William Henry Young

This blog post is another in a series connecting the dots in my tree to the souls buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

William Henry Young, son of Samuel Yancy Young and Matilda N. Guill, was born December 1860 in Georgia. Matilda was Samuel’s second wife so by the time William was born, his family was already large. Samuel was first married to Masena Morgan and together they had six children—Amanda O. Young, John Young, George Young, Joseph Jerrigan Young, James Walton Young, and Nancy Ella Young. Masena died January 1860 at age 32 in Greene County, Georgia from scrofula, a “type of tuberculosis infection” according to WebMD. With six young children, Samuel had his hands full and quickly found a new wife. On March 11, 1860, he married Matilda Guill, oldest child of Augustus Guill and Martha Milner, in Greene County. William was born before year’s end and was soon followed by three additional siblings—Lula Jane Young, Wesley B. Young, and Martha Elizabeth Young. William is the brother-in-law of my 1st cousin 4x removed John Wesley Lankford who married Martha Elizabeth Young. His sister Nancy married John’s brother, William Mell Lankford.

On June 2, 1860, the Young family lived in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia. By this time, Matilda was pregnant with William. Samuel was a farmer with a personal estate valued at $1000. They lived next door to Matilda’s parents so that tells us how Samuel found his second wife so quickly. Jane Morgan (age 17) and Charles Bagby (age 18 and an apprentice farmer) lived with the family.

On June 10, 1870, William and his family lived in Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. William was attending school along with his brother James and sister Ella. His father was a farmer and brothers John and George farm laborers, all while his mother took care of the house. William’s sister Martha was enumerated as Matt (age 2, female). There was a 24-year-old female named Nancy Young living in the home. I haven’t yet figured out how she fits in. This wouldn't be William’s sister Nancy as she would have only been 11 years old in 1870.

On June 3, 1880, William (age 20) lived with his maternal grandfather Augustus Guill and aunts Frances and Rebecca Guill. His grandfather was a retired wagon maker from Virginia. His aunt Frances (age 52, single) was keeping house while aunt Rebecca (age 47, single) was not working.

William’s father died on July 31, 1893. He was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

On June 4, 1900, William was head of the household, living with his aunts Frances and Rebecca. At age 39, he was still single and worked as a railroad brakeman. The census enumerator recorded his birth as December 1860. He owned the home they lived in. All three, William, Frances, and Rebecca, could read and write. 

By April 20, 1910, William had moved to Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia where he lived as a boarder in the Ponders Avenue home of William P. White. William still worked for the railroad, now as a switch tender. I haven’t found death records for Frances and Rebecca yet but wonder if both had passed away so he moved to Atlanta. William’s mother died on March 8, 1911 and was buried beside his father at Bairdstown Cemetery.

On January 21, 1920, William was still living on Ponders Avenue in Atlanta but now in the home of William Simmerman. He worked as a switchman for the steam railroad.

William died on February 9, 1930 at Atlanta Hospital. At the time, he lived at 2 Eugene Street in Atlanta. His brother Wesley was the informant on his death certificate and it appears he didn’t remember William’s birthday when providing the information. Beside the date of birth line is January 1861 and a question mark vs. December 1860. His cause of death was myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart muscle) arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). William’s remains were transported to Bairdstown via the Georgia railway on February 10, followed by his funeral and burial at Bairdstown Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. 

In the center of William's tombstone, there is a carving of an Indian head with the word TOTE across the headband. I believe this symbolizes the Improved Order of Red Men, “a non-profit fraternal organization devoted to inspiring a greater love for the United States of America and the principles of American liberty.” I would assume that by having this symbol engraved on the stone, William was a member, but I can’t confirm that. I also haven’t been able to figure out exactly what TOTE stands for. If you know, I’d love to hear from you. Just curious. 

References

• Arteriosclerosis; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arteriosclerosis.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52991540/william-henry-young: accessed 06 March 2022), memorial page for William Henry Young (1860–9 Feb 1930), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52991540, citing Bairdstown Cemetery, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Samuel Taylor Geer (contributor 46925792).
• Massinah Young (1860), U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850–1885.
• Myocarditis; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocarditis.
• Samuel Y. Young and Matilda Guill, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• The Improved Order of Red Men; http://www.redmen.org/.
• United States Federal Census, Atlanta Ward 5, Fulton County, Georgia, 1910, 1920.
• United States Federal Census, District 137, Greene County, Georgia, 1880.
• United States Federal Census, District 138, Greene County, Georgia, 1880.
• United States Federal Census, District 163, Greene County, Georgia, 1850.
• United States Federal Census, Goodwins, Gwinnett County, Georgia, 1850.
• United States Federal Census, Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1870.
• United States Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1860, 1900.
• What Is a Scrofula?, WebMD; https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-scrofula.
• William Young Dies: 69-Year-Old Atlantan to be Buried in Bairdstown, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, February 10, 1930.
• Young, William Henry, Certificate of Death no. 30-3911, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statics.
• Young, William Henry, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, February 10, 1930.