You’ve heard the name, but what do you know about her?

In order to find out, we must rely on newspaper notices in the digital archives of the Kendall Young Library, the writings of people who knew her, or historians who wrote about her.

Nine-year-old Jane immigrated to New York with her parents and six siblings in 1843. Older brother Daniel Underdown set out on his own and eventually immigrated to Webster City where he made a living raising hogs on a hog lot near Willson Avenue. In June of 1857, Dan purchased the Willson House with partner Mr. Tryon. It was located on the spot where The McFarland Clinic parking lot is now.

It was known as one of the best hotels for the traveling public in this part of Iowa. Although no liquor was sold, its food was considered first-class.

Jane moved to Webster City to help her brother in his hotel endeavor. What her position was we do not know. But we do know that a fine hotel of its kind would have had at least 15 positions in order to perform all the tasks. Since Jane was young and pretty she might have worked the day desk to register boarders and she may have met Kendall Young as he stayed overnight on his many trips from Irvington to Iowa City.

In fact, Charles Aldrich, founder of the first newspaper in Webster City, stated at the dedication of the Kendall Young Library in 1905, the following: “My wife and I were boarders for a few weeks at the Willson House and while we were there pretty Jane Underdown arrived. In those days she was a very attractive young woman. Two or three young men fell in love with her and it was said in the gossip of the day, that her brother insisted that she should marry one of them who was reported to own a little property. But Jane had an eye to her own interests and would not listen to what was almost a command. Later on, Mr. Young sought her hand in marriage and was not refused.”

Thirty-eight-year-old Kendall married 24-year-old Jane at the Willson House on September 23, 1858. Charles Aldrich, editor of the Webster City Freeman, noted that Kendall sent the marriage notice to the newspaper along with “two gold dollars.”

The Youngs” first home was in Irvington, Iowa, where Kendall and L.L. Treat had real estate holdings and tried to establish the town as the county seat of Kossuth County. L.L. Treat boarded with the Youngs and later stated that “Jane kept an immaculate house and her floor was clean enough to eat on.” After one year, Kendall and L.L. sold all their real estate and moved to Webster City with a population of just 400 people.

The Youngs resided in a simple frame home in the area on south Willson Avenue called “Yankee Town;” it was called that because many of the New England families lived there.

What did Jane do while Kendall tended to his farmland, operated his store on Seneca Street called “Old Reliable,” and opened the first bank called Young and Estes Bank on “Bank Street”? Reportedly, she was fond of social organizations, entertained, and both she and Kendall enjoyed traveling, gardening and flowers.

In fact, in 1867 Kendall and Jane took a vacation of over four months. They visited relatives in Maine, old friends in New England, sailed to England to visit Jane’s people, and on to the Paris Exposition. It was the largest and grandest of all world’s fairs up to that time. Kendall kept a diary and itemized all their expenses. During the trip he bought a silk paisley shawl for $20 U.S. dollars, which may have been Jane’s 33rd birthday present.

Returning home, Kendall and Jane built their fine home on Willson Avenue. They had both a fruit garden and flower garden which Kendall carefully tended. The Youngs never had any children, but were very fond of the L.L. Treat children, Teresa and Carl, who lived south across the street.

In 1888 Jane’s health began to decline from Bright’s Disease, a chronic disease of the kidneys. Kendall took her to see doctors in Maine who recommended that she find relief in a sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Jane and Kendall were married for 30 years with the last 15 years of her life living at the sanitarium. She was 69 years old when she died of heart disease. Her body was brought back to Webster City by train by J.W. Young, a nephew of Kendall.

Her funeral was held in the Youngs’ home — now referred to as the Jane Young House — which then served as a temporary library until the new library which Kendall provided for in his will was built. That is the Kendall Young Library of today.

A letter was read by the rector at Battle Creek which said: “Jane was a God-fearing woman and did many alms not known to men and if by chance, discovery were made of her alms doings, she blushed to find that she had been discovered. She was very retiring, loved simplicity, and shrank from publicity.”

The mourners followed her body to the cemetery through the rain where she was interred next to her husband Kendall Young, who died in 1896.