Henry Young, M.D.

Northwestern Iowa has just reason to take pride in the personal of her corps of medical men from the early days in its history to the present time, an don the roll of honored names of those who through the years have rendered distinguished service in both professional and civic life, that of Dr. Henry Young occupies a prominent place. He has long held distinctive prestige among the medical men of this section of the state and has achieved a worthy success, his ability and devotion to his calling being recognized and appreciated not only in Manson, but also throughout the northern part of the state. Born in Ogle county, Illinois, on the 16th of June, 1846, he is a son of William and Nancy (Long) Young. His parents were born, reared and married in Maryland, and in 1840 came west to Ogle county, where they settled on a farm, where they spent their remaining years.

Henry Young received his preliminary education in the public schools of Ogle county and in Rock River Seminary of Mount Morris, Illinois, and then attended one course of medical lectures at the University of Michigan. he next entered the Chicago Medical College (now the medical school of Northwestern University), where he was graduated, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, in 1872. He entered upon active practice in Oregon, Illinois, where he remained about six months, and then came to Manson, Iowa, where he has practiced for fifty-four years. Ostensibly he has retired, but many of his patients, whose families he has attended through the second and third generations, still insist on his service to them, and he finds it impossible to absolutely retire. On the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of his practice in Manson, the medical society of Calhoun county celebrated the occasion at his home, all of the physicians of the county meeting at a dinner in his honor. Doctor Young passed through all the experiences of the pioneer physician, many of which were not pleasant or agreeable. During the wet seasons, when the early roads were impassable for a buggy, he rode horseback, his practice covering a radius of twenty miles from Manson, and when the going was too bad for his horse he went afoot. Neither swollen streams which he had to ford, storm nor blizzard deterred him from going when a call came for him and perhaps few people fully appreciate the measure of faithful and unselfish service which he rendered in those days. Possessing a wide medical learning, embracing both theoretical knowledge and practical experience, combined with sincerity and faithfulness in his work, he has been an ideal physician and has well merited the honored place which he hold in public esteem.

Doctor Young has been married twice. In 1877 he wedded Miss Jean Glover, of Manson, and to them were born three children, namely: John William, who is engaged in the produce business in Manson; Albert Leslie, who is a radio engineer in the service of the federal government; and Edna, who is the wife of R. A. Bloker, of Cedar Falls, Iowa. The mother of these children died in 1887, and the Doctor was subsequently married to Miss Etta Leavenworth, of Montrose, Iowa, who is a graduate of Coe College and for seven years prior to her marriage was a teacher in the public schools. To this marriage was born a son, Henry Leavenworth, who is an attorney at Storm Lake, Iowa, is a veteran of the World war, having served in France, and is now commander of the American Legion post at Storm Lake.

Doctor Young has always maintained a deep interest in public affairs and was one of the first men in northwestern Iowa to fight for drainage, being president of the State Drainage Association for several years. He was elected to the lower house of the state legislature, serving through the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth sessions of the general assembly, and later served as a member of the state senate through the thirtieth, thirty-first and thirty-second and thirty-second extra session. While a member of the senate he had the pleasure of helping to enact a drainage law, for which he had so long worked. He is a member of the Calhoun County Medical Society and the Iowa State Medical Society, and belongs to the Iowa Historical Society. He and his wife are earnest members of the Congregational church, to which he has always given generous support. He served three terms as mayor of Manson and was the first president of the Calhoun County State Bank. A useful factor in the world's work and a man of well-rounded character, sincere, devoted and loyal, he well merits the exalted place which he has long held in the hearts of his fellow citizens of Calhoun county.

Transcribed for the Iowa History Special Project