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This is a photo that has been passed down in my family. I descend from Nicholas Young's son Thomas and his wife Lora Carwile. Cecil Thomas Young, my grandfather, handwrote the caption, but he was not able to identify the woman in the black dress.

As part of our effort to document Nicholas Young’s siblings, I contacted Jim Owens, great grandson of Nicholas Augustus Young. Nicholas Augustus Young resided in Eagle Point, Jackson County, Oregon and is the brother of Nicholas Young. Prior to my contacting Jim Owens, our families had never met or corresponded.

I was quite surprised when Jim Owens sent me an identical copy of this photograph (obviously his copy had not been labeled by my grandfather). Jim was under the impression that it was a photograph of the Nicholas Augustus Young family. He was surprised to learn that the family in the photo was NOT the Oregon Nicholas Young family but rather the Missouri Nicholas Young family. I told him I was certain of it as we have many other pictures of the Missouri Nicholas Young.

I explained to Jim that my grandfather was unable to identify the woman wearing the black dress (3rd from the left). Jim told me that when he sent the photo to me, he did so with the understanding that the woman wearing the black dress was his grandmother, Annie Young Owens. He made sure that I knew that he couldn't verify it, but that it was just his understanding of the photo at the time when he sent it to me. Annie Young Owens is the daughter of the Oregon Nicholas A. Young.

In a letter dated July 2, 1940, Annie Young Owens, daughter of Nicholas Augustus Young in Oregon, wrote to Estella Young Carwile, daughter of Nicholas Young of Missouri, and said, “How are your children? I know all are fine citizens. I did not get to see much of them while I was in your country.”

My best guess is that when Annie Young Owens visited the Youngs in Missouri, they had a family picture taken. I presume that an identical copy was sent later to Annie in Oregon. Both pictures were preserved and handed down in their respective lines.

Other family members disagree with my assessment and believe that the woman in the black dress was not Annie Young Owens, but rather Lucretia Young McGinnis, daughter of the Missouri Nicholas. If you have other photographs or knowledge that can clarify who is in the photo, please contact me.
   
Regardless of the identity of the woman in the black dress, the fact that both Jim Owens and I have a copy of the same photograph is proof that his great grandfather, Nicholas Augustus Young of Oregon, and my great great great grandfather, Nicholas Young of Missouri, were related.