BIOGRAPHY: William Lynn; Newburgh, Orange co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

WILLIAM LYNN, a retired merchant and prominent citizen of Newburgh ,was born
in County Antrim, Ireland, near Ballymena, about 1819. His father, Adam Lynn,
was a farmer of that locality, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and there
died at the age of forty-five. The grandfather, Hugh Lynn, was born in
Ireland, of Scotch parentage, and after serving in the English army carried on
agricultural pursuits. The mother of our subject, Mrs. Martha Lynn, was also
born in County Antrim, and was a daughter of William McCrory, a farmer.
Accompanied by her two daughters, she crossed the Atlantic to America, and
spent her last days with her son William, her death occurring at the age of
seventy-two. In the family were the following children : Hugh, who was killed
by a runaway horse; Sarah, who died in Ireland; Margaret and Elizabeth, who
came to this country, but are now deceased; and William, the only survivor of
the family.

Our subject was reared on the farm and at-tended a private school. On
attaining his majority, he came to America, going from Belfast, Ireland, to
Liverpool, where he embarked on a sailing-vessel, which after six weeks and
two days reached New York Harbor, April 30, 1841. His capital at that time was
less than $10, and for a while he worked in New York City. In July, however,
he was taken sick, and was unable to work for three months. In October, 1841,
he came to Newburgh, and in order to earn a living hired to work out by the
day ; but in February, 1843, he secured a position with Benjamin Mace, an
attorney residing in Balmville. In the spring he engaged with a farmer for a
year, and on the expiration of that period be-came interested in the oil-cloth
business in New-burgh. He learned the trade with John Hoskins, and afterward
worked with W. Gunis, continuing in that business altogether for about twelve
years as an employe.

In the mean time, in company with two others, Mr. Lynn established a factory,
but later sold out and conducted a meat-market. He had a horse and wagon and
peddled goods for three years, after which he opened a store, and so
successful was he that in a short time he was doing a wholesale business. For
some time he was alone in this undertaking, then admitted to partnership Mr.
Post, who continued a member of the firm for six years, after which Mr. Lynn
was again sole proprietor. He purchased cattle and sheep throughout the
country, and made extensive shipments to New York, carrying on opera-tions
along that line for eighteen years with most excellent success. On his
retirement, he built a number of residences, and for a time did a limited
real-estate business, but has now practically laid aside all business cares,
although he still owns considerable property, including his residence at No.
21 South Miller Street.

Mr. Lynn married, in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1841, Miss Mary Duff, who was
a native of that locality, and died in 1873. They had seven children, of whom
four grew to maturity: Mary, wife of Thomas Nutt, of Newburgh; Mrs. Matilda
Brown, a widow living in Newburgh; and Margaret and Sarah, twins, the former
now Mrs. Theil, and the latter the wife of S. F. Shaw. For his second wife Mr.
Lynn married Miss Sarah Hilton, a native of the Emerald Isle, who during her
childhood came to America with her father, Robert Hilton.

Mr. Lynn was formerly a member of the Covenanter Presbyterian Church, but has
now for many years been connected with the Reformed Presbyterian Church. For
fifteen years he served as a Deacon, and for more than twenty years has been a
Ruling Elder. For many years he has been a member of the Newburgh Bible
Society, and takes a deep and active interest in everything calculated to
uplift humanity. He takes no active part in polities, but votes with the
Republican party. In his business affairs he has prospered, and is now the
possessor of a handsome competence. Success is not the result of genius, as
many think, but the outcome of sound judgment, close application and
perseverance, and these elements have brought to Mr. Lynn his possessions, and
an honorable, upright life has gained him the confidence of all.