I want to continue writing about the Younker Family today. Since they moved away from Maple Hill before I was born, I’ve heard about the Younkers from my mother, grandparents, etc. but I was surprised to learn that three generations of Younkers came to Wabaunsee County about 1885.

I will begin with John C. Younker, Sr. who was born July 18, 1791 in Monmouth County, New Jersey and died January 22, 1875 in Washington Township, Dearborn County, Indiana.

John C. Younker, Sr. Married Margaret Hume Wilson on May 1, 1823. Margaret was born February 19, 1794 in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky and died January 22, 1875 in Washington Township, Dearborn County, Indiana.

The John C. Younker, Sr. was a veteran of the War of 1812, and served in the US Army again in 1818 and 1819. He then took advantage of Military Lands that were opened in Indiana and eventually acquired 360 acres of land in Dearborn County, Indiana. It was there that he met Margaret and they were married and raised their family on the farm.

John and Margaret Younkers were the parents of five children:
James Wilson Younker – 1824-1893
John C. Younker, Jr. – 1826- 1893
Jesse Younker, 1828 – 1872
Sarah Younker, 1830
Bowman Harvey Younker, 1834- 1923

While John and Margaret Younker never left their farm in Dearborn County, Indiana, James Wilson, John C, Jr., and Bowman Harvey Younker would all migrate from Indiana to Kansas in the early 1880s and settle on farms in Mission Creek Township, Wabaunsee County, Kansas. Their farms were near what is now the little ghost town of Keene, Kansas and these three sons, their wives and many of their children are buried in the Keene Cemetery on Kansas Highway 4. Some members of the family moved into Eskridge and are buried in the Eskridge Cemetery.

The first of the Younker brothers to move to Wabaunsee County was James Wilson, who came sometime between 1880 and 1885. He is enumerated on the Kansas 1885 Census as living on a farm in Mission Creek Township.

James Wilson Younker married Sarah Ann Hume on August 9, 1848 in Dearborn County, Indiana. They were the parents of eight children:

American Jane Younker – 1849 – 1879
Samuel Christian Younker – 1852 – 1931
George H. Younker 1854 – 1934
Hannah Younker – 1857 – 1888
Daniel Boone Younker – 1861 – 1915
Miranda Nevada Younker – 1864 – 1896
Frank Younker – 1867 – 1887
James Wilson Younker, Jr. – 1869 – 1942

The first two children, American Jane and Samuel Christian, were raised in Dearborn County, Indiana, married there and spent their entire lives in Dearborn County.

George H. Younker was a bachelor, but moved to Wabaunsee County and had a farm in Mission Creek Township. He sold the farm in later life and lived in Eskridge, Kansas until he became a resident of the Kansas Masonic Home in Wichita, Kansas, where he died.

Hannah Younker married John A. Caswell in Dearborn County, Indiana on September 16, 1878 and they moved to Wabaunsee County, Kansas with the remainder of the family. Hannah died in 1888 and is buried in the Eskridge Cemetery, Eskridge, Kansas.

Daniel Boone Younker was born and raised in Dearborn County, IN and moved to Wabaunsee County, Indiana with other family members. He farmed in the Mission Creek Township area of Wabaunsee County, where he met his future wife, Katherine “Kate” Spang. Kate Spang was born in 1864, probably in Illinois although she also lists Kansas as her state of birth in some places. She passed away in 1947 and both she and Daniel Younker are buried in the Maple Hill Cemetery, Maple Hill Kansas. Katherine’s father was born in Germany in 1847 and came to Illinois and then to the Mission Creek/Maple Hill area around 1885. Although his occupation is always listed as “farmer” I’m not able to find that he owned land in Wabaunsee County.

Katherine “Kate” Spang was the daughter of Nicholas Spang, who was born in 1847 in Germany and came to the United States in 1860, moving first to Illinois and then to Kansas. I believe that Nicholas Spang was married twice but there is conflicting information about that, so at this time, I’m not able to say who the mother of Katherine Spang was. He moved to the Maple Hill area about 1890, as a widower, with two daughters, Katherine and Mary Spang. He was a tenant farmer and also worked on the Horace G. Adams Ranch at Maple Hill. The 1900 US Census shows him living with daughter and son-in-law, Mary and George Brown in Mission Creek Township. I know for certain that Nicholas Spang was married to Mary Taylor, the daughter of John and Mary Taylor, natives of Virginia. I believe this was a second marriage for Nicholas Spang, and that Mary (Taylor) Spang was not the mother of Katherine (Spang) Younker and Mary (Spang) Brown. While Mary (Taylor) Spang died in 1894 and is buried in the Old Stone Church Cemetery at Maple Hill, Nicholas Spang died in 1917 and is buried beside his daughter Mary (Spang) Brown in the Eskridge Cemetery, Eskridge, Kansas.

Daniel B and Kate (Spang) Younker are both buried in the Old Stone Church Cemetery, Maple Hill, Kansas. Daniel was 11 years older than Kate, and died fairly young. Daniel B. Younker died in 1915. City directories show that Kate moved to Topeka, Kansas after his death and worked at various domestic jobs. The 1930 US Census indicates that she was living with her daughter in Alma, but the 1940-1942 city directories show her again living in Topeka, Kansas at 325 Madison Street. Kate Younker died in 1947 and is buried beside her husband.

Dan and Kate Younker were the parents of five known children:
Irene A. Younker – 1893 – 1961
Arthur Eugene Younker – 1895 – 1963
Bertha Younker – 1897
Grace Marie Younker – 1901 – 1981
Mary A Younker – 1903

From the records I am able to find, Irene Younker married late in life. She lived in the Maple Hill and Rossville communities with her parents until moving to Washington, DC around 1918. She is shown on the 1920 US Census as living in Washington, DC and her occupation was Government Clerk. Sometime before 1930, she married Alma native Herman William Steimel. Herman’s parents were Michael Johann “Mike” and Mary Ann Steimel, whose parents were both German immigrants. If Herman and Irene had children, I have not been able to find any records. They lived in the Alma community until Herman died in 1944. Irene A. (Younker) Steimel died in 1961 and both are buried in the Holy Family Catholic Church portion of the Alma Cemetery, Alma, Kansas.

Arthur Eugene Younker was born October 31, 1895 on his parent’s farm at Maple Hill, Kansas. His parents moved to the Rossville community and rented a farm for a few years, they are shown living there on the 1900 US Census, but then moved back to Maple Hill. Arthur grew up in the Maple Hill community and attended schools there. He lived with his parents until his marriage.

In 1920, he was married to Matilda Frances Fauerbach, daughter of Robert Francis “Frank” and Clara Charlotte (Allen) Fauerbach. The Fauerbach’s were an pioneer farming family northeast of Maple Hill. Clara’s parents were Charles Gustoff “Charlie” and Matilda (Peterson) Allen who farmed in Kaw Township north of Maple Hill.

I wish Jack and Bill Warren were alive to verify this, but from Census records it appears that Arthur and Matilda Younker were the tenant farmers living on the Warren Farm in 1925. The 1930 Census shows that the Younker family has moved to Topeka, Kansas where his occupation is shown as “driver” for Whelan Lumber Company. Their address was 1408 E. 8th Ave., Topeka, Kansas.

The family was still living in Topeka for the 1935 US Census but had moved to Algona, King County, Washington where his occupation is listed as construction foreman, working on building a new school house.

Arthur E. and Matilda (Allen) Younker were the parents of :
Doris Younker – 1922
Elaine Josephine Younker – 1925
Melvin Leo Younker – 1926 – 1990
Norman E. Younker – 1933

Arthur E. Younker died in Alameda, California on July 6y, 1963 and Matilda (Allen) Younker died on September 22, 1956 in King County, Washington. Both are buried in the Mountain View Cemetery, Auburn, King County, Washington.

I am going to stop there are hopefully some of the Younker family will be able to provide a lot more information on the children of Arthur and Matilda (Allen) Younker.

I don’t have any pictures of these family members to show, but hopefully descendants will share some with us. I hope the information I’ve provided is helpful. Nick Clark, Maple Hill Page Administrator