Kendall Young was born January 19, 1820 in Eden, Maine. He formed his work ethic on the farm where he grew up and attended school, when his duties on the farm allowed, until he was 16 years old.
He started to make his own way in the world at 19 and a year later joined the Maine Militia during the Aroostock War…a boundary dispute with New Brunswick. For two months of service, the U.S. government paid him $18 and gave him two land warrants in Iowa. This was before Iowa became a state in 1846. He later claimed 120 acres in Kossuth County and 40 acres in Hamilton County.
Having grown up on the coast of Maine, Kendall then went to sea and sailed to many Atlantic seaports, the West Indies, and England. He tried his hand as a fisherman off the coast of Labrador. The harsh conditions led him to realize he would gain by bartering with fisherman at his general store…their fish for his goods, then he could sell their fish!
In 1847 he moved to Wisconsin to try his hand at farming. It was a much tamer life than what he was used to. The news that gold had been found in California sounded more exciting. Kendall went by oxen train to the gold fields in 1849. The seven month journey introduced him to the prairies, mountains, Native Americans, and wild animals.
Young staked his claim near Sutter’s Mill and panned for gold, burying his findings in the dirt floor of his shack. After 2 1/2 years, he thought he had enough of a fortune and headed to San Francisco with the gold dust packed into his boots and the nuggets sewn into his clothing. At the U.S. Assay Office, he converted some of it into $50 California gold slugs, boarded a clipper ship and sailed to Panama. Because the canal did not exist, he walked the 17 miles across the isthmus and boarded another clipper ship bound for New York City. There he boarded a train for Philadelphia and the U.S. Mint to cash in the rest of his gold.
Following a recovery period back home in Maine, wanderlust led him back to the Midwest. In Rockton, Illinois, Kendall was in the paper mill and mercantile business. It was there that he met Lymen Treat, who became a life-long friend and business partner.
The two moved to Albion, Iowa in Marshall County, and in 1857, decided to check out Kendall’s land grant in Kossuth County. They settled in Irvington where Kendall ran a saw mill, Lyman ran a general store, and together they formed a bank. They also tried to convince settlers to move to their town in hopes of growing it large enough to become the county seat. It was the time of the Spirit Lake Massacre and folks were fearful of moving so far west.
On his recruiting trips from Irvington to Iowa City, Kendall often passed through Webster City and stayed at the Willson House. It was there that he met Dan Underdown, the proprietor, and his sister Jane. Jane Underdown was born in County Kent, England in 1834 and immigrated to Maine as a young girl.
Kendall and Jane were married at the Willson House in September 1858. He was 36, she was 24. They lived in Irvington for one year. When Algona was named the county seat in 1859, the couple exchanged their land there to enlarge their “Aroostook Farm” here and moved to Webster City, population 400. They lived in a simple frame house in the “Yankeetown” area until 1873 when they built the large house on Willson Avenue.
The house sat on four lots that had previously been a hog lot owned by Dan Underdown. The two-story house originally faced Willson Avenue. An iron fence surrounded it, enclosing trees, shrubs, lawn, a barn, and wood shed. When it was determined that the new library should be built on those lots, the house was moved in 1903 and turned to face Elm Street. In 1997 the house was moved further west on Elm Street, this time to make room for the expansion of the Kendall Young Library.
In 1923, when the Webster City Women’s Club assumed care of the house, the walls of the front parlor, sitting room, bedroom and dining room were removed to create a large meeting area. Original furnishings remaining in the house today include a carved breakfront, large secretary, parlor pump organ, loveseat, two marble-topped tables and the one remaining marble fireplace.
The second floor consists of three large bedrooms. In marked contrast to the curved walls, 11-foot ceilings, solid white oak flooring, beautiful woodwork, and tall windows, are the simpler servant’s quarters of the housekeeper, Susan Dougherty. These small back rooms, with plank floors, plain woodwork, and small windows provided access to the back stairway that she took to the kitchen from 1883 to 1898.
Kendall ran the “Old Reliable Store” mercantile on Seneca Street, the town’s main business district, for 10 years. In 1871 he founded the First National Bank with L.L. Estes and remained the largest stock holder and president until he died. Kendall and Jane did not have children.
Jane suffered from Bright’s Disease, a kidney disorder. When her health deteriorated in 1888, Kendall took her back home to Maine where the doctors recommended she enter the Battle Creek Sanitarium. She was only 54 and remained there for 15 years. She died there on September 9, 1903. Her body was returned to Webster City for the funeral which was held at the house. She was interred next to her husband at Graceland Cemetery where a large granite monument, quarried in Rhode Island and weighing 15 tons, marks their graves.
When Kendall’s health began to fail in 1896, he joined Jane at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. He died there on June 30, 1896 at the age of 76. His nephew was with him and accompanied his remains back to Webster City where his funeral was held at the house.
When Kendall Young’s will was read on July 2, 1896, the city learned that his fortune was to be used to establish and maintain a proper public library. Two years later, the city’s first library opened on the main floor of the house. The furniture had been moved upstairs to make room for shelves of books.
The Kendall Young Library was completed in 1905. A visit to this magnificent library should be included in your plans to tour the Jane Young House and other sites in Webster City.
In addition to the Library, the Kendall Young Park, is located one mile north of town. It was plotted by the executor of the will, Josh Young.