One of the well-known real estate men of Fort Smith is Joseph Waltin Young, who has his offices in the First National Bank building and who has gained a large clientele. whereby he has been connected with many of the most important realty transfers of the city in recent years. A native of South Carolina, he was born at Pickens, in 1853, a son of Archibald and Mary (Seeright) Young. The father was a Confederate veteran, who was wounded in the battle of Missionary Ridge, near Chattanooga, Tennessee, and afterward died from the effects of the injury there sustained. In the family were four sons and a daughter, one brother of Joseph Waltin Young being the Rev. W. L. Young, a Baptist preacher.
Joseph Waltin Young was educated in the old field school houses in Pickens county and in the school of experience, and after the death of his father he became the main support of his mother's family. He devoted his attention in early manhood to farming in his native state. He afterward removed to Arkansas and having married Melissa McWhorter in South Carolina they established their home in Sebastian county, near Excelsior. In 1882 he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, but afterward removed to a farm near Greenwood. There he continued for six years, devoting his time and attention to the cultivation and development of his land. He next went to Huntington, Arkansas, where he again engaged in the conduct of a store and he was likewise very prominent in the public life of the community, serving as the first postmaster of Huntington and also as mayor of that town. At a subsequent period he again took up farming, locating on a tract of land near Greenwood. In 1895 he began selling machinery for the Aughtman Miller Company and also for the Kansas City Hay Press Company. His next business venture was in the line of contracting at Fort Smith and three years ago he turned his attention to the real estate business, in which he has continued. He was a successful contractor, doing cement and paving work and enjoying a-liberal patronage. Associated with him in his real estate activity is his son, J. M. Young. and both have become heavy property owners in Fort Smith. Mr. Young is a most alert, wide-awake and progressive business man. watchful of all opportunities pointing to success and whatever he has undertaken he has carried steadily forward, reaching his objective.
To Mr. and Mrs. Young have been born the following named: R. A., who is a coal operator; J. M., who is associated with his father in business; Walter A., a hardware merchant; Zeno, who is carrying on mercantile pursuits at Hodgen, Oklahoma; John H., a merchant of Heavener, Oklahoma; Bryant B., who is a coal operator; Bernard, a contractor of Fort Smith; George, deceased; Mrs. Lee M. Poole; Beulah; Bessie; and Thelma. The son, Bryant 8., served in the World war.
Mr. Young is a Mason and a past master of Pulliam Lodge, No. 133, A. F. & A. M. He has taken many of the advanced degrees of the order and is now a member of the Mystic Shrine. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he enjoys the confidence and goodwill of his fellow members of these fraternities to an unusual degree. He is a man of notably progressive spirit and his life has been actuated by that steady advancement which comes from intelligently directed industry and persistency of purpose.
J. M. Young, the junior partner in the firm of Young & Young, was educated in Buckner College and initiated his business career by becoming a bookkeeper for the firm of Sims 8: Foster of Stigler. Oklahoma. He afterward engaged in general merchandising in Le Flore county, Oklahoma, for twenty years ,but three years ago joined his father in the conduct of the real estate business, which they are still carrying on in Fort Smith. He married Georgia Forbes, a daughter of Dr. R. T. Forbes of Hartshorne, Oklahoma. and the young couple, like his parents, occupy an enviable social position, all having many friends who highly esteem them for their sterling worth.