William Wallace Young (7 September 1847 – 2 October 1920) was an American playwright, writer, and actor, best known for his play adaptation of the novel ''

Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to: Fiction *'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace ** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899 ** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...

'' in 1899. Young was born in

Monmouth, Illinois Monmouth is a city in and the county seat of Warren County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,902 at the 2020 census, down from 9,444 in 2010. It is the home of Monmouth College and contains Monmouth Park, Harmon Park, North Park, W ...

, on 7 September 1845, the son of Dr. John A. Young and Isabella Hogue Wallace. He was valedictorian and last surviving member of

Monmouth College Monmouth College is a Private college, private Presbyterian Church (USA), Presbyterian Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Monmouth, Illinois. It enrolls 727 students in Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science de ...

class of 1863, and married Arvilla Joan Parry there in 1866. He was still at home with his parents in the 1870 census of Monmouth, with "literature" listed as his occupation. He was shown as a playwright with his wife and two children in the 1880 census of Monmouth, Illinois; his obituary stated he left Monmouth 30 years prior to his death (circa 1890), but always considered it his home. His first play, ''Jonquil'', opened at

Booth's Theatre Booth's Theatre was a theatre in New York built by actor Edwin Booth. Located on the southeast corner of 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue, Booth's Theatre opened on February 3, 1869. The theatre featured a grand vestibule with Italian marble floor ...

in New York in 1871. His first play to receive significant attention was ''Pendragon'' in 1881. His 1883 comedy '' The Rajah'' was panned by critics but commercially successful, playing for 256 shows in New York before going on the road. He also acted some roles, and published a number of poems, including a volume titled ''Wishmaker's Town'' in 1885 which was republished in 1898 with an introduction by

Thomas Bailey Aldrich Thomas Bailey Aldrich ( ; November 11, 1836 – March 19, 1907) was an American writer, poet, critic, and editor. He is notable for his long editorship of ''The Atlantic Monthly'', during which he published writers including Charles W. Chesnutt ...

. Young died at his summer residence, Burkhaven,

Lake Sunapee Lake Sunapee is located within Sullivan County, New Hampshire, Sullivan County and Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Merrimack County in western New Hampshire, the United States. It is the fifth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. Th ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, on 2 October 1920, and was buried in Monmouth, Illinois, on 10 October 1920. Knowing that his time was short, he had just finished a historical play prior to his death (title unknown), asking that his daughter Nina transcribe it and ready it for publication.

Selected works

*''Jonquil'' (1871)(17 April 1871)
"Jonquil" at Booth's Theatre (review)
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' *''Pendragon'' (1881) (featuring actor

Lawrence Barrett Lawrence Patrick Barrett (April 4, 1838 – March 20, 1891) was an American stage actor. Barrett began his career in 1853 in Detroit and made his first New York appearance in 1856. Barrett enlisted for the American Civil War in 1862, but resigne ...

on Broadway) *'' The Rajah'' (1883) *''Wishmaker's Town'' (poems) (1885) *''Ganelon'' (1889) (featuring actor

on Broadway)(8 October 1889)
Lawrence Barrett as Ganelon
''

'' *''Joan of Arc'' (1890) (adaptation of

Jules Barbier Paul Jules Barbier (; 8 March 182516 January 1901) was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré.

) *''If I Were You'' (1892) *''

'' (adaptation of novel) (1899) *''A Chinese Nightingale'' (1903) (from Winnifred Eaton novel)

References

External links

* *
William Young Correspondence
at Syracuse University
Wishmaker's Town
(1898 edition with introduction by

), via Google Books
William Wallace Young
on Find A Grave {{DEFAULTSORT:Young, William 1847 births 1920 deaths 19th-century American dramatists and playwrights Monmouth College alumni