John Lynch (1740–1820)

Founder of Lynchburg, VA

John Lynch's grave, at the South River Friends Meetinghouse

John Lynch (August 28, 1740 – October 31, 1820) was an American merchant and abolitionist who founded the city of Lynchburg, Virginia.

## Early life

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Lynch was born on August 28, 1740, in Albemarle County, Virginia. Lynch's father was Charles Lynch Sr., who was born in Galway, Ireland, but immigrated to Virginia in 1720, marrying John's mother, Sarah.[1] John was one of six siblings, another of whom was Charles Jr., a judge believed to be the namesake of lynching.[2] Lynch's mother, Sarah, was an active member in the local Quaker community, and she donated land that would become the South River Friends Meetinghouse. Lynch would later donate additional land and help build a new meetinghouse on the same property.[3]

## Founding of Lynchburg

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The Lynch Ferry across the James River was established by the family in about 1745.[1] In 1757, seventeen-year-old John Lynch took over control of the ferry business. Years later, first in 1784 and again in 1786, Lynch petitioned the General Assembly of Virginia for a charter to establish a town on the bluffs above the ferry upon land Lynch had inherited from an older brother. The 1786 petition was granted, and the town of Lynchburg was founded.

## Abolition

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Lynch freed all of his slaves by the mid-1780s,[4] including the slave who was suspected of killing his son.[5] He consistently supported the antislavery movement.[6]

Lynch's sister, Sarah Lynch Terrell, was an elder in the local Quaker meeting. Her will, known as "The Last Sayings of Sarah Lynch Terrell", became a slavery abolitionist tract to other Quakers in Colonial Virginia.[7]

## Death

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Lynch died October 31st, 1820, and is buried at the South River Friends Meetinghouse.[5]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Lynchburg History: John Lynch". LYH – Lynchburg Tourism. 2020-05-22. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
2. ^ Melli-Huber, Santiago (5 February 2024). "Breaking down the history behind how the City of Lynchburg was named". WFXR. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
3. ^ "South River Meeting House - Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church - Lynchburg, Virginia". Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
4. ^ Smith, Samantha (7 May 2021). "'We can be proud of what the real story is': Meet Lynchburg's namesake and learn how his spirit lives on". WSLS-TV. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
5. ^ a b Langeland, Stephen. "Manumission in Virginia: The Anti-Slavery Legacy of John Lynch". Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy. 2 (1). Liberty University. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024 - via Digital Commons.
6. ^ "John Lynch to Thomas Jefferson, 25 December 1810". Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
7. ^ ""The Last Sayings of Sarah Lynch Terrell" and the Radical Abolitionism of the South River Quakers". The Lynchburg Museum. 24 April 2024. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.

## Sources

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* Elson, James M. (2004). Lynchburg, Virginia: The First Two Hundred Years 1786 – 1986. Lynchburg, VA: Warwick House Publishing. ISBN 978-1-890306-72-4. LCCN 2004111050.
* Loyd, Richard B.; Mundy, Bernard K. (1975). Lynchburg: A Pictorial History. Virginia Beach, VA: Donning Company. ISBN 0-915442-06-X. LCCN 75020230.
* Chambers, S. Allen Jr. (1981). Lynchburg: An Architectural History. University Press of Virginia. ISBN 978-0-8139-0882-3. LCCN 81003000.
* Scruggs, Philip Lightfoot (1978). The History of Lynchburg, Virginia 1786–1946. J. P. Bell. LCCN 78184897.