Alexander Younger

ALEXANDER YOUNGER

Conflicting Claims

Alexander Younger came to Virginia, settling in York County in the 1680's from Worcester, England. His brother, Andrew, lived in Scotland, where Youngers abounded. Scottish Youngers settled the upper Chesapeake Bay area and along the Rappahannock and above Fredricksburg. One Younger sea Captain had as an apprentice the 12-year old John Paul Jones. BPG Family History

We know very little about the origins of Alexander Younger before his arrival in Virginia. There is a parish register entry in Lanark, Glasgow, Scotland showing an Alexander Younger christened on May 2, 1681. We don’t know if that record is for our Alexander, but it could be, especially given the 1699 court record which indicates his age as 18 years of age. DNAeXplained – Genetic Genealogy

Alexander Younger (d. 1727), was born in Glasgow, Scotland and died in Halifax County, Virginia. He came to York County, Virginia in the 1680's via Worcester, England. He married Rebecca Mills, daughter of John and Sarah Mills of Essex County, Virginia, before 1700. Alexander Younger was a tobacco farmer near Rappahannnock, Virginia. Stone County Historical Society: Armistead Younger (1811-1883) descendants in Stone County, Arkansas

The Question of Identity

Alexander Younger, here treated, was probably born in Scotland. He certainly refers to his brother Andrew in Scotland in his last will and testament. His brother Andrew may have predeceased him in death, because he named his heir in remainder as: "next heir in Scotland of my brother Andrew's only wife". [Will Book 4, pp 222-223. Written 11 Aug 1725, Probated 18 Jul 1727. Virginia State Library]

Death

Alexander Younger, here treated, was alive on 11 August 1725, the date upon which he made his last will and testament, but he died before 19 July 1727, the date up which his last will and testament was proved. [Will Book 4, pp 222-223. Written 11 Aug 1725, Probated 18 Jul 1727. Virginia State Library]

The Last Will and Testament of Alexander Younger

IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN…The eleventh day of Aug 1725, I, Alexander Younger of the County of Essex, being sick and weak of body yet in perfect sense and memory thanks be to God for the same I do make and constitute ordain and declare this to be my last will and testament and no other first being point out and sorry from the bottom of my heart for all my sins past most humble begging God forgiveness and remission of the same through the alone merits of my dear redeemer and only savior, Jesus Christ. I commit my soul into the hand of Almighty God, my savior and only redeemer through the merit of whose death and passion I hope to have full and perfect remission and forgiveness of all my sins. My body to be decently interred by my executors hereafter named in hopes of a happy resurrection at the last day and my soul and body to enter into perfect joy and felicity forevermore. And for the settling and disposing my temporal and such goods and chattels as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I do order give and dispose as follows, that is to say, first all those debts and duties as I owe in right or custom to any person whatsoever shall be well and truly contented and paid within convenient time after my decease by my executors hereafter named. First I will and bequeath to the three poorest objects of pity in the parish thirty shillings in such things as may answer their wants to be paid within one year after my decease by my executors.

Secondly I will and bequeath to my son Thomas Younger that piece of land that I bought of Mr. Hill and Richard Jones, a young heifer called Fairmade and her female increase and if she happens to be barren and not a breeder then to have a young cow out of my own proper stock of chattels and if she should die then to have another young cow in her room out of my own proper stock and six pounds currency and that gun which I bought of Captain Welch.

Thirdly I will and bequeath to my son John Younger that piece of land which I bought of Mary Newton, two young cows out of my proper stock, six pound currency and his choice of my other two guns.

If either of my two sons Thomas or John die without issue then their land, money and gun to fall to the eldest female then alive only my will is that the child in whose hands any of the boy’s land falls to, the other part of their estate shall be equally divide among the rest then alive. They themselves that have the land having one equal part thereof. It is my will that the two eldest then alive of the female kind if the male be all dead should inherit the land. Also my will is that after appraisement made that my estate be equally divided among my other six children to wit: James Younger, Elizabeth Younger, Ann Younger, Mary Younger, Jannett Younger, and Susannah Younger, and further it is my will that if any one of them died without issue lawfully begotten of their body that their part be equally divided among the rest then alive and it is my will concerning every one of my children’s parts of the estate if they die without issue lawfully begotten of their body to be still equally divided among the rest then alive and further it is my will that if my well beloved wife, Rebecca Younger, should happen to join in wedlock state after my decease it is my will that the boys should be for themselves at the age of seventeen years old and if she continues my widow then to remain till the year of twenty one AND IF IT SHOULD PLEASE GOD TO WHOM ALL THINGS ARE SUBJECT TO REMOVE ALL MY ISSUE BY DEATH THEN IT IS MY WILL THAT MY LAND AND PERSONAL ESTATE BE SECURED FOR MY NEXT HEIR IN SCOTLAND OF MY BROTHER ANDREW'S ONLY WIFE TO HAVE THE LIBERTY OF THE SAME ALL HER DAYS in a moderate way to live upon without control of any person whatsoever.

The executors whom I order and appoint is my well beloved wife Rebecca Younger and my son Thomas Younger to see the same truly appointed and fully performed. In witness whereof I have affixed my seal and set my hand the day and year first above written. Signed: Alexander Younger Witnesses: John Haile, Bryant Edmondson, Francis Haile (his mark)

At a court for Essex County on Tuesday the 18th of July 1727, the within last will and testament of Alexander Younger, dec’d, was proved by the oath of Rebecca Younger, his executrix and being further proved by the oath of John Haile and Bryant Edmondson, two of the witnesses thereto was admitted to record. Signed W. Beverly, C.C.

Source: Will Book 4, pp 222-223. Written 11 Aug 1725, Probated 18 Jul 1727. Virginia State Library

Letter Addressed to Ellen Younger

Ellen Younger
Loretto Hotel
Santa Fe 67501 April, 1977

Dearest Ellen,

I promised to write you some family history. I am sorry to have been delayed so long in getting started. Your ggggg grandfather was Alexander Younger who came to Virginia (York County) in the 1680's from Worcester England. At that time there were other Youngers in Worcester and in other places in England. But the Youngers abounded in Scotland, and Alexander's brother Andrew lived in Scotland. Scottish Youngers were prominent in the upper Chesapeake Bay trade and along the Rappahannock River, even above Fredericksburg. As a 12 yr. old boy, John Paul Jones was apprenticed to one of these Younger Scottish sea captains.

Our Alexander made his way up along the Rappahannock from around Williamsbay and Yorktown through King and Queen County in Essex County. Before 1700 he married Rebecca Mills, daughter of John and Sarah Mills of Essex County. Eventually they settled down on a farm at or near the town of Tappahannock, county seat of Essex, located on the Rappahannock where it begins to narrow down but is still pretty wide.

Alexander and Rebecca had 8 children: Thomas (1700), John (1702), Elizabeth (1704), Susannah (1706), Mary (1712), Anne (1715), Jannetta (1717), and James (1725). In 1725 Alexander made his will and died in 1727. I have a copy of his will, no doubt, written by a professional copyist, which reveals dramatically the fancy longhand of that day.

Alexander was a tobacco farmer and seems to have acquired some 300-400 acres of land. I have the impression that they were pious folk. Although everyone in those days was under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Church, I suspect that Alexander was not an Anglican but a member of one of the evangelical denominations. His will reveals him to be charitable. The will indicates that he owned only one slave, perhaps an aging personal servant. So Alexander was a yeoman farmer whom Thomas Jefferson, many years later, would call "the chosen people of God."

After a year or two Rebecca married Timothy Driscoll, and they left most of their property to Anne Younger, who married John Price of Middlesex County, VA.

• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: May 20 2021, 21:27:33 UTC