Philip Younce was born about 1775 to German parentage in Ashe County, North Carolina. He is said to have been a member of General Anthony Wayne's Army which marched north from Cincinnati to Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1794. In 1813 he moved to Miami County Ohio and was at that time a Minister in the Church. He settled near Nashville, east of West Milton; and his preaching efforts were concentrated from here westward on Bush Creek and its tributaries, and Painter Creek area. His preaching was contemporay with that of Michael Etter and David Deeter. He preached in English. Much of his travels through the wilderness of Miami and Darke Counties was on horseback; and he often preached in log cabins and clearings, enduring hardships to do so. He was the organizer of the Ludlow-Painter Creek church in about 1817. He was held in high respect among the Indians, and he and his wife were apparently present at the second treaty of Greenville in 1814.

Philip Younce, then, was probably the first German Baptist preacher in Miami County , being followed immediately or very soon after by Michael Etter.  Elder Younce preached in south west portion of  the county and westward and northward as far as Greenville. He organized the Ludlow-Painter Creek church which extended into Darke County from south-western Miami County.  The Ludlow-Painter Creek church became known as Younce's church; and he continued the oversite until his death, 16 April 1864.  William Cassell was ordained, then, in 1865; and this church became known as Cassell's Church until his death in 1915, a century after its organization.

Philip Younce is buried in the Sugar Grove Cemetery. His grave was unmarked until descendants placed a gravestone on it in year 2000. He spent his declining years living with his son Abraham, near Pleasant Hill.