James R. Young was the first North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance

North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance

The North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance regulates the insurance industry in North Carolina, licenses insurance professionals in the state, educates consumers about different types of insurance, and handles consumer complaints...

. Born in 1853 in what was then Granville County, North Carolina

Granville County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 59,916 people in 20,628 households residing in the county. The population density was 111.6 people per square mile . There were 22,827 housing units at an average density of 42.5 per square mile...

, Young was educated at Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...

 and established an insurance agency in Henderson

Henderson, North Carolina

Henderson, with a population of 16,095 at the 2000 census, is the county seat of Vance County, North Carolina, United States.The city was named in honor of former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Leonard Henderson, who lived nearby and was a friend of early settler Lewis Reavis...

. He also became the first clerk of court for the new county of Vance

Vance County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,954 people, 16,199 households, and 11,647 families residing in the county. The population density was 169 people per square mile . There were 18,196 housing units at an average density of 72 per square mile...

 and served from 1881-1890.

In 1899, the North Carolina General Assembly

North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...

 elected Young the first state insurance commissioner

Insurance commissioner

Insurance commissioner is an executive office in many U.S. states, some in the state cabinet. The office differs state by state:...

, upon which he sold his insurance agency. He was later appointed by Gov. Charles B. Aycock to continue in the post. When the North Carolina Constitution

North Carolina Constitution

The Constitution of the State of North Carolina governs the structure and function of the state government of North Carolina, United States; it is the highest legal document for the state and subjugates North Carolina law...

was amended to make the office popularly elected, Young was elected in the general election of 1908 and subsequently re-elected until retiring after the 1920 election.