Long Beach, Cal. John Younkin, son of the late John H. and Lucinda Sweitzer Younkin, died in his home, this city, Nov. 23, 1938, age 79 years. When a young man he started a ranch at Crestbard [sic], South Dakota, which he developed into extensive acreage. For some years he spent the winters in Long Beach, where he had interests in real estate. Four years ago he suffered a fractured hip. Since that time he has been afflicted. Cancer developed, causing the fatal illness. He is survived by his widow, three daughters and several grandchildren, also two sisters, Mrs. Minnie Myers, New Bloomfield, Mo., and Mrs. Nancy Forsythe, Connellsville, Pa. The funeral was held Nov. 25, with interment in Sunnyside Memorial Park, Long Beach.

Unknown Long Beach, California, Newspaper - November 1938

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JOHN YOUNKIN is an honored resident of Faulk County where he is living in township 119, range 68, in a comfortable home that is the center of true and generous hospitality. He is one of the oldest settlers of that vicinity, and is one of its successful farmers.

Mr. Younkin was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1859, and was the son of J. H. Younkin, who was born and raised in the same county as our subject. He is of Pennsylvania Dutch descent, and the father served two years in the Civil War. The mother of our subject, Lucinda Switzer Younkin, was a native of the same county as her husband, and was the daughter of a farmer. Both families have been in America long enough to lose the language of the forefathers and the German language is not spoken by any of them.

Our subject is the sixth in a family of eight children, and was reared on a farm until fourteen years, and at the age of seventeen years was employed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad as brakeman, which position he held three years. He then gave up the work and was employed at farm work in Illinois two years, and in 1881 went to Iowa and was engaged at the same calling two years. He went to Athol, South Dakota, in March 1883, and located on the southeast quarter of section 31, township 120, range 67, and erected an eight by twelve shanty. He had a trunk of clothes and no resources, and worked at farm work for others until June, when he bought a team and plow and went to breaking. His first team was poor stock, but cost him two hundred and seventy-five dollars. He broke thirty acres of his land the first year, and to pay for his plow, broke land for others. He resided on his pre-emption until the fall of 1885, breaking sixty acres more land, and the same summer purchased a wagon. His crop was nearly a failure, and he worked for others to pay his threshing bill, then sold his chattels and went to Iowa, but returned to Dakota in the spring of 1886, and worked out, and the following year started farming again for himself, and for two years lived a bachelor's life. He resided on his pre-emption until 1896, when he moved to the southwest quarter of section 12, township 119, range 68. Part of his present house and barn were moved and enlarged, and his farm is now supplied with a good set of farm buildings. His barn, fifty-six by sixty feet, with eight-foot posts, is one of the largest in the county, and furnishes commodious quarters for the sheltering of stock and grain. His farm comprises six hundred and forty acres of land, most of which is in pasture for his cattle. In the early days he engaged in grain raising, but at present cattle raising forms the larger part of his farm interests. He also does a large dairying business, and keeps sixty-five head of cattle, and nine head of horses. He was among the earliest settlers of Fairview township, and no shanties for miles around were to be seen when he made his start in Dakota by working out at day wages. He is a careful and conservative farmer, pays cash as he goes, and owes no one.

Mr. Younkin was married in the fall of 1899 to Anna Stoddard, a native of Elmira, New York. Mrs. Younkin's father, Holmes Stoddard, was boss roller in the iron mill. Her mother was born in England, and emigrated to America when a young girl. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Younkin, as follows: Leah, born December 20, 1891, and Merle, born in August, 1896. Mr. Younkin is an active member of the community where he has resided for so many years, and promotes the welfare of his township and county. He has filled numerous township offices and served on the township board. He is a Republican in political sentiments and takes an active part in the affairs of his party.

"Memorial and Biographical Record; an illustrated compendum of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota . . ., (Chicago, 1899)", G. A. Ogle & Co.

Long Beach, Cal. John Younkin, son of the late John H. and Lucinda Sweitzer Younkin, died in his home, this city, Nov. 23, 1938, age 79 years. When a young man he started a ranch at Crestbard [sic], South Dakota, which he developed into extensive acreage. For some years he spent the winters in Long Beach, where he had interests in real estate. Four years ago he suffered a fractured hip. Since that time he has been afflicted. Cancer developed, causing the fatal illness. He is survived by his widow, three daughters and several grandchildren, also two sisters, Mrs. Minnie Myers, New Bloomfield, Mo., and Mrs. Nancy Forsythe, Connellsville, Pa. The funeral was held Nov. 25, with interment in Sunnyside Memorial Park, Long Beach.

Unknown Long Beach, California, Newspaper - November 1938

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JOHN YOUNKIN is an honored resident of Faulk County where he is living in township 119, range 68, in a comfortable home that is the center of true and generous hospitality. He is one of the oldest settlers of that vicinity, and is one of its successful farmers.

Mr. Younkin was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1859, and was the son of J. H. Younkin, who was born and raised in the same county as our subject. He is of Pennsylvania Dutch descent, and the father served two years in the Civil War. The mother of our subject, Lucinda Switzer Younkin, was a native of the same county as her husband, and was the daughter of a farmer. Both families have been in America long enough to lose the language of the forefathers and the German language is not spoken by any of them.

Our subject is the sixth in a family of eight children, and was reared on a farm until fourteen years, and at the age of seventeen years was employed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad as brakeman, which position he held three years. He then gave up the work and was employed at farm work in Illinois two years, and in 1881 went to Iowa and was engaged at the same calling two years. He went to Athol, South Dakota, in March 1883, and located on the southeast quarter of section 31, township 120, range 67, and erected an eight by twelve shanty. He had a trunk of clothes and no resources, and worked at farm work for others until June, when he bought a team and plow and went to breaking. His first team was poor stock, but cost him two hundred and seventy-five dollars. He broke thirty acres of his land the first year, and to pay for his plow, broke land for others. He resided on his pre-emption until the fall of 1885, breaking sixty acres more land, and the same summer purchased a wagon. His crop was nearly a failure, and he worked for others to pay his threshing bill, then sold his chattels and went to Iowa, but returned to Dakota in the spring of 1886, and worked out, and the following year started farming again for himself, and for two years lived a bachelor's life. He resided on his pre-emption until 1896, when he moved to the southwest quarter of section 12, township 119, range 68. Part of his present house and barn were moved and enlarged, and his farm is now supplied with a good set of farm buildings. His barn, fifty-six by sixty feet, with eight-foot posts, is one of the largest in the county, and furnishes commodious quarters for the sheltering of stock and grain. His farm comprises six hundred and forty acres of land, most of which is in pasture for his cattle. In the early days he engaged in grain raising, but at present cattle raising forms the larger part of his farm interests. He also does a large dairying business, and keeps sixty-five head of cattle, and nine head of horses. He was among the earliest settlers of Fairview township, and no shanties for miles around were to be seen when he made his start in Dakota by working out at day wages. He is a careful and conservative farmer, pays cash as he goes, and owes no one.

Mr. Younkin was married in the fall of 1899 to Anna Stoddard, a native of Elmira, New York. Mrs. Younkin's father, Holmes Stoddard, was boss roller in the iron mill. Her mother was born in England, and emigrated to America when a young girl. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Younkin, as follows: Leah, born December 20, 1891, and Merle, born in August, 1896. Mr. Younkin is an active member of the community where he has resided for so many years, and promotes the welfare of his township and county. He has filled numerous township offices and served on the township board. He is a Republican in political sentiments and takes an active part in the affairs of his party.

"Memorial and Biographical Record; an illustrated compendum of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota . . ., (Chicago, 1899)", G. A. Ogle & Co.