About Us
Our History Defines Us
Kendall and Jane Young
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, in 1839, joined the Maine Militia during the Aroostock War…a boundary dispute with New Brunswick, Canada. Maine did not achieve statehood until 1820, when it separated from Massachusetts. For two months of service, the U.S. government paid him $18 and gave him two land warrants in the Iowa territory.
Having grown up on the coast of Maine, Kendall then went to sea and sailed to many Atlantic seaports, the West Indies, and across the Atlantic Ocean to England. He tried his hand as a commercial fisherman off the coast of Labrador. The harsh conditions led him to realize he would gain by bartering with fisherman at his general store…trading their fish for his goods and then selling 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, the same year Iowa became a state, moved to Kossuth County. He claimed his 120-acre land warrant there and 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 during 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 120 acres in Kossuth County for 120 acres in Hamilton County and added the other 40-acre land warrant to create the “Aroostook Farm.” The couple, along with L.L. Treat, 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.
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 stockholder 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. Susan stayed on as the janitor for the library.
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.
History of the Jane Young House
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 woodshed. 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 the Webster City Women’s Club assumed care of the house. A couple years later, the walls of the front parlor, sitting room, bedroom, and dining room were removed to create a large meeting area for the large organization. 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.
Susan Dougherty
Susan Dougherty was born near Belfast, Ireland (now Northern Ireland) on September 8, 1832. She came to America, possibly Pennsylvania, in 1847 when she was 15 years old. She came to Iowa in 1873 and ten years later, in 1883, started working in the home of Kendall and Jane Young. She remained there after Jane became a patient at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan in1888, continued on until Kendall passed in 1896, and beyond when the home became Webster City’s first library. She resigned from her employment as the janitor of the library in September 1900. Mrs. J.M. Milles became the next housekeeper.
On May 14, 1900, Susan was in a serious carriage accident six miles outside Webster City. She, her niece Mrs. W.H. Norcross and her little son were seated in the carriage at the market square crossing when the seat suddenly tipped backwards, throwing them out backwards. Susan fell heavily on her head and shoulders and was unconscious for a few hours. Drs. Drake and Desmond cared for her and thought she would soon fully recover.
Susan had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1896. In the fall of 1900, Susan was confined to her bed for three weeks at the home of her niece and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Norcross, at 1403 Superior Street (current location of the Dairy Queen). Her family was called to her bedside prior to her passing.
The funeral was held at the Norcross home on October 14, 1900 at 2:00 pm with the Rev. B.F. Snook officiating. She is buried at Graceland Cemetery. She was survived by her niece Mrs. W. H Norcross and her husband, two nephews, Dave Coulson and Dick Coulson*, two brothers in Pennsylvania, and a wide circle of friends.
*Richard Coulson was born June 30, 1857 in New Jersey to James Couson and Jane (Dougherty) Coulson both of Ireland. He died February 22, 1932 at the age of 73 from a cerebral hemorrhage and arterial sclerosis. He was a janitor. He is buried in Graceland Cemetery.
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