|
Hiram
Young History
 Hiram
Young was born a slave in Tennessee in the early 1800s.
After purchasing his freedom as young man, he became famous
as a wagon builder during the early trail days and westward
expansion. He turned his carpentry skills into a
successful business and was able to save the money he earned
for doing work for his master. He settled in
Independence with his master, George Young, an abolitionist;
and began applying his woodworking and carpentry trade.
Young saved his money and finally purchased his freedom for
$1,500; after George Young reasoned his slave Hiram was
worth more than the original $800.
In the early 1840s, Hiram Young constructed a long shed on
property in
Independence at what is now Liberty and US 24 Hwy.
There he began his business of building oxen bows and
manufactured wagons. He purchased many slaves from the
slave auction block on what is now East Lexington Avenue and
used them as laborers. He paid them approximately $5 a
week and did not treat them as slaves thereby allowing them
to work out their own freedom.
He took his family to Leavenworth during the Civil War for
protective reasons. He had been threatened many times by
other Independence MO businessmen who were jealous of his
success.
After the Civil
War he returned to Independence and started his business
again. During this
 time frame he built a school to educate
African American school children in the Independence
area.
This school was eventually torn down and a new school
was built on Dodgion Street in 1934.
 Young’s daughter, Amanda Jane taught at
the old Young School in Independence and later served as its
principal. In the 1950s, after integration the school was
used for the special education program. In 1980 the
district special education students
were moved to a new wing at the William Chrisman High
School. The Young School was then used as warehouse space.
 Independence
Examiner Story - 02-13-02
|
