Biographical Sketch of William H. Lynch, Wright County, Missouri >From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1889. ********************************************************************** Prof. William H. Lynch, principal of Mountain Grove Academy, Mountain Grove, Wright Co., Mo., was born in Texas County, Mo., in 1839. He is the son of David and Pollie Ann (Fourt) Lynch. David Lynch was a good old native of Kentucky, born in 1803, and immigrated to Missouri in pioneer days. He located in what is now Texas County many years before that county was formed, and followed millin on Piney River, which busi- ness he operated until the time of his death. In his early years he taught school, and in his later years was a patron of education. He was a member of the county court in Texas County, and the first circuit court ever held in the county was held at his house. Mrs. David Lynch was a native of Missouri, and became the mother of seven children, Prof. William H. Lynch being second in order of birth. Mrs. David Lynch died at the age of thirty-eight, and when the subject of this sketch was a child. The paternal grandfather was also a native of Kentucky, and immigrated to Missouri. When Prof. William Lynch was seventeen years of age he was sent by his father to Boone County, Mo., where he attended the public schools, and afterward Lathrop Academy. He then returned to his home, and taught school in his native county for some time. He was then appointed county clerk of Texas County, and served in that capacity until August 10, 1862, when he resigned the clerkship and joined the Federal Army, Thirty-second Missouri Volun- teers. He entered as a private, but his energy and education soon gained recognition, and at St. Louis, Mo., he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. At Arkansas Post he was promoted to first sergeant, then commissary sergeant, then in Georgia, he was promoted to lieutenant, and afterward was promoted to regimental quartermaster. In 1865 he was promoted to the rank of captain, and was discharged with that title. Years of rough experience, in which he had distinguished himself, had taught him the value of education, and so eager was he to further pursue his collegiate course that he returned at once to the State University at Columbia, and there attended school another year. He then returned to his favorite pursuit, teaching. He officiated as principal at Steelville Academy four years; St. James Seminary, Phelps County, one and a half years; Salem, Dent County, twelve years; West Plains, Howell County, three years; and in 1887 he was elected princi- pal of Mountain Grove Academy, at a salary of $175 per month, which position he is still occupying. Prof. Lynch's life as an educator has been one continual round of success, until he now stands in the front rank of a few leading educators of Missouri. C. I. Filley, of St. Louis, Mo., visited Mountain Grove, and pronounced Prof. Lynch second to no educator in the state. Hon. R. P. Bland also stated in public here that he had known Prof. Lynch for many years, and that "he is the best organizer of schools in the state." The author of this sketch, as a Normalite, can bear witness that Prof. Lynch's methods of teaching are in harmony with the methods adopted in the leading teachers' train- ing schools of the country. In twenty-five years of work as an educator Prof. Lynch has lost only one and a half days time. Commissioner of Education at Washington says that "This is the most faithful time on record." Prof. Lynch was married, in 1871, to Miss Mary Cook, a native of Tennessee, born in 1848, and the result of this happy union was the birth of two children, one only, Florence, now living. Prof. Lynch is a member of the Presbyterian Church, affiliates with the Republican party, is a Master Mason and a Royal Arch Mason. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Miller Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell ====================================================================