John Duncan Young

Who was John Duncan Young?

John Duncan Young was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.

Born in Owingsville, Kentucky, Young attended the common schools. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1854 and practiced in Owingsville, Kentucky, and later engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was acting marshal of Kentucky during the administration of President Franklin Pierce.

Young was elected judge of the quarterly court of Bath County in 1858 and served four years. Young was again elected in 1866 and served until 1867 when he resigned having been elected to Congress. He presented credentials as a Member-elect to the Fortieth Congress in 1867, but was not permitted to qualify as his campaign used fraud and voter intimidation to get him elected. A Congressional inquiry found that hundreds of ex-rebel soldiers, disqualified for treason against the State of Kentucky, fraudulently voted. This was enough to overturn his victory and hand the seat to Samuel McKee. Evidence of voter intimidation by ex-rebel guerrillas and other pro-slavery elements was collected as well.