Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 2 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 29

Alex. McD. Young, who for over a half century resided in Milwaukee, making his home here to the time of his death, and who for an extended period was known as one of the most prominent and successful grain dealers of this section of the country, was born in Coburg, Canada, October 5, 1840, a son of James and Eliza (Mair) Young. He acquired his education in the schools of his native country and about 1861 made a tour of the southern states. Me then came to Milwaukee and became associated with his brother William in the grain business, continuing their operations until the firm ranked as the most prominent representatives of the grain trade in this city. Milwaukee at the time was one of the primary wheat markets of the country and Mr. Young was associated in the trade with Alexander Mitchell, Peter McGeoch, Ed Sanderson, Philip Armour, Angus Smith and others prominent at that day. He and his brother operated in Chicago and New York as well as in Milwaukee and the firm became widely known in grain trade circles throughout the country. For some time they conducted a branch house in Chicago.

On the 4th of December, 1867, Mr. Young was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Alice Wall, a daughter of Enoch and Eliza Alice (Williamson) Wall, the former a native of Maryland, while the latter was born in Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Young became the parents of two children: Mrs. Helen Richmond Morris, residing in New York; and John Mair, who is with the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee.

Mr. Young made his home at No. 294 Juneau avenue for a period of fifty-four years and passed away September 17, 1917. Although he lived in the United States for more than a half century, he remained a thoroughly loyal subject of Great Britain. He was a man of strongly marked characteristics and unfaltering in support of what he believed to be right. Nothing could turn him from his honest convictions, yet he was a man of kindly feelings and those who came within the close circle of his friendship learned to value him for the many sterling traits of his character. In business life he displayed marked efficiency and capability. He seemed to discriminate with notable readiness between the essential and the non-essential in business and his affairs were most wisely, carefully and successfully managed.