J.C. and Mary Helen Gallaher Young Farm

In 1878, Issac W. Hanthorn and his wife, Josephine Sophia (March) Huggins, who was a direct descendant of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins of the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock in 1620, came to southern Johnson County.  They had come to Missouri in 1872 and settled at Camp Branch, by Sedalia, for 6 years prior to Johnson County.
Issac Hanthorn, born in June of 1846, was the son of Thomas Hanthorn, originally of Scotland, and his wife, Ann, of Northern Ireland.  When his family had made the trip from western Pennsylvania to Knox County, Illinois, the wagon began to slide towards the edge of a high precipice.  The bell of the wheel stuck a stump and saved the family from being dashed below.
Issac was a graduate of Cherry Grove Seminary in Knob County, Illinois.  He began teaching in Pettis County because of hardship and misfortune.  He taught his first school in Johnson County at Valley Grove.  He taught several districts in this area for $40 a month.  He managed to save most of this and kept buying additional land.  He taught 40 years.  He was road commissioner for this district in Johnson County for 6 years.
Sophia Marsh's previous marriage was to Amos Huggins.  They were missionaries and teachers to the Indians in Minnesota until a Sioux Indian uprising in 1862-63 resulted in Amos' death.  A friendly group of Indians helped Sophia return to her parents in Illinois.  She was with the Sioux Indians about 2 months in captivity.
Sophia and Amos Huggins had 3 children:  Elettia, Amos, and Charles.  Aunt Jane Huggins took the 2 boys to raise in California.  "Lettie" had " probably had measles during the stay with the Indians" and it left her mentally retarded.  She spent her life on this farm, first with her mother and stepfather, and later with her sister, Elroy Hanthorn Gallaher.
Sophia and Issac Hanthorn had 3 children.  Ernie, who died in infancy and was buried at Camp Branch in Pettis County; Jim, who made teaching his life's profession; and Elroy Josephine.
Elroy Josephine graduated from the Old Normal School in Warrensburg in 1893.  She went to Knob Noster to teach Brushville School after George T. Gallaher,  who was doing some surveying for the Hanthorns, told them of a need for a teacher for Brushville.  She was the first teacher in the "new" building built in 1893.
She boarded with George T. Gallaher's. She married their son, Henry L., on November 19, 1896.  They had 2 children, George W. and Mary Josephine.  When George was 4 years old and his sister was 2 months old, Henry L. died of typhoid.  Elroy returned to her parent's home to raise her children by teaching at Pleasant Green School and farming.  She raised many chickens and turkeys.  At one time, she had 725 chickens hatched by hens and home incubators.  She also raised cattle and sheep after her parents became aged and died.
After her death, George W. Gallaher continued to operate the farm.  George had married Mary Francis Lewis in 1923, daughter of Victor and Eliza Jane McMillian Lewis, both of Windsor, Missouri, who had ancestors in the American Revolution.  George and Mary had 3 children - 2 sons who died in infancy and Mary Helen.  Mary Helen married James C. ( J. C. ) Young, son of Marshall and Ida May Kranz Young of Lexington, Missouri, on August 20, 1961.  He served for 26 months in the Korean Conflict,.  He received an Outstanding Farmer Award in 1958 from the Lexington Chamber of Commerce.  He received the Outstanding Conservation Award for Johnson County n 1975.
They have resided on and operated this farm for the past 21 years.  In addition to farming, J. C. has and still does heavy construction work, as well as working for 6 years as a bulldozer operator for the Peabody Coal Company.  After Peabody closed, he went to Kansas City to the Kranz Construction Company.
Mary Helen has her B. S. and M. S. in Education from Central Missouri State University.  She taught her first 2 terms in rural Johnson County (Crab Orchard), and later, 6 years in Knob Noster Elementary.  She has taught a total of 39.7 years.  Mary Helen has and is presently teaching remedial reading in Henry County R-1 Schools (Windsor).
J. C. and Mary Helen had 2 children, James M. Gallaher Young , born October 22, 1962, and Ruth Anne Young, born November 19, 1964.
Jim and Ruth were both active members in Eldorado 4-H for 11 years.  Both served as officers.  Jim was the Missouri 4-H State Petroleum Power winner in 1981.  Both were 4-year FFA members receiving Chapter Greenhand and Chapter Star Farmer Awards.  Both also received the FFA State Farmer Degree.  Ruth Anne was Windsor's first girl to receive the FFA State farmer Award.
Jim completed 1 year in agriculture at CMSU.  He farms, works at Henry County R-1, and is a substitute mail carrier
Ruth Anne has completed 2 years at CMSU and is working on a vocational home economics degree.
They plan to keep the farm if possible since it has survived 100 years now.