Ed Young was born in 1920 in the Ebenezer Community of Florence County South Carolina.  He grew up on a farm and still lives and operates the farm his father and his father’s father ran before him.  After graduating from Florence High School in 1937, Ed went on to Clemson College, where he graduated in 1941 with a BS in Dairying.  Following college, Ed entered military service where he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with nine Oak leaf clusters for Pacific Theatre Service during World War II.  As a Squadron Commander, Young flew 196 combat missions, credited with downing one Japanese fighter plane.

After service in World War II, Ed returned to Florence County where he married Harriet Gray Yeargin on August 4, 1945.  They have four daughters: Dr. Claudia Venable of Atlanta; Harriet Charles of Myrtle Beach; Virginia Gean of Malibu, California; and Rebecca Madden of Barrington, Illinois.  Ed and Harriet (Hatsy) have seven grandchildren.

Ed Young did not spend all of his time on the farm, serving as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1958-1960; as Chairman of the Pee Dee Production Credit Association and Chairman of the Florence Federal Land Bank Association from the early 1960’s until 1972, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served until 1974.  Locally, he served as President of the SC Jersey Cattle Club (1946); President of the Florence County Farm Bureau (1954); President of the SC Association of Young Farmers, during which time he was named Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year (1955); President of the Coble Dairy Products Co-op (1972-75); and served on the SC State Development Board (1975-78).  His civic accomplishments include Chairman of the Florence County Heart Fund; Chairman of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce; and President of the Florence Rotary Club.  Ed is a member and Deacon of the Ebenezer Baptist Church; a Sunday School teacher and for 43 years has served as a radio Sunday School broadcaster.

In addition to his farming endeavors and public service, Ed branched out into other business areas, including motel operations, a country club, and diversified real estate developments.  Ed was involved in the development of the Days Inn, the Swamp Fox Inn, the Ramada Inn in Florence and the Days Inn at Surfside Beach.  He was instrumental in the founding of the Forest Lake community and Oakdale Country Club and in the acquisition of the land for the Florence Civic Center.

The Honorable Ed Young is well respected in his community as a devoted family man, an active church and civic leader and is held in the highest personal regard by his associates, colleagues and friends.  He has a warm personality and a true concern for his fellow man.