He Signed For Us
Thomas Lynch III
"For the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor."
Thomas Lynch, Jr., actually, the III, of the colony of South Carolina was a delegate to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, PA, in 1776.
From their early European origins, the Lynches were of the aristocracy. In 1066, the Lynch family ( then called the Lince family ) left France with William the Conquer and established themselves near Kent, England. In the late twelth century, as the Kings of England gained political control of Ireland, the Kentish Lynches ( also known as Lacies and Lecies ), moved to Ireland. First to a large estate near Dublin and then permanently, to Galloway, in the province of Connaught. It was here that the Lynches were highly esteemed by their fellow countryman, not only as the Mayor of Galloway but as philanthropic Catholics dedicated to the advancement of their faith.
The precise period when Jonack ( also spelled Johna or Jonah ) Lynch, the great grandfather of Thomas Lynch, III, came to America is unknown. He received a 600-acre grant on the South shore of the Cooper River by the Provincial Council on April 30, 1677. He named the plantation "Blessing". In 1682 he received an additional 780 acres. His first wife's name is unknown. His second wife Margaret ( mother of Johnson, Thomas I, and Sarah ), was the daughter of Sir Nathaniel Johnson, Provincial Governor of South Carolina. He served as a member of the Commons House of Assembly.
At his death, he left his son Thomas I ( 1680-1738 ) a slender patrimony, which however, by his industry, and especially by the purchase of a large tract of land, which he devoted to the cultivation of rice, was increased to a princely fortune. His screwed acquisition of thousands of acres of Santee River land made possible the expansive Indigo fortunes of future Lynch generations/ He married Mary Finwick and had one daughter, Margaret. He then married Sabina Vanderhorst and they had the following children: Thomas II, Mary, Sabina, Sarah and Elizabeth and two who died as infants. He, like his father, served as a member of the Commons House of Assembly. He also served as a Justice of the Peace of Berkeley County. This fortune, at his death, was left to a son by the name of Thomas II ( b 1726 ), father of the subject of the present sketch.
Thomas II married Elizabeth Alliston in 1745. She died 1752. They had 3 children - Sabina ( b 1747 ), Esther ( b 1748 ), and Thomas, Jr. ) Thomas then married Hanah Motte in March, 1775, and they had one child, Elizabeth ( b 1775 ). In 1751 he was elected to the Commons House of Assembly from Prince George, Winyah, Parish. In 1751 he s in the Stamp Act Congress in New York. He was a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congress. Thomas II toured the Northeast in 1773 to meet the political leaders of that era. He apparently made a great impression. John Adams said "We are all vastly pleased with Mr Lynch. He is a solid, firm, judicious man." Samuel Adams praised Lynch as "A man of sense and virtue." While serving in the Second Continental Congress, Lynch II played a major role in the formation of the Continental Army. In 1775, Lynch II, Ben Franklin and Colonel Benjamin Harrison were appointed domestic advisors to General George Washington.
Thomas Lynch, III. was born at
Hopsewee Plantation August 5, 1749, in Winyah, SC, on the shore of the North Santee River. The old home is preserved, not restored, and tours are available.At an early age he went to a flourishing school near Georgetown, SC. Before he was 13 years old his father sent him to England to attend Eaton and Cambridge. He had studied the Law at the Middle Temple in London.
Upon returning to the colonies, Thomas III entered public life. His first attempt to be elected to the Common House of Assembly of Charleston resulted in failure. In 1774 he was elected to the First Provincial Congress of South Carolina from St James Parish. Young Thomas Lynch was dispatched to the Continental Congress to care for his ailing father who had suffered a stroke. He eventually substituted for his father as a Delegate. He was by three months the second youngest signer of the
Declaration of Independence at age 26. He lost out to fellow delegate from South Carolina, Edward Ruthledge. Thomas was the 52nd gentleman to sign on August 2, 1776.These fine and dedicated Americans risked everything they owned, even their and their family's lives on the formation of the United States. Had the great Revolution failed, surely they would have all hanged for treason.
Thomas, Jr., had his own plantation, called "Peachtree". It was stipulated in his will that the person who inherited "Peachtree" would be named Lynch. Since he had no children, his sister Sabina ( who married John Bowman ) had a son named John Lynch Bowman. His name was changed to John Bowman Lynch to comply with the will. John married a Miss Campbell and had four daughters and three sons. All three sons died in the Confederate service in the War for Southern Independence, and had no heirs. This ended the line with the surname Lynch
.His own health was in question. He was appointed to command a Company in 1775. On a march to the British threatened Charleston, Thomas became violently ill due to privation and exposures
His health declined rapidly while he was in Congress. Signing the Declaration of Independence was his final political act. By signing this classical document, Thomas III etched his name in the annals of history and moved to the head of the Lynch family's political feats, surpassing his fathers distinguished political carrier.
His father suffered another stroke and passed away in Annapolis, MD, on their return to South Carolina. He was buried in St Ann's Church graveyard in Baltimore, MD.
In 1779 his doctors ordered him to seek a cure in the West Indies for a change in climate, so he along with his young wife, Elizabeth Shubick ( married June 14, 1772 ) set sail for St Eustatius, also called Statia ( an interesting note about this small country - on November 16, 1776, the American Brig-of-War, the "Andrew Doria", sailed into the harbor of Statia firing its 13-gun salute indicating America's long sought independence. The 11-gun salute reply, roaring from the canons at Fort Oranje under the command of Governor Johannes de Graaff, established Statia as the first foreign nation to officially recognize the newly formed United States of America ) to recover. Their ship meets its fate in a violent Caribbean storm and all souls were lost. This was reported by another ship in the area.
He was but 30 years old at his untimely death ( 1749-1779 ).
Lets never forget those who risked it all so that we may be free today.