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Charles Youngkin |
Charles Youngkin -- originally "Carl" in the German tongue -- was born on March or May 25, 1833 in Forks Township near Easton, Northampton County, PA, a twin with his brother John, the sons of Fagan "Lane" and Hannah "Anna" (Schweitzer) Youngkin of the family of George Yonkin Jr. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War.
He and his twin were christened on Dec. 8, 1833 in the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Easton, PA. Witnesses included Philip and Susanna Brotzman.
As a young man he stood 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with a dark complexion, hazel eyes and black hair. He earned a living as a boatman and carried an India ink tattoo on his right arm.
On Sept. 3, 1854, at the age of 21, he was united in matrimony with Malinda Colbath (June 6, 1833-1895), daughter of George and Mary Colbath. Their wedding was conducted in Easton by the hand of Rev. Shaffer. Malinda also came from a family of boatmen, with her father and brother William working in that occupation in 1850 in Williams, Northampton County.
Together, the Youngkins bore a family of four -- Emma B. Louise Kiefer, Hannah Malinda Semple, Mary Frances "Fannie" Youngkin and William Lincoln Youngkin. Their son, born the year that the war ended and that President Lincoln was assassinated, is believed to have been named for the president's young son William who had died in the White House a few years earlier.
When the federal census enumeration was made in 1860, Charles dwelled away from their home, with Malinda and the children residing under the roof of her 47-year-old mother-in-law Hannah Kocher in Bushkill Township, Northampton County. Malinda generated income that year as a seamstress.
During the Civil War, on July 24, 1862, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in New Bedford, MA. His first assignment was as an ordinary seaman on the Ohio, ported in Cambridge near Boston which served as a "receiving ship" including a floating barracks and processing station for new sailors.
He went on to service as an ordinary seaman with a transfer on July 29, 1863 to the sloop of war Housatonic. The wooden-hulled vessel assisted in the Union Army's blockade of Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. During his time aboard, the Housatonic captured the enemy sloop Neptune in April 1863 during an attempted escape from Charleston bearing a cargo of turpentine and cotton. The Housatonic also helped to capture the steamer Seesh in mid-May 1863. When mounted with howitzer cannon, the vessel also took part in the attack on Fort Wagner in July 1863.
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| Sinking of Charles' former Civil War ship, the Housatonic - Library of Congress |
He remained on the Housatonic as an ordinary seaman for almost a year and then was moved to the Princeton, where he received his honorable discharge at New Orleans on Aug. 4, 1863. Less than two weeks later, he re-enlisted on Aug. 17, 1863 and was placed back on the Princeton. He was transferred within a few weeks on Sept. 5, 1863 to the USS Arkansas. He remained on the Arkansas for nearly another year, and took on added duty as a military police officer ("master at arms"). He and his old mates would have been horrified when learning that their former warship, the Housatonic, had been sunk by the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley in mid-February 1864. The event marked the first time in history that a submarine sank an enemy vessel in combat. Charles was hospitalized for diarrhea on July 25, 1864 and was sent back to duty two days later. He received his final honorable discharge in New Orleans on Aug. 31, 1864.
The Youngkins' homes after the war were in Easton (40 years), Allentown (four years) and Scranton (12 years). The United States Census of 1880 lists the family in Easton, with him earning income as a laborer. His widowed mother was in their household that year. As of 1907, they dwelled in Scranton, Lackawanna County. Their address in 1910 was 1526 Capouse Avenue, Scranton.
Sadly, with her health failing, Malinda moved to Allentown circa 1892. There, after a stay of three years, she passed away on Feb. 2, 1895 in Allentown.
Charles survived for another 15 years, living at 45 North Third Street in Easton and at 1526 Capouse Avenue in Scranton. He suffered a major stroke on Dec. 29, 1898 which left his entire left side paralyzed. In 1899, he was awarded a military pension of $10 per month as compensation for his wartime ailments. [Invalid App. #25.520 - Cert 17.287] As of 1907, he received a monthly check in the amount of $15. Over the years, as his health declined, and he increasingly was unable to earn income through manual labor, the monthly check was raised to $20.
Suffering from senility, chronic kidney ailments, hemorrhoids and disease of the rectum, Charles died at the age of 76 on Feb. 27, 1910 in his daughter Hannah's home in Allentown. An obituary in the Allentown Morning Call said that Charles had passed away "from the effects of a complication of ailments. The deceased was a native of Scranton, where he resided until he went to Easton, about a year ago, to make his home with Mrs. Semple." Interment of their remains was in Easton Cemetery. Their final resting places are unmarked.
~ Daughter Emma Belles Louise (Youngkin) Kiefer ~
Daughter Emma Belles Louise Youngkin (1855-1922) was born on July 15, 1855 in Easton. She was christened on June 5, 1861 in St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Easton.
On May 5, 1874, she entered into marriage with Asa Everett Kiefer (Aug. 10, 1848-1937), son of Samuel and Sarah Kiefer of Martin's Creek, Northampton County.
Their only known child was Marilla Kemmerer Springer.
Asa was an alumnus of Freeland Seminary in Collegeville, a site later occupied by Ursinus College.
The family settled in Scranton in about 1882 and never left. For 35 years, Asa was employed as an accountant and treasurer with Scranton Lace Company. He also served for two terms on the Common Council of the city. "While serving as a councilman," said the Scranton Times, "he fathered the ordinance making it mandatory for railroads to establish gates at grade crossings in the city. He also served as Lackawanna county auditor from 1896 to 1902." Then in about 1897, they moved to the Green Ridge section of Scranton, with an address of 1526 Capouse.
They held memberships in the Green Ridge Presbyterian Church, with Emma active with its King's Daughters, Col. Hitchcock's Bible Class, Home and Foreign Missionary Societies and Ladies' Aid Society. Asa was a charter member of the Green Ridge lodge of the Odd Fellows.
Sadly, burdened with diabetes and gallstones, the 66-year-old Emma died on May 24, 1922. Her remains were interred in Easton Cemetery.
After three years alone, Asa married a second time in 1925 to Blanche Gertrude Swartz (1871-1932). He was widowed for a second time at Blanche's demise in 1932.
His final address was a 1932 move-in with his daughter in Philadelphia at 2435 South 21st. Having borne hardening of the arteries for a decade, the 89-year-old Asa suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and passed away a few days later in Philadelphia on Feb. 2, 1937. A short notice of his death appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Daughter Marilla Kemmerer Kiefer ( ? - ? ) was wed to Ralph Spangler.
~ Daughter Hannah Malinda (Youngkin) Semple ~
Daughter Hannah Malinda Youngkin (1856-1936) was born four days after Christmas 1856 in Easton.
On May 3, 1878, in Philadelphia, she was joined in wedlock with George Miller Semple (Oct. 13, 1856-1928), son of John and Mary (Miller) Semple of Easton, the father an immigrant from Scotland.
At least five children of the pair were John S. Semple, Charles Youngkin Semple, Karl K. Semple, George Semple and Mary Jones.
The pair made a residence in Easton in the mid-1890s-1922. George "was engaged in the oil business here with his father," noted the Allentown Morning Call. Hannah belonged to the Olive Presbyterian Church.
George appears to have survived a stroke and was an invalid for many years. Then in late August or early September 1928, he fell and was injured and confined to his bed. Three weeks later, on Sept. 21, 1928, he passed away. An obituary in the Morning Call said that he was "a native and lifelong resident of Easton."
As a widow, Hannah remained in their homeplace at 245 Bushkill Street, Easton. During those years, she "conducted a team room on N. 3rd St., near the Easton Y.M.C.A." She died in the residence at the age of 80 on Sept. 1, 1936. The Morning Call carried an obituary.
Son John S. Semple ( ? - ? ) - As of 1936, son John was in New York City.
Son Charles Youngkin Semple (1879- ? ) was born April 20, 1879. He resided in Washington, DC and Ithaca, NY in the mid-1930s.
Son Karl K. Semple ( ? - ? ) settled in Easton.
Son George Semple (1883-1936) was born on March 29, 1883. He tied the knot with Hannah ( ? - ? ). He worked as an ice man and sadly died on July 7, 1936 from cancer of the scrotum and rupture of the right femural artery.
Daughter Mary Semple exchanged marital vows with Harry Jones and made their dwelling-place in Pen Argyl, PA.
~ Daughter Mary Frances "Fannie" Youngkin ~
Daughter Mary Frances "Fannie" Youngkin (1858-1923) was born on Sept. 17, 1858 in Easton. She may not have married.
Fannie resided with her parents at the age of 21 in 1880, in Easton, and had an occupation as a "tailorist."
As of 1895, she lived in Allentown, and in 1910 was in Philadelphia. Circa 1923, she dwelled under the roof of her sister Hannah Semple at 245 Bushkill Street, Easton.
Sadly, Mary Frances bore a "complication of ailments" during her last year-plus and surrendered to the angel of death in Easton on July 6, 1923. An obituary in the Allentown Morning Call said that she "resided in Nazareth for about five years and attended the Moravian church there. Last October aftere she became seriously ill, she went to Easton to reside with her sister."
~ Son William Lincoln Youngkin ~
Son William Lincoln Youngkin (1865- ? ) was born on June 30, 1865 in Easton.
At the age of five months, on Nov. 25, 1865, he was christened in St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Easton.
William relocated to Texas and was there in 1895-1910. From there he fades away into the haze of mystery.
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Copyright © 2023-2024, 2026 Mark A. Miner |
Content for this biography courtesy of William C. Youngkin, Francis M. Marvin and the late Donna (Younkin) Logan |