According to historians of Sullivan County, the present village of Youngsville, situated in the Township of Callicoon, was formally settled by Samuel M. Young, a member of the respectable Liberty family of Youngs and was named in his honor. This took place about the year 1840. Mr. Young was an enterprising man; he built the first saw mill of the place and established the first store which was lovated near the site which St. Francis Church now adorns.
John B. Spencer was another early settler and when the Youngsville Post office was established in 1851 he became its first Postmaster. Other early families in this section were: the DeWitts, Hardenburgs, Morgans, Rushes, Porters, DeBroises, McNally's, Bogarts, Quicks, Sheppards, Inderlieds, Jacobs, Heidts and Fitzgeralds.
Due to the abundance of fine hemlock trees in this section, the bark of which was used in the tanning process, many tanneries were set up along the creek. Then, with the building of the Erie Railroad in the Callicoon section, providing direct means of transportation for the hides used in the tanneries, many families began to settle around Youngsville. By the year 1872, there were about 250 inhabitants in the village.
An interesting item that we might mention here concerns the Callicoon Local Record, now poopularly known as the Sullivan County Record. It was first published in Youngsville by William T. Morgan; the date was March 13, 1868. The first issue of that paper was secured by George G. DeWitt and presented, through his son William, to Mrs. Abigail Spielman of this village. It is now owned by William Spielman and is in a fine state of preservation.
At the present time, Youngsville is a thriving, peaceful village of industrious people whose main occupation is agriculture and dairy farming. During the summer season many of the residents also conduct boarding-houses for the numerous City people who come to the healthful and scenic environment of Youngsville to seek rest, invigorating air and recreation.