Near Youngtown in Lawrence County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Youngtown Community
Photographed by Deborah Spencer, May 18, 2025
1. Youngtown Community Marker
Inscription.
Youngtown Community. . Youngtown was earlier known as Egypt. The community's name changed after 1915 to recognize the Young family. By 1857, Reason Young owned land and slaves in this area. Newspapers in 1891 speak of Joseph Young and in 1915 of Arthur Young living "in the very heart of Egypt." In 1893, the Egypt Post Office was established with Theophilus Jones as postmaster. The Young family prospered and ran several cotton gin (1914), and mills for sugar cane, corn, and timber. The pre-civil war Owen plantation was located here. Both Franklin Owen (1817-1857) and his brother Isaac (1803-1888) were slave owners. Evidence suggests that two noted descendants of Isaac's slaves were Jesse Owens, four time Olympic gold medalist, and blues legend Bessie Smith. The Owen plantation had one of the earliest and largest reconstruction era black schools in the country. On 13 Jun 1937, a shoot-out at Owen Chapel Church resulted in the wounding of many community members and the deaths of Deputy Sheriff Andrew Dutton and Bertha Perry. In a 1940 Decatur Daily article, Joe Young, son of Reason, gives an account of Union raiders stealing stock during the Civil War. Portions of the Owen plantation are still owned by the family.
Youngtown was earlier known as Egypt. The community's name changed after 1915 to recognize the Young family. By 1857, Reason Young owned land and slaves in this area. Newspapers in 1891 speak of Joseph Young and in 1915 of Arthur Young living "in the very heart of Egypt." In 1893, the Egypt Post Office was established with Theophilus Jones as postmaster. The Young family prospered and ran several cotton gin (1914), and mills for sugar cane, corn, and timber. The pre-civil war Owen plantation was located here. Both Franklin Owen (1817-1857) and his brother Isaac (1803-1888) were slave owners. Evidence suggests that two noted descendants of Isaac's slaves were Jesse Owens, four time Olympic gold medalist, and blues legend Bessie Smith. The Owen plantation had one of the earliest and largest reconstruction era black schools in the country. On 13 Jun 1937, a shoot-out at Owen Chapel Church resulted in the wounding of many community members and the deaths of Deputy Sheriff Andrew Dutton and Bertha Perry. In a 1940 Decatur Daily article, Joe Young, son of Reason, gives an account of Union raiders stealing stock during the Civil War. Portions of the Owen plantation are still owned by the family.
Erected by Lawrence County Historical Commission, Inc.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic
Location. 34° 25.015′ N, 87° 23.446′ W. Marker is near Youngtown, Alabama, in Lawrence County. It is at the intersection of County Route 59 and County Route 7, on the right when traveling west on County Route 59. Located in front of the Terry Cemetary. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Moulton AL 35650, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 2, 2025, by Deborah Spencer of Huntsville, Alabama. This page has been viewed 241 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on June 2, 2025, by Deborah Spencer of Huntsville, Alabama. 2. submitted on July 13, 2025, by Deborah Spencer of Huntsville, Alabama. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
