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Note: William H. Young: Parents and self born in Pennsylvania (per US Census entry)(born in Buffalo, per newspaper article; wife's name given here as "Sarah" McLean) Known to friends as Bill, to wife as Will. Raised family at 201 Voorhees Avenue in Buffalo, NY (1-1/2 block from Hertle Ave.) (One census record shows address to be 236 Voorhees, vice 201 {incorrect}) Crawford family lived next door. Ralston and Erma Crawford were children in that family (see Ralston Crawford, painter) Catcher for Cincinnati one season. Was semi-pro baseball player when young. An avid baseball fan throughout life. Once met Connie Mack. Very well liked by many acquaintances throughout life. Never owned or drove a car. Later, until death, owned and operated cigar/magazine stands at several locations in Buffalo: Ellicott Square (ca. 1900) Morgan Building M&T Building Had a black, long-haired dog (some white markings) named "Teddy" Buried in Acacia Memorial Park (Resthaven section; Masonic) (There were two boarders at 201 Voorhees. When WW2 started, people were asked to take in defense workers. One left after the war; Phillip McKee stayed on until Florence (McLean) Young had to be moved to a nursing home shortly before her death and the house eventually sold.) He had two sisters: Mrs. Albert (Nettie) Weiland of Rochester, NY, and Mrs. Dehn (Bertha) Foster of Jamestown, NY. __________________ The following account is from a 3-page typewritten document (undated). Bracketed [ ] text is mine --- psh. Interesting Memories of William W. Young [By Charles E. Knowles] Born February 8th, 1872, and most of his life in the business of selling newspapers, "Billy" Young, as he is commonly called, has had many interesting experiences. As a boy he delivered papers to Grover Cleveland, whose law office, at that time, happened to be on the site of the M. & T. [Manufacturers and Traders Trust] Building, in the lobby of which Mr. Young's news stand is located today. He told me it was his custom, as a newsboy, to wear gloves the fingers of which he had cut off, and that one day Mr. Cleveland, noticing this, said: "Billy, you must be getting rich when you can wear gloves." Mr. Young tells of an occasion when he aided the police in capturing a noted crook. According to a newspaper clipping, now brittle and yellow with age, he said to the reporter--- "The banks were closed Friday on account of the death of the President of the United States. It was about ten A.M. when a well dressed man stepped up to my cigar stand. He inquired why the Fidelity Bank was closed (It was the Fidelity Trust Building at that time). He went on to state that he had just arrived from Montreal with his wife and children, that he had broken a spring on his car and that he had not brought along enough cash to pay for such repairs. "He then said 'But when I go away I always play safe and carry a few Rock Island [Railroad?] bonds. I wanted to cash some of the coupons here, but I am out of luck with the bank closed'. I then suggested that he go up to the American Express office, a block away. "'That is a great idea,' he replied. 'I never thought of that.' He walked out but returned in a few minutes. He said that the Cashier in the Express office had looked at the bonds, said they were all right, but that he could not cash any of the coupons just then. "The man impressed me from the start as being a smooth article. I knew that he was wanted somewhere, so I decided to stall him along. I proposed to him that he leave the bonds with me, telling him that I would be able to cash them when I went out to lunch. I gave him ten dollars, telling him he might need it for food for his wife and children. I told him to return in the afternoon about 2 o'clock. He took the ten dollars and left, assuring me that he would be back. "As soon as he got out of sight, I called the Express Company's office to inquire if any such man had been in there with the Rock Island bonds. He had not called there. I then called the Burns Agency Office and 'Buck' Healey came over before the appointed hour. "Healey doubted whether the man would return, but, sure enough, he walked in around two o'clock. I gave Healey the wink and he stepped up to the counter to overhear the conversation. The man said 'Well, did you have any luck?' I told him I had, and that I expected a man to bring in the money any minute. I then pointed to Healey and said 'There is a man with a lot of money: maybe he would like to buy some of the bonds.' Healey engaged him in conversation, and the man - whose name it turned out was Hoover - fell for his line of talk. Healey led him over into a corner of the building. When he got him there he snapped handcuffs on him." ________ Mr. Young: The foregoing is just a suggestion of how a little story of some of your interesting experiences might be begun. If I got up a real record for you, we would of course have some interviews, and I would take down some memories in shorthand and shape them up, along with any material you might have written out. Then we would put them in a tasteful cover, perhaps with pictures here and there-- suitable for your library table. We could arrange these interviews at times when it would be convenient to you, and if you wished you could come to my little office in the Prudential Building, or I could meet you at your home or elsewhere. Sincerely, [signed] Charles E. Knowles 604 Prudential Building, BUFFALO. P.S. I might have a few valuable suggestions to make as to how such a record could be still further improved, such as telling something of the inventions of those days, and of early Buffalo. [end] _________ Will (drawn up 14 Dec 1925): Witnessed by Charles C. Page, 74 Richmond Ave. and Elmer C. Pagel, 511 Riley Street. Wm. H. Young was owner/operator of the news stand in the lobby of the M&T Bank Bldg, 295 Main St, Buffalo, at the time of his death.
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