J. W. Lynch

The journal was written by John William Lynch. He began keeping a record of activities in his life at an early age and continued until a few weeks prior to his death in 1948. I have copied the text from his obituary to give you a brief history of the man who wrote this journal. The exact date of the picture below is unknown but is estimated as early 1900s.

Following this link will take you to a page with some of JW's family history.

On Sunday morning, August 15, at his home on Cemetery Street, Elizabeth, death came to a long-time and one of the best known residents of the place. He was christened John William, but everybody knew him as J. Will Lynch, and that was his choice of the name he bore. Born at Rice's Landing, on April 16,1862 he was the son of the late David and Rebecca Hurry Lynch so was 86 years of age. The family moved to Elizabeth in his childhood, and he continued a resident of the place thereafter.

He came of a boat building line and naturally fell into that activity. He was long employed at the marine ways in Elizabeth, and for a number of years was superintendent of the concern, but was retired some years before his death.

He was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Elizabeth, but through having companionship with many of its members, was affiliated with the Caulkett Men's Class of the Methodist Church School. He also belonged to the local Masonic and Odd Fellow lodges.

He was long a member of Company I, 14th Regiment, National Guard of Penna., an Elizabeth organization, being its commissary sergeant, and served with it at Johnstown in the weeks following the great flood there, but had been discharged before the command was called into the national service for World War I.

Mr. Lynch was greatly interested in the history and activities of the home town and people, and had accumulated voluminous scrap-books and a great number of pictures along that line. He had a remarkably retentive memory, and was often called on to verify facts concerning past events, his memory or records supplying these in a very large number of cases. The Herald acknowledges a debt of gratitude in that particular.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Bertha McKown Lynch, four sons and four daughters: Percy, of McKeesport; William M. and Jack, of Elizabeth; James McKown Lynch of Clairton; Mrs. Bernice Stewart of Pittsburgh; Mrs. Hilda Gillan of Cleveland, O., Mrs. Bertha Reece, of Alexandria, Va., and Miss Helen L. Lynch, at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Lynch had been married 64 years, and it is a remarkable fact that his passing marked the first time that death had invaded that family circle of ten members in all that time. He had been ailing for a considerable time, but able to get about until a few weeks ago. When death came, it was as relief from most intense suffering from an incurable malady. There were 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Wednesday afternoon, at the Cox Funeral Home, with Reverend Edgar F. Lawrence officiating, and burial was in Round Hill Cemetery.