William G. Young, M. D.

William G. Young, M. D., the popular and successful physician and surgeon at Nos. 514-515 Widdicomb building, Grand Rapids, Mich., is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, was born February 23, 1861, a son of Andrew and Katherine (Himler) Young.

Andrew Young was left an orphan in childhood and knows but little of his family, but is now a capitalist, and is living at Mancelona, Mich., with his wife and two sons. His wife was a native of Germany, but they were married in Cincinnati. The family consists of three sons and one daughter, of whom the subject of this sketch is the oldest. Adolph F. is in the insurance business at Mancelona; Carrie, wife of William Kling, resides in Grand Rapids; Adelbert B. is the youngest of the family and is now in school.

Dr. Young received his elementary education in his native city, and graduated from the high school. He took up the study of medicine at the age of twenty years, the first course being at the Michigan college of Medicine & Surgery at Detroit, and then traveled a year or two, after which he returned to college, completing a four years’ course in 1892. He then took three post graduate courses in New York City-first at the New York Post Graduate Medical school on surgery; the second at the New York Polyclinic, also on surgery, and the third course, on the same subject, at the New York school of Clinical Medicine. The doctor had begun general practice at St. Ignatz, Mich., in 1892, and while there he attended the post-graduate schools, as before stated.

Dr. Young located in Grand Rapids in December, 1896, and entered upon general practice, which he continued until he was commissioned assistant surgeon in the United States army. This honor was the result of a competitive examination, as he was assigned to duty at Porto Rico, where he landed early in September, 1898, where he was on duty until June, 1899, when he was transferred and came home, and was discharged in the fall of 1899. His rank entitled him to the pay and emolument of a captain in the regular army.

On a second competitive examination Dr. Young was appointed special operator in hernia cases for the department of Porto Rico. This selection was made on the evidence of efficiency in practical surgery. He performed the first hernia operation ever performed on the island of Porto Rico-the local surgeons being very illiterate on the subject of surgery.

Dr. Young is a member of the American Medical association, Michigan State Medical society, Medical and Surgical society of Grand Rapids, and the Grand Rapids academy of Medicine, is visiting surgeon to Butterworth hospital, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity, M. M.; R. A. K. T., thirty-second degree, and Shiner.

Dr. Young was married at Ionia, Mich., July 5, 1885, to Miss Jessie C. Brainard, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a daughter of Jephtha and Mary Brainard, the father being deceased, and the mother residing at Cleveland, where Mrs. Young was educated and always resided until married. Two children were born to this union, viz: Jessie C., who died at the age of eight years, and Rose V., a little miss of four years.