Josepha Selden Backus was the eighth daughter and ninth child born to George Douglas Backus and Dorothea Chappell Backus on July 16, 1830 in Fincastle, Botetourt County, Va.
Her father moved from Norwich, Conn. to Virginia when a youth. He was a merchant in Petersburg, Va. He moved to Amelia County where he ran the Amelia Springs Hotel. In 1809, he married Dorothea Chappell and in 1815 they moved to Fincastle, Va. to manage a hotel.
George passed in 1829, leaving the children orphaned. In early girlhood, Josepha lived with one of her sisters, Mrs. Eliza Little, in Cincinnati. Later she grew up in the home of another sister, Mrs. Martha Nash, in Lynchburg, Va., and she was a young lady in society there until her 23rd year. And the very charming young lady she was, according to family and friends.
In 1855, when Mr. and Mrs. Nash removed to Louisville, Ky., Miss Josepha went with them, and made her home in that city until 1859. In that year on the 2nd of December, she married William T. Young, then a prominent Baltimore coffee merchant.
All her married life was spent in Baltimore. Her home was on the west side of Franklin Square. Her next door neighbor was the late Thomas E. Hambleton, the ancestor of the well known Baltimore family of bankers and engineers. The Hambletons were her life-long friends. Also the Stumps of Green Spring Valley were close friends; and among Mrs. Young's happiest memories were of the pleasant days spent at "Stoneton," the handsome and hospitable home of the Stumps on the hill overlooking the beautiful valley.
In 1866, Josepha and William had a son named Charles S. Young. Her husband William Young passed circa 1870 in Baltimore, Md.
On Nov. 12, 1873, Josepha took a job at a new school called the McDonogh School for Boys. She was appointed as Matron of the School. She was most beloved by all and her services over the years at the school were exemplary. The school Principal, Colonel Allen said he heard a hundred times to congratulate the Trustees and the School on their good fortune in securing the services of Josepha Young. Over her career, she was in charge of over 1300 boys who regarded her with the highest love and esteem.
Her nature was wonderfully rich and attractive with abundant grace and charm. She was regarded as the dearest lady and admired by all who had the good fortune to know her.
She passed away peacefully on Friday, April 21, 1911 at 6:15 in the morning. In the first days of her illness there was suffering. The last days were painless. According to her son Charles, "My mother died just as she wished to die. She died at her work, and she died at McDonogh."
Her funeral services were held at St. Thomas's Church, of which Mrs. Young was a member. The services were held by Rev. Hobart Smith, rector of St. Thomas's, and Rev. J. Luther Martin, an old McDonough boy, who conducted the service. They made it very impressive. Everyone at the McDonough School and all the boys, even those who years prior had graduated (about 200 total), attended Josepha's funeral. Attendance was so high, the pallbearers hardly had room to carry her casket up the church aisle.
The most beautiful part of Mrs. Young's burial at St. Thomas's Church cemetery was the flowers. They were stated as being exquisite and there was a profusion of them. White roses and carnations with evergreen around the border, given by the Baltimore alumni, covered her entire grave. At the head was a stand of flowers given by the faculty. Its base was composed of beautiful white lilies, the top had carnations and roses. A pillow of pink roses and white lilies given by the boys was placed at the foot of her grave.
Josepha Backus Young's life was an inspiration to all!
Her father moved from Norwich, Conn. to Virginia when a youth. He was a merchant in Petersburg, Va. He moved to Amelia County where he ran the Amelia Springs Hotel. In 1809, he married Dorothea Chappell and in 1815 they moved to Fincastle, Va. to manage a hotel.
George passed in 1829, leaving the children orphaned. In early girlhood, Josepha lived with one of her sisters, Mrs. Eliza Little, in Cincinnati. Later she grew up in the home of another sister, Mrs. Martha Nash, in Lynchburg, Va., and she was a young lady in society there until her 23rd year. And the very charming young lady she was, according to family and friends.
In 1855, when Mr. and Mrs. Nash removed to Louisville, Ky., Miss Josepha went with them, and made her home in that city until 1859. In that year on the 2nd of December, she married William T. Young, then a prominent Baltimore coffee merchant.
All her married life was spent in Baltimore. Her home was on the west side of Franklin Square. Her next door neighbor was the late Thomas E. Hambleton, the ancestor of the well known Baltimore family of bankers and engineers. The Hambletons were her life-long friends. Also the Stumps of Green Spring Valley were close friends; and among Mrs. Young's happiest memories were of the pleasant days spent at "Stoneton," the handsome and hospitable home of the Stumps on the hill overlooking the beautiful valley.
In 1866, Josepha and William had a son named Charles S. Young. Her husband William Young passed circa 1870 in Baltimore, Md.
On Nov. 12, 1873, Josepha took a job at a new school called the McDonogh School for Boys. She was appointed as Matron of the School. She was most beloved by all and her services over the years at the school were exemplary. The school Principal, Colonel Allen said he heard a hundred times to congratulate the Trustees and the School on their good fortune in securing the services of Josepha Young. Over her career, she was in charge of over 1300 boys who regarded her with the highest love and esteem.
Her nature was wonderfully rich and attractive with abundant grace and charm. She was regarded as the dearest lady and admired by all who had the good fortune to know her.
She passed away peacefully on Friday, April 21, 1911 at 6:15 in the morning. In the first days of her illness there was suffering. The last days were painless. According to her son Charles, "My mother died just as she wished to die. She died at her work, and she died at McDonogh."
Her funeral services were held at St. Thomas's Church, of which Mrs. Young was a member. The services were held by Rev. Hobart Smith, rector of St. Thomas's, and Rev. J. Luther Martin, an old McDonough boy, who conducted the service. They made it very impressive. Everyone at the McDonough School and all the boys, even those who years prior had graduated (about 200 total), attended Josepha's funeral. Attendance was so high, the pallbearers hardly had room to carry her casket up the church aisle.
The most beautiful part of Mrs. Young's burial at St. Thomas's Church cemetery was the flowers. They were stated as being exquisite and there was a profusion of them. White roses and carnations with evergreen around the border, given by the Baltimore alumni, covered her entire grave. At the head was a stand of flowers given by the faculty. Its base was composed of beautiful white lilies, the top had carnations and roses. A pillow of pink roses and white lilies given by the boys was placed at the foot of her grave.
Josepha Backus Young's life was an inspiration to all!
Josepha Selden Backus was the eighth daughter and ninth child born to George Douglas Backus and Dorothea Chappell Backus on July 16, 1830 in Fincastle, Botetourt County, Va.
Her father moved from Norwich, Conn. to Virginia when a youth. He was a merchant in Petersburg, Va. He moved to Amelia County where he ran the Amelia Springs Hotel. In 1809, he married Dorothea Chappell and in 1815 they moved to Fincastle, Va. to manage a hotel.
George passed in 1829, leaving the children orphaned. In early girlhood, Josepha lived with one of her sisters, Mrs. Eliza Little, in Cincinnati. Later she grew up in the home of another sister, Mrs. Martha Nash, in Lynchburg, Va., and she was a young lady in society there until her 23rd year. And the very charming young lady she was, according to family and friends.
In 1855, when Mr. and Mrs. Nash removed to Louisville, Ky., Miss Josepha went with them, and made her home in that city until 1859. In that year on the 2nd of December, she married William T. Young, then a prominent Baltimore coffee merchant.
All her married life was spent in Baltimore. Her home was on the west side of Franklin Square. Her next door neighbor was the late Thomas E. Hambleton, the ancestor of the well known Baltimore family of bankers and engineers. The Hambletons were her life-long friends. Also the Stumps of Green Spring Valley were close friends; and among Mrs. Young's happiest memories were of the pleasant days spent at "Stoneton," the handsome and hospitable home of the Stumps on the hill overlooking the beautiful valley.
In 1866, Josepha and William had a son named Charles S. Young. Her husband William Young passed circa 1870 in Baltimore, Md.
On Nov. 12, 1873, Josepha took a job at a new school called the McDonogh School for Boys. She was appointed as Matron of the School. She was most beloved by all and her services over the years at the school were exemplary. The school Principal, Colonel Allen said he heard a hundred times to congratulate the Trustees and the School on their good fortune in securing the services of Josepha Young. Over her career, she was in charge of over 1300 boys who regarded her with the highest love and esteem.
Her nature was wonderfully rich and attractive with abundant grace and charm. She was regarded as the dearest lady and admired by all who had the good fortune to know her.
She passed away peacefully on Friday, April 21, 1911 at 6:15 in the morning. In the first days of her illness there was suffering. The last days were painless. According to her son Charles, "My mother died just as she wished to die. She died at her work, and she died at McDonogh."
Her funeral services were held at St. Thomas's Church, of which Mrs. Young was a member. The services were held by Rev. Hobart Smith, rector of St. Thomas's, and Rev. J. Luther Martin, an old McDonough boy, who conducted the service. They made it very impressive. Everyone at the McDonough School and all the boys, even those who years prior had graduated (about 200 total), attended Josepha's funeral. Attendance was so high, the pallbearers hardly had room to carry her casket up the church aisle.
The most beautiful part of Mrs. Young's burial at St. Thomas's Church cemetery was the flowers. They were stated as being exquisite and there was a profusion of them. White roses and carnations with evergreen around the border, given by the Baltimore alumni, covered her entire grave. At the head was a stand of flowers given by the faculty. Its base was composed of beautiful white lilies, the top had carnations and roses. A pillow of pink roses and white lilies given by the boys was placed at the foot of her grave.
Josepha Backus Young's life was an inspiration to all!
Her father moved from Norwich, Conn. to Virginia when a youth. He was a merchant in Petersburg, Va. He moved to Amelia County where he ran the Amelia Springs Hotel. In 1809, he married Dorothea Chappell and in 1815 they moved to Fincastle, Va. to manage a hotel.
George passed in 1829, leaving the children orphaned. In early girlhood, Josepha lived with one of her sisters, Mrs. Eliza Little, in Cincinnati. Later she grew up in the home of another sister, Mrs. Martha Nash, in Lynchburg, Va., and she was a young lady in society there until her 23rd year. And the very charming young lady she was, according to family and friends.
In 1855, when Mr. and Mrs. Nash removed to Louisville, Ky., Miss Josepha went with them, and made her home in that city until 1859. In that year on the 2nd of December, she married William T. Young, then a prominent Baltimore coffee merchant.
All her married life was spent in Baltimore. Her home was on the west side of Franklin Square. Her next door neighbor was the late Thomas E. Hambleton, the ancestor of the well known Baltimore family of bankers and engineers. The Hambletons were her life-long friends. Also the Stumps of Green Spring Valley were close friends; and among Mrs. Young's happiest memories were of the pleasant days spent at "Stoneton," the handsome and hospitable home of the Stumps on the hill overlooking the beautiful valley.
In 1866, Josepha and William had a son named Charles S. Young. Her husband William Young passed circa 1870 in Baltimore, Md.
On Nov. 12, 1873, Josepha took a job at a new school called the McDonogh School for Boys. She was appointed as Matron of the School. She was most beloved by all and her services over the years at the school were exemplary. The school Principal, Colonel Allen said he heard a hundred times to congratulate the Trustees and the School on their good fortune in securing the services of Josepha Young. Over her career, she was in charge of over 1300 boys who regarded her with the highest love and esteem.
Her nature was wonderfully rich and attractive with abundant grace and charm. She was regarded as the dearest lady and admired by all who had the good fortune to know her.
She passed away peacefully on Friday, April 21, 1911 at 6:15 in the morning. In the first days of her illness there was suffering. The last days were painless. According to her son Charles, "My mother died just as she wished to die. She died at her work, and she died at McDonogh."
Her funeral services were held at St. Thomas's Church, of which Mrs. Young was a member. The services were held by Rev. Hobart Smith, rector of St. Thomas's, and Rev. J. Luther Martin, an old McDonough boy, who conducted the service. They made it very impressive. Everyone at the McDonough School and all the boys, even those who years prior had graduated (about 200 total), attended Josepha's funeral. Attendance was so high, the pallbearers hardly had room to carry her casket up the church aisle.
The most beautiful part of Mrs. Young's burial at St. Thomas's Church cemetery was the flowers. They were stated as being exquisite and there was a profusion of them. White roses and carnations with evergreen around the border, given by the Baltimore alumni, covered her entire grave. At the head was a stand of flowers given by the faculty. Its base was composed of beautiful white lilies, the top had carnations and roses. A pillow of pink roses and white lilies given by the boys was placed at the foot of her grave.
Josepha Backus Young's life was an inspiration to all!
