Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 616.
 
MARY A. (FOSTER) YOUNG

     is a native of the great state of Oregon and has spent most of her life
within its precincts. She is a daughter who brings credit to her native land and
is one of the leading ladies of our county. Oregon City was her native heath and
there she was reared and educated. Her father, Phillip Foster, was a native of
Maine and came from a prominent family of that state. For years he was a leading
merchant in his native place and finally decided to follow the Star of Empire to
the west and accordingly as early as 1843 he embarked on a vessel and doubled
Cape Horn, arriving in due time in Oregon. He selected a donation claim thirteen
miles from the falls in the Willamette river, where Oregon City is now located
and at once took up the pioneer's life. He continued in this place, giving
attention to managing his estate, until his death, which occurred in 1884. He
held various offices of public trust and was a man of prominence and influence
in the Willamette valley. He had married Miss Mary C. Pettygrove, a native of
Calais, Maine, and she accompanied him in his journeys. She came from an old and
prominent family in Maine and was a faithful helpmeet to her husband all of his
days. It required no small amount of courage and stamina to leave the old home
and try one's fortune in the wilds of the great west. Oregon at that time was
but a dim unknown country on the map and the savages were the masters. Still,
these worthy pioneers braved the dangers, endured the hardships, and did a noble
work in this western country.
     Our subject remained at home during her early life and received a good
education in the schools of the day. Then came her marriage to Thomas Young, who
had crossed the plains in an early day and was one of the worthy pioneers of
this state. In 1883, she came east of the mountains with her husband and they
went to work with a will to make a fortune and a home for themselves.  In this
they succeeded well. Stock raising occupied them and owing to the skill and
wisdom with which they prosecuted it, they were rewarded with handsome returns
in a short time. They first lived in Heppner and later removed to Ferry Canyon.
After the death of her husband, Mrs. Young managed a large ranch for a time and
made a splendid, success of it. She is a woman of ability and many graces and
has won hosts of friends in this country.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.