to have been in his younger days a man with plenty of
push and ability. Wherever his place of
residence happened to be he left his mark—a trail of prosperity marking his
course. Born in Union county, PA., in
1818, he was there reared and educated and fitted for the battle of life. Entering
mercantile life in early manhood, success crowned his efforts, and in time he
invested his surplus capital in flouring mills, owning two at one time. He was the promoter and organizer of the
first bank (and this was a national) in Miffinburg,
Union county, Pa., established in 1861.
In 1879 this bank was removed to Reading, Pa., and he became president,
serving as such until it liquidated all claims. He also invested, with others,
in real estate, buying large tracts of land upon which they owned and operated
several sawmills, this developing the natural resources of the land. About 1875 Mr. Young moved with his family
to the suburbs of Philadelphia and in 1880 he moved into that city, where he
now lives retired at the advanced age of eighty-six years. While residing in Union county he was the
incorporator and prime mover in the construction of the first railroad through
Miffinburgh, which was the Lewisburg & Tyrone Railway, a branch of the
Pennsylvania Railway, of which he was a director. For years he was a stockholder in the
Pennsylvania Railway, and after his removal to Philadelphia he became a
stockholder in one of the banks of that city also in Scranton. He retired from active business pursuits in
1893. He was united in marriage with
Miss Eleanor Snodgrass, a native of Shippensburg, Pa. After many years of wedded life she died in Miffinburg in 1866, aged forty-eight years.
Reared in his native state, after
completing the course in the public schools in 1875 Robert S. Young entered the
Williston Seminary at Easthampton, Mass., which he attended two years, but was
unable to complete the course on account of illness. In the fall of 1877 he entered the Cheltenham
Academy at Chelten Hills, which he attended until spring. Shortly afterward he entered a merchandise
and hardware store in Miffinburg, continuing as clerk until 1879.
The following
summer he went to Salina, Kans., and filled a similar position in a grocery
store and queensware establishment for one year. Removing to Minneapolis, Kans., he worked six
month as a clerk, filling a position for a friend who was taking a vacation. The following six months he worked for his
old employer in Salina. Springfield,
Ill., was his next field of labor, where he arrived in April, 1880 and accepted
a clerkship, which he followed in that city one year in the grocery store of
Charles Moody, also for three months with C.H. Hampton. In 1881 he accepted a position with J.M.
Vance & Co., wholesale and retail hardware merchants of Philadelphia. He remained one year with this firm as a
clerk and assistant bookkeeper. In 1882
Mr. Young first embarked in business for himself, opening a grocery and
provision store in Philadelphia; but being ambitious he worked too hard, and
one year later was obliged to sell out on account of failing health. The following summer (1883) he took a rest,
going to his old home in Miffenburg, where he completely regained his usual
health in a few months. After visiting
in Philadelphia, he went west as far as Chicago, Ill., and found employment as
clerk and stock-keeper with the Chicago Tin Plate & Stamping Company, continuing
in their employ until July, 1884.
Accepting a more lucrative position with the Snodgrass & Logan
Manufacturing Company, wholesale merchants in gas fitting and plumbing
fixtures, at Kansas City, Mo., he continued in his business until July,
1893. In the meantime, in 1887 the firm
changed hands and became the W.B. Young Supply Company, but Mr. Young retained
his position as clerk and stock man and was subsequently promoted to salesman
and stock-keeper for the new firm. Being
conscientious about his work, he lost no opportunity to push the interests of
this company and build up the business, and as a reward he was admitted into
the partnership, purchasing in 1885 a small interest. He at once became a director, investing $5,000
two years later, and continued as director of this company until 1895, although
he was not active in the interests of this firm after 1893, owing to his
removal to California. In July hence by
the death of his youngest brother, Arthur L. Young, and for some time after his
arrival in this state he assisted his brother, C.A. Young, in conducting his
fruit ranch, three and a half miles south of Auburn.
In February, 1895, Mr. Young took up his
residence in Oakland, and after one week he secured a position with the crane
Company, assisting them in opening a branch house in that city. For two years he was clerk, stock -keeper and
salesman for them. He also engaged in
the hotel business in Oakland in 1895, and for two years conducted a lucrative
business, having a lease of the Raymond House, hiring an assistant
manager. Withdrawing from the Crane
Company in 1897, he devoted more time to the hotel business, having charge of
the Wilson House, on the corner of Fourteenth and Washington streets. In September, 1898, on account of the
prevailing hard times, there was little profit in this business and he sold out,
visiting his brother, C.A. Young, in Auburn, Cal. In February, 1899 he purchased a third
interest in the Ingler & Atkinson Milling Company, on the southwest corner
of Fourth and Washington streets, and in the spring of 1901 he purchased Mr.
Atkinson’s one-third interest in the business.
The firm then became the Ingler & Young Milling Company, and carried
on a profitable business under that name until September 1, 1902, when Mr.
Young became the sole owner and changed the name to the R.S Young Supply Company. Under his efficient and capable management
the output has improved and the volume of business increased.
By his marriage in Oakland he was untied
with Minerva Jayne, a native of Missouri.
The family unite in worship at the First Presbyterian Church. Mr. Young formerly assisted in the
Sunday-school work of the Second Presbyterian Church of Kansas City, Mo., of
which he was secretary and assistant librarian.
He is a broad-minded, public-spirited citizen, and takes a fitting
interest in the affairs of his community.
Transcribed by Louise E. Shoemaker
March 07, 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
416-419. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
©
2015 Louise E.
Shoemaker.
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