Nicholas and Mahala Carter Young

About Nicholas and Mahala Carter Young

BIOGRAPHY

Nicholas Young is commonly documented as having been born Mar. 06, 1846 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Almost all of his records state this. I contend that this information is incorrect (see my explanation).

I believe the correct information to be that Nicholas Young was born Jean Nicolas Jung on Mar 01, 1846 in Rohrbach-les-bitche, Moselle, Alsace-Lorraine, France to Jean Jung and Jeanne Eb/Epp, and that he came to New Orleans as a young child. Most likely, he considered himself "from" New Orleans.

Two U.S. records support my assertion. First, in the 1920 federal census, Lucretia Young McGinnis reports that her father was born in France. Second, in Nicholas' civil war enlistment document, he reports that he was born in France.

No U.S. records specifically relating to Nicholas Young which I have found document his parents' names. Using the information in family letters, my sister and I were able to connect Nicholas to his siblings. His brother Thomas Young's 1854 Catholic marriage record documents their parent's names as well as the town from which the family originated.

The earliest record I have of Nicholas in the U.S. is his civil war enlistment in New Orleans on May 08, 1863. He is described as being 18 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with blue eyes, light hair, and a light complexion. According to Estella Young Carwile's 1964 letter, Nicholas fought for the North and his brothers fought for the South (letter page 1, page 2, page 3). Our family story says that there was a rift between the brothers over the war, but this has not been substantiated.

Nicholas did fight for the Union. He fought in the 1st Louisiana Calvary in Company I and the 2nd Louisiana Calvary in Company D. He reached the rank of First Sergeant. I have not yet been able to document his brother's confederate civil war service. Nicholas was discharged from service in New Orleans May 22, 1865.

Our family story says that during the civil war, Nicholas met the Branson brothers and went home with them to Missouri, but this story has not been substantiated. However, Nicholas did make his way to Missouri and did marry Mary Ann Branson, the sister of the brothers he had supposedly met and followed home. They were married Oct 05, 1865 in Gasconade County, Missouri. This marriage took place just a few months after he was discharged from civil war service in New Orleans. A year later, Mary Ann died in childbirth.

On Nov. 27, 1867, Nicholas Young married Mahala E. Carter, daughter of Benjamin Carter and Ruth Shockley, in Third Creek Township, Gasconade County, Missouri. A story in Tricia Eley's family (see contributors) says that Mahala Carter and Mary Ann Branson were friends as well as distantly related. I have not substantiated their relationship.

Nicholas and Mahala had 7 children, 2 of whom died in early childhood (see family group sheet). They farmed in Third Creek Township, Gasconade County and Jefferson Township, Osage County, Missouri. Their children's families also resided in Osage and Gasconade Counties.

Although Nicholas came from a Catholic family, he was an active member of his Baptist church. He was also elected as a Justice of the Peace in Osage County in 1880, 1886, and 1890. His name is on many Osage County marriage records as having performed the marriage. He was honored for his service as a Four-Minute Man (page 1, page 2).

Nicholas died June 02, 1925 in Osage County, MO. Mahala died May 13, 1938 in Osage County, MO. Both are buried in College Hill Cemetery.

RECORDS

Nicholas Young's death certificate

Nicholas Young's obituary

Mahala Carter Young's death certificate

Headstone Photo, College Hill Cemetery

CENSUS

1870 Federal Census, Third Creek Township, Gasconade Co, MO

1880 Federal Census, Jefferson Township, Osage Co., MO

1890 Veteran's Special Schedule, Jefferson Township, Osage, MO

1900 Federal Census, Jefferson Township, Osage Co., MO

1910 Federal Census, Jefferson Township, Osage Co., MO