May 20th, 1992
3:30 AM
Dear Jeanne,
Hi Hope you guys are all well. Doing Fine Here - love to all - You asked about background - I’ll try to remember without notes do do it:
1. A). Michael Lynch (18??-1846) married Susan Murphy (18??-1846?) in Cappoquin, Co. Waterford (18??)
B). Henry McGrath married Jane Murphy(sister of Susan Murphy)
Michael and Susan had Four sons
1. Thomas - Never heard from again
2). John - Went to SC Charleston - to 96 after that - Fought for Rebs - died in 1866
3). Patrick - Joined Krueger’s Commandos in Boer War 1898
4). Edmund - stayed in Ireland - after the Famine of 1846-7. The only one left at home - other others left - became apprenticed as a games keeper to LORD USHER in WATERFORD - He owned that whole side of the hill we were on while we were there. He lived in that store house above the cement house Michael was living in. The dining room table & cubbard came from that house. The cement house was completed by 1893 by EDMOND who by that time had a growing Family as he had married BRIDGET O’BRIEN a native of Cork City in 1878. I at one time had that certificate that’s how I learned where he was born & who his parents were. I don’t know the ages of the other brothers; The 1850 LAURENS CENSUS(U.S.) says he (John) was here with Margaret LYNCH but did not state their relationship although it did specify he was a farmer with HIS OWN LAND!! In LAURENS. I looked for John in the 1860 Census and could not find it. Apparently he was either missed or he moved.
EDMUND & BRIDGET(Carol was her nickname and what she was called) had 11
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1). Susan 1880, I think Susan was the oldest, She m. Thomas Sheen or Shehan
Rita Sullivan(Bronx) 80 yrs old now
Beatriss died of Polio at age 16 - 193?
2). John 1882 (Blackie or Blockie) Killed in a knife fight San Francisco after winning $ in a card game - 1912
3). Michael (Mickey) died in 1984 - died at home - came over and lived in NYC 1910-11-12 didn’t like it here - he went back-
4). Margaret 1886 married James Mann lived in Bx. Had
Grace - married Peterson - Ramsey, NJ
Eddie- RIP a good man
Stephen - in Florida now
Mae- RIP m. Dolan had 12 more all over the place
5). Patrick 188 - Came to US served in World War I US Army was gassed - Died in 1928 NY Veterans Hospital. He didn’t live very long
6). Mary 1890 Married a Jas. Roche from Cork had 12 - Philomina, etc are all descendants their mother Susie Roche(McGovern) RIP
My 1st cousin- she had a hard life (RIP 1955)
7). James 1892 lived only in Ireland - died in the 1960’s never was a well man - kicked in head by a horse - constantly had dizzy spells
8). Beecher 1894 - Never left Ireland - died in 1964- I am supposed to be his look alike -
NONE OF THE MEN EVER MARRIED - TOO POOR TO OWN LAND OR SUPPORT A FAMLY - NO JOBS
9). Tom 1896 - KILLED; Truck hit him in 1956 - when he died other were hoping your Grandfather would RET home and keep farm going -
10). William- 1898-1965 - William, Mary, & Edward
KEEP IN MIND 2 STILL BORNS happened in here
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I learned many things from Mickey Lynch:
1. A member of the Lynch Family served in every war the U.S. fought in -
A. The Revolutionary War - 1779 (It would be possible we had relatives in the Fort at 96 - there were 472 men there under Major Wm. Anderson) - We won that battle but a number of Lynch’s lost their lives there - for reference see that abstract of that will you discovered I have the same one - and the names are familiar to the LYNCH Family-
B. The NAVAL WAR W/ G.B. 1812 - Someone of our Family Lost 4 fingers boarding a British Ship
C. The Mex - US War 1846 - ??
D. The War Bet the States - JOHN
E. The Spanish War - ??? 1898
F. W.W.I- Patrick 1918
G. W.W. II - William 1942-5
H. Korean War - Edward - 1954-56
2. “A member of our Family signed the paper that made your country” ??
3. According Margaret and your Aunt May - The LYNCHs & RUTLEDGES were great Family friends??? The Rutledges were Declaration Signers as was a person by the name of Thomas Lynch - 1776 all from S.C. # question would the Rutledge Family know of their historically relationships?
4. EDMOND - (Michael’s father) WON the land 11 acres at the top of the hill - from LORD WM USHER’S son in a CARD GAME would a descendant of that family have kept records of who worked for them etc.
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No one except the very wealthy or titled owned land in Ireland in those years - The Vast majority rented land in return for their labor. This is called CONACRE. When the 1st Potatoe crop failed (1846) because of Blight - there was much dying, Much suffering, disease etc - this was not unusual in Ireland -
It also goes without saying - there was always hope that next years crop would be better. The winter of 1847 in Ireland was very severe- Snow, freezing cold, etc - (more deaths) in spring of 1847 a new crop was planted - however by June it became known that it too would ROT; therefore they knew they must leave - or dye of starvation as they would have no food for the winter - There were food notes in DUNGARVIN (12 miles away) British troops killed 31 and wounded 100’s of others in defense of the Food Depots - This is how desperate it was!!
The People living under a Lords land were his responsibility - he had by law to care for them - I’m told the Waterford landlords treated people in that part of Ireland treated their people better than they did in many other areas - BUT - they did have to feed them. As it looked like they would be feeding people for a long time they offered to pay to transport people out of Ireland - The LYNCH’S, MURPHYS & McGRATHS come out of Ireland - and went to Charleston - thense to Ninety-six. It is safe to assume they must have known someone there already - and would be able to be at home there. (I did find Dr. John Lynch in Us Census - 1850 Laurens) They did NOT come in one of the awful COFFIN ships their passage was paid by USHER - (A British Ship??)
Jeanne - I’m tired now - going to sign off- I hope you can read it -
Love- dad
More later on-