Résumé

Draftsperson, Brock and Johnson, Architects, Lexington, Kentucky, 1948-1949.

Architect, Department Store, Seattle, WA, 1950. The 1950 US Census indicated that Young worked as an interior designer and architect for a "general department store." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: 566; Sheet Number: 75; Enumeration District: 40-626, accessed 12/14/2022.)

Partner, Clayton and Jean Young and Associates, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1954-1975. The partnership ended when the couple divorced in 1975.

Teaching

Instructor, architectural design and illustration, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 1948-1949.

Professional Activities

Registered Architect in the State of WA, 1955.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Jean Young became a leading figure in helping to advance women in the field of architecture. She took on important posts in the American Institute of Architects and International Union of Women Architects (UIFA). As a result of her experience in UIFA, she became interested in the International Archive of Women in Architecture established at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, in 1985. Jean Young, like her Seattle contemporary, L. Jane Hastings, donated her professional papers to the IAWA.

As noted on Young's IAWA webpage, "Young was active in organizations that promoted women in architecture, including L'Union Internationale des Femmes Architectes (Secretary General, 1976-1979 and organizer of the 1979 Congress in Seattle); Sisters for a Human Environment, a network of Seattle women architects; and as a member of the American Institute of Architects Task Force on Women in the Architectural Profession (1972-1976)." (See Virginia Tech.edu, International Archive of Women in Architecture, "Jean Linden Young Papers, 1945-1997 (Ms1998-022)," accessed 05/15/2025.)

Member, AIA, Task Force of Women in Architecture of the Personnel Practices Committee via the Commission of Professional Practice, 1974. Young was a member of this task force chaired by New York architect Judith Edelman (1923-2014), and included Jean Young, AIA; Genevieve Greenwald-Katz; Anna M. Halpin (1923-2011), AIA; Marie-Louise Laleyan (1935-2014), AIA; Patricia K. Schiffelbein (1940-2020), AIA; Joan Forrester Sprague (1932-1998), AIA; and Ralph Steinglass, AIA.

Member, AIA, Affirmative Action Plan for the Integration of Women in the Architectural Profession and the American Institute of Architects, 12/1975. This task force included Judith Edelman, Co-chair; Marie Laleyan, Co-chair; Natalie DeBlois (1921-2013), FAIA; Patricial Schiffelbein, AIA; Jean Young, AIA; Herbert E. Duncan. Jr., (born 1931), FAIA; Edward G. Petrazio (1921-2002), AIA; attoreny and architect Alan B. Stover (born 1949), AIA.

Member, L'Union Internationale des Femmes Architectes, (UIFA in English the International Union of Women Architects), c. 1960s-1970s.

Secretary-General, UIFA, 1976-1979.

Local Coordinator, UIFA Conference, Seattle, WA, 1979.

Member, American Arbitration Association, Panel of Arbitrators, 1974.

Member, WA State Senate, Citizen's Advisory Committee on Financial Institutions, Olympia, WA, 1974-1975.

Member, State of WA, Board of Architectural Registration, Olympia, WA, 1974-1979.

Chair, State of WA, Board of Architectural Registration, Olympia, WA, 1978-1979.

Member, City of Seattle, Design Commission, Seattle, WA, 1979-1980 and 1981-1982.

Member, Sisters for a Human Environment, Seattle, WA.

Member, Mayor of Seattle's Small Business Task Force, Seattle, WA, 1984.

Member, King County Landmarks Commission, Seattle, WA, 1985-1989.

Archives

The Jean Linden Young Papers, 1945-1997 (Ms1998-022) are located at the International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA), Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA, 1.5 cu. ft. As noted on the IAWA website: "Her papers consist of correspondence, files, newspaper clippings, and other materials about her work with these and other organizations, as well as information about her designs of structures in the Seattle region." (See Virginia Tech.edu, International Archive of Women in Architecture, "Jean Linden Young Papers, 1945-1997 (Ms1998-022)," accessed 05/15/2025.)

College

Coursework, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 1944-1946.

B.F.A., Architecture, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, 1947.

Graduate coursework, University of Washington (UW), College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), Seattle, Seattle, WA, 1974-1975.

Relocation

Born in Detroit, MI, Jean Alice Linden attended school in Oakland County, MI. In both 1930 and 1940, she lived with her family at 403 Laprairie Street in Ferndale, MI, a suburb about twelve miles northwest of Detroit. At the start of the Depression, she resided here with her parents, Bernhard and Ebba, brothers Hadar, Evert and Carl, as well as two boarders Mary Moldower (born c. 1876 in MI) and a ten-year-old relative, Earl Moldower (born c. 1920 in MI). The 1930 US Census listed the house's value at $8,000. According to the 1940 US Census, she lived here with her parents and brothers Evert and Carl only. Evert worked as a purchasing agent for an aircraft company, while Jean had started as a "new worker" at an unspecified location. The Lindens owned their residence, valued at only $5,000, but consistent with values of neighboring houses. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Ferndale, Oakland, Michigan; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 0024; FHL microfilm: 2340751, accessed 12/15/2022 and Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Ferndale, Oakland, Michigan; Roll: m-t0627-01799; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 63-44, accessed 12/14/2022.)

She attended the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, graduating in the late 1940s.

She later migrated to Seattle, WA, by 1950, at least. The 1950 US Census located Clayton and Jean Young living at 103 Spring Street in Downtown Seattle. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: 566; Sheet Number: 75; Enumeration District: 40-626, accessed 12/14/2022.)

In 1992, Young resided at 13534 35th Avenue NE in Seattle. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 12/14/2022.)

Her last residence was in the 98406 zip code of Tacoma, WA, and died there on 05/25/1997.

Parents

Her family surname was "Linden," and her parents, Swedish. Jean's father was Bernhard Jönsson Linden 04/18/1881 in Stolig Förs, Kristianstad, Sweden-d. ) The Linden Family left Falkenberg in 1914 for the US. Bernhard worked as a body worker at an autmobile plant in Detroit, MI, by 1920. The Lindens lived at 1273 McClullen Avenue in Detroit, as per the 1920 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Detroit Ward 19, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: T625_818; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 598, accessed 12/15/2022.) In 1940, Bernhard was described in the census as a "body experimenter" in the auto industry. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Ferndale, Oakland, Michigan; Roll: m-t0627-01799; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 63-44, accessed 12/14/2022.)

Bernhard married Jean's mother Ebba Amalia Gunhilda Nilsson (born 03/20/1889 in Sweden) on 12/01/1910 at the Augustana Lutheran Church, Falkenberg, Halland, Sweden. In 1920, Ebba worked in the home, and had had at least four children: Asta Linda (born c. 1912 in Sweden), Hadar Linden (born c. 1913 in Sweden), and Lilly A. Linden 06/21/1914 in Detroit, MI-d. 04/02/1915 in Detroit, MI) and Evert Linden (born c. 1914 in Sweden). Jean and her younger brother Carl Linden (born c. 1924 in Detroit, MI), were the only family members born in the US.

Spouse

On 06/19/1948 in Detroit, MI, Jean A. Linden married Clayton H. Young, whom she met as an architecture student at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. They lived in Kentucky after her marriage, where she taught architectural design and illustration in the architecture school of the University of Kentucky.

They moved to Seattle, WA, in 1949. Clayton Young was also her business partner between 1952-1975. They divorced in 1975. She was known professionally as "Jean Linden Young."

Children

Jean Linden Young and Clayton Young had three children: Deborah Young (b. 1953), Lance Young (b. 1954), and Sharon Young Hall (b. 1957).

Biographical Notes

SSN: 381-18-5093.

• Detroit, MI (Architect's Birth)
  Detroit, MI

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