John Lynch^[1]

1740 - 1820  (80 years)

• Name	John Lynch  [2]
  Birth	20 Jun 1740	, Albemarle, Virginia, USA
  Gender	Male
  Death	31 Oct 1820	Lynchburg, Independent Cities, Virginia, USA
  Person ID	I37269	Master
  Last Modified	24 Oct 2024

  
  

  Father	Charles Lynch,   b. 1705, , County Galway, Ireland d. 10 May 1753, Charlottesville, Independent Cities, Virginia, USA (Age 48 years)
  Mother	Sarah Clark,   b. 1716, , New Kent, Virginia, USA d. 20 Jan 1792, , Campbell, Virginia, USA (Age 76 years)
  Marriage	1733	, Hanover, Virginia, USA
  Family ID	F8911	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 20 Jun 1740 - , Albemarle, Virginia, USA Death - 31 Oct 1820 - Lynchburg, Independent Cities, Virginia, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  In 1757, at age 17, John Lynch began operating a ferry service across the James River on land owned by his family in Campbell County. The ferry business was a success, and John soon branched out into other enterprises and began selling lots near the ferry. The community he started there grew steadily and in 1786 he was able to obtain a charter from the General Assembly--founding the town of Lynchburg. John Lynch was a devoted Quaker and he was anti-slavery at a time when that was uncommon. In 1810 a tragedy occurred, which put his beliefs to a painful test. John's son John C. Lynch had become a prominent physician and was elected Mayor of Lynchburg in 1809. In 1810 Dr. Lynch was murdered (poisoned) and suspicion quickly fell on his slave Bob, who was to be freed at the death of Dr. Lynch. Bob and a free female alleged accomplice were arrested and charged with murdering Dr. Lynch. In the trials that followed, the woman was convicted. But although a majority of the jury voted to convict Bob as well, they could not reach a unanimous decision as the law required for conviction. So Bob was acquitted. Under the law Bob became John's property upon Dr. Lynch's death. John was convinced that Bob was guilty of murdering his son, but in obedience to his anti-slavery principles, he emancipated Bob nevertheless. Here is what he wrote: "Nov. 9, 1810.—Having a negro slave named Bob, aged 30 years, fallen under my care by descent from my son, who died intestate, and being fully persuaded that freedom and liberty is the natural law of mankind and that no law, moral or divine, hath given me a right to property in the person of any of my fellow creatures and notwithstanding the injury done to me and mine by Bob, from his confession and evident circumstances, for which he was tried and acquitted by the laws of his country—believing as I do that no circumstances whatever can change the principle, and leaving the event unto Him Who hath said 'Vengeance is mine and I will repay,' I therefore for myself and heirs do hereby emancipate Bob." John Lynch died on this date in 1820, at age 80. John Lynch had freed his slaves in accordance with an Emancipation deadline set by the Quaker church / Society of Friends. In 1810, John Lynch's son Christopher died. The deceased was unmarried, was a doctor & was then mayor of town of Lynchburg, A slave of Christopher was accused of his murder & put on trial. The court acquitted him & his ownership passed to next of kin, father, John Lynch. The same day of the acquittal, John Lynch filed a deed of manumission at the courthouse, freeing the former slave of his son. Sarah Clark Lynch, mother of Charles, Jr. and John, had hosted the first services for local Quakers in her home. She gave the land for South River Meeting House. This congregation grew from a monthly meeting to become a weekly meeting. Some years later she married Major John Ward. The Quakers disowned her for marrying a non-Quaker. She is buried at the Ward family cem near Altavista. Her first husband, Capt. Charles Lynch, died mid 1750s, 3 yrs after moving to his farm, Chestnut Hill, & is buried there. One of John Lynch's children emigrated to Ohio. All the rest of his children and grandchildren are buried at South River MH.

  
  

• Sources

  [S761] Yates Publishing, Ancestry Family Trees, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.), Ancestry Family Tree. http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=162117177&pid=354 [S1133] Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), Book Title: Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 004 : 1893.