Charles Young’s Family

Ada Mills Young was Charles Young’s wife. She was born on October 30, 1880. Ada and Charles were married on February 18, 1904, in Oakland, California. She traveled the world alongside her husband to his many duty stations. Later in life she taught home economics at Wilberforce University. Ada Young died on November 21, 1953. She was buried alongside her husband at Arlington National Cemetery.

Charles Noel Young was the oldest child of Charles and Ada Young. He was born in Wilberforce, Ohio, on Christmas Day 1906. He traveled with his family to numerous locations including the Philippines, Liberia and Europe. After schooling in Belgium and France, Charles Noel later earned a master’s degree from Ohio State University and taught agriculture and foreign languages at Central State University. He died on June 6, 1967, at the age of 60.

Marie Young was the second child of Charles and Ada Young. She was born on March 26, 1909, in the Philippines. At that time her father was stationed at Camp McGrath. Education played a pivotal role in Marie’s life. She taught French and music at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, before returning to Wilberforce, where she taught at Wilberforce University for 30 years. She died on January 19, 1970.

Gabriel Young was Charles Young’s father. He was born enslaved in Kentucky in 1841. He enlisted in the Federal Army on February 13, 1865. He was assigned to the Fifth U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery. After the war he and his family settled in Ripley, Ohio. He died of tuberculosis on June 16, 1894, at the age of 53.

Arminta Bruen Young was Charles Young’s mother. Born enslaved in 1842. Arminta gave her son the foundations of learning while in Ripley, Ohio. She taught him how to read and write before he entered school there and continued to encourage Charles to pursue better and higher education. She died on November 14, 1933. She was buried next to her husband at Greenwood Cemetery in Zanesville, Ohio.