Sitting left-to-right: Bob, Jim and Cole Younger, with their sister Henrietta
Henry Washington Younger (February 22, 1810 – July 20, 1862) was a businessman and father to the Younger outlaws Cole, Jim, John and Bob. He was the father of fourteen children. He was the son of Colonel Charles Lee Younger and Sarah Sullivan Purcell and married Bersheba Leighton Fristoe in about 1830.
Henry and Bersheba Younger's Children
Laura Helen Younger (born 1 January 1832)
Frances Isabelle Younger (born March 1833)
Martha Ann (Annie) Younger (born 9 January 1835)
Charles Richard (Dick) Younger (born about 1838, died 17 August 1860)
The family moved to Harrisonville in 1857, and in 1859 Henry was assigned as second mayor of the city.[1]
He was frequently robbed and lost a lot of money. This angered his son Cole who thought he should make a stand. On July 20, 1862 Henry was traveling to Kansas City on a business trip while carrying $1,500 (~$45,780 in 2023) on his person. About one mile south of Westport he was shot three times in the back and killed. It was discovered the killing was politically motivated and not a robbery.
The body was returned to the Youngers who, afraid Union servicemen would dig it up, buried him in an unknown grave.
Younger Family Y-DNA Project
The Younger Y-DNA Project has identified several different Younger families in the United States and found that the common ancestor of the Younger Gang's family is Humphrey Younger (c. 1677 - 1740). Humphrey Younger immigrated to Kent County, Maryland and his descendants included the Younger brothers Cole, John, Jim, and Bob who rode with the outlaw Jesse James. The connected Younger families include the descendants of Captain John W. Younger (c.1773 - 1858), a War of 1812 veteran, Joshua Younger (c.1752 - unknown), and Tiller Younger (c. 1700s - unknown), a Revolutionary War veteran and son of Humphrey Younger based on Y-DNA connections. The Younger family's haplogroup is J-M172.[2]
