The father was James “Lou” Young, who moved to Elkridge during depression c. 1931. He lost his house in the city, moving to Elkridge and lived in rented apartments. Lou made bell castes for B&O at the Mt. Clare shop.
Johnny’s mother was Martha Irene Dill. Her father was John Dill 1859-1934 and who is buried in Louden. Johnny Louis Young (June 22, 1917 – June 2, 1943) was the elder of 4 boys, and was sedate in speech and seldom involved himself in an argument. He attended Grace Episcopal church and was in Elkridge High School for 3 years, leaving to work at Shavitz Furniture in s.w. Balto. as carpenter & repair man of high quality. Never married. In 1932-33, by the time brother George was born, Johnny was hit by a car near his home and was hospitalized w/leg cast. There were no recriminations on his part.
Johnny took his cousin, Frank Crowson, to the Higgenbottom funeral home in Ellicott City. Frank was 7 by March 29, 1940 when Crowson’s father was killed by a B&O express train. John was 16 and might have identified the body for Frank.
As many young men did, Johnny was too young to be in the Army, so Johnny probably lied about his age because records show he was born in 1917 and other records in 1918. He was in the carpenter business until he was drafted into the 31 “Dixie” Infantry & sent to Ft. Camp Polk, LA then sent to the South Pacific in 1943. Island hopped. Made infantry sargeant in Solomons Islands. There a bomb wounded him and he was taken to a hospital where he recovered. He received a purple heart (maybe 2) (oak leaf cluster). He was sent to Mindanao and was killed in a foxhole by mortar fire and buried outside Manila in a military cemetery.
Howard Young was a devout Christian. Our files show his school report cards. He was last living on Crain Hgwy. in a retirement facility.
Nelson Young (d. 2010) was in the air corp in 1940, flew B17 bombers in the African campaign and was a tail gunner in a B17, firing against Rommel Dec. 8, 1941. He flew bauxite from Venezuela to Jerusalem (israel was under British rule). He received 4 purple hearts.
George lived on Main St. until he died. He married Grace Glorioso.
Frank Crowson’s German ggrandfather was born? 1833 and lived at 7 Balto. St. He married Sarah Jane Conway (b. 1822), of Elkridge Landing. She was daughter of Jesse Conway in 1796 of Elkridge Landing. Her father was fr. England in 1773. She married into the Young family and had daughter Sarah Elizabeth Young who died 1984.
Frank Crowson moved to Elkridge in 1934. Frank was in the military. He was a volunteer with the Elkridge Fire Dept. From his travel experiences, he also published some books. Later in life, he moved to Arizona for his health and died there.
From the EHS Veterans Day Presentation – 11/11/2025
