The Young Papers fall into six series: Agricultural; Audio-visual; Campaigns, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978 (Gov.), 1980; Congressional (John McMillan, case, executive, general, and legislative); Newspaper clippings; and Personal. The family farm records (1926-1956) contain correspondence with breeders throughout the country. Ed Young's father, Fred Young, created most of these agricultural files. A few papers show Fred's involvement with crop adjusting for insurance companies. He settled hail losses on tobacco and cotton crops. There is some personal correspondence relating to the family, Ed's service in the Air Force, and church activities. The bulk of Fred Young's correspondence dealt with his cows: breeding, herd classification, inspection and health certificates, milk and butterfat production, registration, shows, and sales. Photographs of the cows have been removed.

The Audio-visual series contains footage relating to Young's campaigns. There are multiple unedited and soundless takes. In many cases the films are not dated. There are also reel to reel audio tapes. Most of these tapes are short anti-John Jenrette spots. There is at least one twenty minute speech. The films and tapes are in no chronological order, but they have been numbered and a short identification of people and subject matter will follow the series description in the container list.

The Campaign series, beginning with Young's first campaign for the United States House of Representatives from the Sixth Congressional District in South Carolina, contains papers reflecting his decision to run for office on the Republican ticket and subsequent activities attendant to running five political campaigns. They include his financial records, directories and lists of constituents, contributors and volunteers, files on his major opponent, John Jenrette, ads, brochures, endorsements, fund raising activities and form letters, photographs, appointments and schedules, correspondence, county and precinct activities, Republican party organization, polls and surveys, computer printouts of voter lists and contributors, issues and lobbyists' positions.

After his election in 1972 and his two year term, 1973-1975, he was unsuccessful in his reelection bids in 1974 and 1976. Correspondence following these defeats include letters of appreciation and commiseration as well as fund raising efforts to retire campaign debts. In 1978 he ran for Governor of South Carolina against Democrat Richard Riley and was defeated. Again in 1980 Young sought the nomination of his party for the U. S. House seat and was defeated in the Republican primary by John Napier. His 1980 campaign papers include many computer printouts of contributors and voters in his district indicating Young's attempts to use his supporters in John Connally's campaign for the Republican nomination for President.

Within each campaign the folders are arranged alphabetically. Duplicates, printed materials, newspaper clippings, and photographs were removed from this series. Card files containing names and addresses of the various categories of contributions and contributors follow the foldered materials in each campaign.

The congressional files fall into five subseries: John McMillan, case, executive, general, and legislative. Each category is alphabetically arranged. Congressman John McMillan's files are almost all constituent mail and case files. The case files record constituent service with government departments such as Social Security and Veteran's affairs. The correspondence is organized alphabetically by department name and arranged within them alphabetically according to constituent's name. Another alphabetical file holds correspondence concerning individual constituent service. These case files are restricted.

The executive subseries contains papers relating to the Armed Forces, Civil Service, Farmer's Home Administration, Federal Communication Commission, General Services, Health, Education and Welfare, Public Works, and Treasury.

The general subseries contains applications, condolences and congratulations, directories, gallery passes, grants, invitations accepted and declined, mobile office records of constituent visits, personnel records, press releases, specific Sixth District concerns (filed by county), thank you letters, and miscellaneous materials. During his term in Congress, Young maintained a mobile office in his South Carolina District. Its files have been interfiled into this subseries.

The Legislative papers document Young's committee activities. A digest of legislation which Young sponsored or co-sponsored can be found here. Small farmers, the Rural Environmental Assistance Program (REAP), the fire ant problem, tobacco marketing, agricultural research, the lack of health care in rural areas, and high energy costs are among the subjects covered. He visited Africa and the World Food Conference in Rome at the end of his term in the House. The files contain his itinerary, photographs, and copies of printed materials. Legislative Digest, prepared by the House Republican Conference, and computer printouts of short summaries of House Resolutions round out the contents of the Legislative files.

Congressman Young's Personal papers during the 1970's contain biographical data, genealogy records, business matters, correspondence, an election-loss analysis and questionnaire (1975), requests for assistance, and tax records. Some correspondence, condolences, congratulations, and thank-you notes were left in the congressional files or campaign files. These folders are in alphabetical order.

Newspaper clippings are from weeklies in the 6th district are arranged chronologically.