Our Past Is Present October 19, 2018

October 19, 2018

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            The complete story used in today’s program may be found on page 81 of the book

Set In Stone, which is available at our Museum at a reduced rate for GCHS members.  Stop by to purchase your copy today or any day Tuesdays through Sundays at the corner of Sixth and Adams Streets.  That way you can read the complete story and others in this marvelous book of stories about Geary County history.

            Now for today’s story…

            Although records indicate there was an African American presence in Junction City right from the beginning, finding information about them is a challenge.  Often it appears that personal or family histories of these early residents are non-existent. 

            However, today’s story is about George and Mariah Young.  The Young’s pictures may be found in the main hall at the Museum amongst those of other early settlers in Geary County.  George and Mariah are the only African Americans represented in the collection compiled by photographer Louis Teitzel in 1909 in observance of the 50^th anniversary of Junction City’s founding.

            The George and Mariah Young family settled here in 1864 prior to the end of the Civil War.  George was a barber by trade.  Susan Franzen in her book Beyond The Façade of Fort Riley’s Hometown, which is another “must have” book, wrote that “When Love’s Barbershop was opened by four black men in 1867, the “Union” newspaper made note of it.  By the time of the U.S. Census of 1870, one of the barbers, George Young from Tennessee, was quite wealthy. His real estate was valued at $1,000.  George Young later went into the feed business.  He married Mariah Young and they had four children. 

            At the beginning of the new school term in January of 1866, one of the children, Willowby, was enrolled in the city school. The enrollment of the “colored” boy in the public school caused an uproar and much heated debate, both on the streets and in meetings and gatherings all over town.  The Young’s immediately withdrew their son, but this did not end the dispute.

            A meeting was held about school integration.  Those in favor of educating young Willowby with the white children of the town finally prevailed and the School Board ruled in that effect. In January 18, 1866, the Ganz building where children were being taught, mysteriously burned down.

            Little else is in our files on the Young family. 

            And… that’s today’s story on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.