PETERSBURG – American Legion Post 229, in Tuckahoe, put out a call for descendants of Revolutionary War soldier and Upper Township resident Henry Young.
Paul Sutton, of the American Legion Post, said there were some relatives identified but they lived in other states. Little did they know how close a living descent of Young really was, and how recognizable he was.
During “Governing Body Member Comments,” at the April 3 Upper Township Committee meeting, Committee member Curtis Corson announced that the American Legion and Sons of the American Revolution were planning a dedication ceremony for Young’s gravesite May 6.
He referred to a newspaper article indicating the groups were looking for living descendants of Young.
“I am one,” Corson said.
Resident Barbi Harris confirmed that she had performed a genealogical search and found Corson was indeed a relative of Young. She said she did not make an announcement of it because she was hoping other people would come forward, as well.
Harris did genealogical research using online tools, obituaries, and other means, and came up with Corson’s family line. His parents were Curtis Townsend Corson and Elizabeth Ella Pfeil. His grandparents included Carrie Young Townsend and Curtis Edward Corson.
Harris found five sets of great-grandparents, including Henry Young, Amanda Young and Eugene Townsend; Samuel R. Young and Caroline Orum; Pedrick Young and Eleanor Hughes Ford; Samuel Townsend Young and Olive Pedrick; and finally, Henry Young and Millicent Townsend (fifth great grandparents).
Henry Young died in 1795, and his gravestone was rediscovered recently, and Harris was contacted to clean up the stone. Young’s grave marker is part of a family cemetery at 144 Tyler Rd., in the Greenfield section of Upper Township.
There were 11 graves found at the cemetery, including that of Young’s wife, Millicent. According to Sutton, the graveyard is open to the public from dawn to dusk.
