Winter 2004

The Younglove Diaries

73 Years of Journals by a Father and Three Sons

Cornelius Younglove - March 7, 1772 - Sept. 16, 1856
Samuel B. Younglove - June 7, 1807 - Feb. 21, 1887
Timothy Meigs Younglove - March 5, 1814 - March 10, 1892
Cornelius S. Younglove - November 29, 1824 - May 29, 1907

by

Leonard Paul Wood

The Younglove diaries have been edited and preserved by Leonard Paul Wood, G-G-G-Grandson of Cornelius Younglove and G-G-Grandson of Timothy Meigs Younglove. Much of the historical information about the diaries was recorded by T. M . Younglove in 1882. Click here for an index to the diaries.

Cornelius Younglove

Second son of Joseph Younglove was born in New Jersey, March 7, 1772, the month previous to the emigration of grandfather Isaiah and families to Cambridge, New York. On April 8, 1800, he left his father's and went to Arlington, Vermont, where he formed a partnership with his brother Aaron & carried on stone cutting and marble quarrying for two years. On April 12, 1792, he removed back to Cambridge and settled on the turnpike a little south of Battenkill. He married Hannah Bartlett of Sunderland, Vermont, Feb. 21, 1802. They sold their farm and moved to Steuben County in June, 1807.

Cornelius and Hannah lived in Pleasant Valley where Richard Wood's home is now situated. His son Timothy built the Octagon House across the road towards Hammondsport in 1859. Cornelius acquired much land and raised sheep while living in Pleasant Valley. He was one of the founders of the Episcopal Church in Hammondsport. He was appointed Sheriff, March 25, 1811. Cornelius Younglove died at the homestead Sept. 16, 1856, aged 84 years, 6 months, 9 days.

Cornelius was a descendant of Samuel Younglove who came to this country from England in the ship "Hopewell" with Captain Babb in September, 1635.

Rev. John Younglove of Suffield, Conn., died 1690. Father of Joseph Younglove who was the Father of Isaiah Younglove who was Father of Joseph Younglove who was Father of Cornelius Younglove who was Father of Timothy M. Younglove being the sixth generation from Rev. John who was a Presbyterian minister and came from England and settled in Smithfield or Suffield, Conn.

Samuel B. Younglove

Second son of Cornelius and Hannah Bartlett Younglove, was born in Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y., June 7, 1807. Yet a baby when his family moved to Pleasant Valley in Steuben Co. New York. Married Lydia Jacobus, September 20, 1827 who died August 14, 1857. Samuel then married Widow Louisa Wixon. He settled on a new farm (about five miles north of the old homestead in Pleasant Valley) on the west side of the old Two Rod Road being the first farm that overlooks the big swamp (Prattsburgh muck lands). He continued there until he sold. He then went back to the old homestead for several years. Then he lived in Prattsburgh about six years and in January, 1882, went back to the old home. He died February 21, 1887. He had no children although George Plaisted lived when a young boy with Samuel & Lydia on the Two Rod Road farm. Samuel willed his property to his brother C. S. Younglove, who lived in Minnesota.

Samuel's diary was stored in the Octagon House in Pleasant Valley and the pages had been covered with newspaper items and had to be soaked off before it could be read. A few pages were missing; these are the only diaries (1843-46) I found of his. His brothers, Timothy and Cornelius S. both left numerous diaries of the same period.

Cornelius S. Younglove

Sixth son of Cornelius and Hannah was born Nov 29, 1824. He studied medicine, began the practice in company with Dr. E. VanKeuren in Hammondsport about 1850. He emigrated to Illinois and practiced one year (1854) in Dixon, then went to Rochester, Minnesota, where he continued to practice until about 1863 or 4 when he quit on account of failing health. He had a frail constitution. Cornelius married Kate, the second daughter of William Brundage, in Wisconsin in October 1856. They had two daughters, Emma and Alice.

Timothy Meigs Younglove

Fifth son of Cornelius and Hannah Bartlett Younglove was born in Pleasant Valley, near Hammondsport, N.Y., March 5, 1814. He married Matilda Hoyt in Reading, NY, September 29, 1839. They had 3 daughters and one son: Emma and Ellen, twins, born, Dec 7, 1843; Myra, born July 17, 1840, who married L. I. Rose; and Oliver Hoyt, born Nov. 29, 1846, who married Maggie Myrtle Sept 17, 1868.

Timothy lived with his parents until they died, when he inherited the farm which his parents had settled in 1807. Timothy continued his father's practice of general farming with wool growing as a specialty, and took up grape growing when grapes became profitable. He reduced the number of sheep he kept until 1882, when he disposed of the last sheep. He was one of the original founders of the Pleasant Valley Wine Company in 1860, and, also, with his son, founded the Monarch Wine Company. He had begun tobacco culture about 1880.

In 1859 Timothy, built an octagon house and in 1882 enlarged the house with an addition. He practiced surveying from 1833 until 1889 and was the surveyor when the village of Hammondsport was incorporated. He surveyed the Bath & Hammondsport Plank Road which ran past his home, and he did numerous surveys for the Bath & Hammondsport Railroad when it was being planned.

Timothy started his diaries Jan 1, 1841 and continued them nearly every day till he died in 1892. They record daily events on the farm and document many births and deaths in that period. His siblings, that he mentions, were: Aaron, born June 30, 1803; Julia Ann, born Feb 27, 1805; Samuel B., born June 7, 1807; Myra, born Nov 13, 1815; Cornelius S., born Nov 29, 1824. He also had two brothers, Joseph and Dugald who died as infants.

Two diaries are missing from the collection which is now in the possession of the Steuben County Historical Society in Bath, N.Y. The missing diaries are for 1859 and 1870. Timothy Meigs Younglove also compiled a family history journal which helps in understanding the diaries.

Index to the Younglove Diaries

© 2004 Leonard Paul Wood

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