John T. Lynch of Texas County, Missouri

John T. Lynch, one of the leading citizens of Houston, Texas County, Mo., was born in that county May 10, 1841, and is the son of David and Polly Ann Margaret (Fourt) Lynch. The father was born in Virginia, March 15, 1803, and died in Texas County, Mo., May 15, 1865. The mother was born December 13, 1813, and died in Texas County, Mo., February 24, 1852. They were married in Warren County, Mo., November 19, 1837. The Lynches were of Irish descent, and settled in what is now Lynchburg, Va., which was named from the family, previous to the Revolutionary War. David Lynch was a son of Henry Lynch, of Virginia, whose father was an old Revolutionary soldier. David Lynch’s grandfather was also Henry Lynch. David Lynch came to Texas County, Mo., in 1823; operated mills on Piney River and engaged in the lumber and timber business, rafting the timber and lumber to St. Louis. He afterward turned his attention to farming, which he continued many years. He was a successful business man and was one of the county’s best citizens. At the organization of Texas County he was appointed one of the judges of the county court; and the court met at his residence for a number of years afterward. At one time he was in the State Legislature from Texas County. He was a Whig in politics, and both he and wife were members of the Methodist Church. To their marriage were born seven children, five now living: Prof. William H., a noted educator of Southern Missouri, now at Mountain Grove Academy; John T., Ransom B., a physician; David A., also a physician, and Hayden W., a farmer. John T. Lynch received his education at Lathrop Academy, in Boone County, Mo., in 1857, 1858 and 1859, and from that time until the breaking out of the war, he was with his parents. In 1863 he enlisted in Company K, Sixth Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia, and soon after was in Company K, Sixteenth Cavalry, Missouri Volunteers, where he served as regimental commissary-sergeant until June 30, 1865. After the war he located in Houston and for the next five years was in the sheriff and collector’s office as deputy. For a number of years after that he followed milling and farming, but of late years has been in the abstract and real estate business. January 16, 1866, he was married to Miss Cordelia Ann Mires, a native of Bedford County, Tenn., born October 30, 1846, and the daughter of George W. and Elizabeth Ann Mires. She died in Texas County, Mo., November 3, 1866. To this union was born one daughter, Cordelia Ann Lynch, now the wife of Hon. John D. Young, of Houston [see sketch]. April 22, 1871, Mr. Lynch married Miss Sarah H. Rodgers, a native of Cooper County, Mo., born December 25, 1839, and daughter of Nathaniel K. and Elizabeth Rodgers, now both dead. Mr. Rodgers was a carpenter and moved to Texas County in 1853. He died there in January, 1862, when sixty-five years of age. Mrs. Rodgers died in August, 1888, when eighty-five years of age. By the last marriage Mr. Lynch became the father of three children: Minnie E., Thomas H. and Mary F. Mr. Lynch is a member of the G. A. R., and has been the adjutant of his post since its organization, August 2, 1887. He is a Republican in politics and cast his first vote for Uncle Abe in his second election in November, 1864. Mr. Lynch was one of the two who took the United States census in the year 1870, and one of the five who took the United States census in 1880.