Richard Montgomery Young | |
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| United States Senator fromIllinois | |
| In office March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843 | |
| Preceded by | William Ewing |
| Succeeded by | Sidney Breese |
| 11thCommissioner of the General Land Office | |
| In office January 6, 1847 – June 30, 1849 | |
| President | James K. Polk Zachary Taylor |
| Preceded by | James Shields |
| Succeeded by | Justin Butterfield |
| Clerk of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office 1850–1851 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas J. Campbell |
| Succeeded by | John W. Forney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1798-02-20)February 20, 1798 Fayette County, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | November 28, 1861(1861-11-28) (aged 63) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
Richard Montgomery Young (February 20, 1798 – November 28, 1861) was aU.S. Senator fromIllinois.
Young was born inFayette County,Kentucky and was admitted to the bar in 1816. In 1817, he moved his law practices toJonesboro, Illinois, and was appointed a captain in the state militia. He served in the Illinois state house from 1820 to 1822 and as a circuit court judge from 1825 to 1837. He resigned his judgeship after being elected to theU.S. Senate in 1837 as a member of theDemocratic Party. As a federal Senator, he served one six-year term; during the first four of his six years in office he was Chairman of theSenate Committee on Roads and Canals.
Upon the end of his term in the Senate, he was appointed to theIllinois Supreme Court (1843–1847) and then became a land office commissioner by appointment ofJames K. Polk. He served as the Clerk to theUnited States House of Representatives in 1850 and practiced law inWashington, D.C. from 1851 until his death.
Young was the presiding judge at the 1844 trial of the accusedkillers ofJoseph Smith, the founder of theLatter Day Saint movement.
Young owned slaves.[1]
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