Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Young, William F. November 1922 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Diane Renfrow dianel14@gmail.com March 8, 2015, 5:11 pm Norfolk Journal and Guide,Saturday,Dec 2,1922 After funeral services, beautiful and impressive by their simplicity, held at his late residence in Truxton, Portsmouth, the remains of Mr. W. F. Young, father of editors P. B. and H. C. Young and a member of the Journal and Guide staff were borne to Calvary Cemetery, Norfolk, and interred in their last resting place Saturday afternoon. Mr. Young died suddenly Wednesday night of last week. He was 74 years old and a veteran in the newspaper business. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Richard H. Bowling assisted by Rev. D. J. Lee, Rev. M. B. Birchette and Rev. A. S. Lomax, and were a fitting climax to the life of the deceased, truly symbolical of his manner of living - simple and beautiful. The absence of long testimonials and eulogies at the bier of one whose life hundreds would have joyfully testified in esteem created an air of serenity and reverence strikingly illustrative of how the man’s character and life touched those with whom it came in contact. Rev. Bowling delivered a brief but impressive sermon. He touched briefly upon the life of the deceased but confined his discourse more largely to the negative effect of death upon the character and influence of man. Members of the family, the Guide force and a number of intimate friends attended the ceremonies and followed the body to the grave. Mr. W. F. Young was born in Halifax County, NC, May 1848 and as a boy was taught the elementary subjects by his master to whose library he later had access, supplementing his education by private study and reading. After the close of the war, he studied under private tutors and became one of the first colored public school teachers in his native county. After teaching school for a number of years, he filled many positions of trust and responsibility, serving consecutively as magistrate, county commissioner, postmaster and enrolling clerk in the North Carolina legislature. In 1898 Mr. Young established the “True Reformer,” a weekly newspaper, which later became the “Durham (NC) Reformer,” which he successfully conducted until 1912 when, on account of a temporary failure of his health, he disposed of it to other interests. After a year of recuperation he became identified with the Journal and Guice and was one of the most valuable members of its staff until his death. He was a member of Union Baptist Church, Durham, NC, from which he was sent out several years ago as a licentiate minister. After becoming identified with the church and ministry he became an untiring advocate of prohibition, organizing many temperance societies throughout the North Carolina counties and lecturing upon the evils of strong drink, whenever he had the opportunity. Mr. Young was beloved sincerely by his co-laborers in the Guide office and the softening influence of a life mellowed by a span of usefulness and ripe years was an asset that his fellows have irretrievably lost. The deceased is survived by his widow, Mrs. Sallie A. Young; one daughter, Mrs. Mary A. Harris; four sons,Walter W., Winfield S., Plummber B. and Henry C Young, and twenty three grandchildren. W. M. Grogan, undertaker and funeral director, of Portsmouth, had charge of the funeral arrangements. Floral tributes were numerous and beautiful. Additional Comments: Calvary Cemetery YOUNG, WILLIAM I13089 GUS 0 11/25/1922 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/norfolkcity/obits/y/young7482gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/vafiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb