52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks- Week 42 – Conflict
It was about ten ago when I first went to the Allen County Genealogy Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana with my friend Nancy. It is an amazing experience as you can sit surrounded by a stack of books in your family’s sir names. I was researching my Great Grandmother, Maggie Lynn Boughton’s family. I didn’t know much about her family, as my Grandmother told me she was raised by Great Aunt Nancy (Harrison) Cloninger.
I sat on the floor of the library with stacks of books surrounding me, paging through each book with the Lynn sir name, looking for a clue that this was MY Lynn family. I was paging through Lew Lynn Linage, by Billie Allen Jimes, on page 45, there were two pictures, one of my Great Grandmother Maggie, and another surprise. The caption on the page read:
“Above: James Newton Lynn and his only child, Maggie Jane Lynn when she was 16. Right: Tammie Ann Rogers a great- great- great granddaughter of James Lynn, at age 18, when she was an AFS exchange student to Bogota,’ Columbia”
This WAS my Family!
It was through this book, I first learned of Maggie’s grandfather’s tragic death. Lewis John Lynn, known as Lew Lynn, previous Mayor, practicing Attorney and Justice of the Peace in Chautauqua Springs, Kansas was stabbed to death in the street outside his office.
Born March 31, 1842 in Calhoun County, Illinois, son of Lewis Francis Lynn and MaryAnn Maupin Lynn. He enlisted as a soldier in the Civil War, Company D, 10th Regiment, Missouri infantry, on August 31, 1861, serving until the wars end. He is described as 6”1, dark hair and hazel eyes. (He served with his later to be Brother-in-Law, Robert Emmett Bennett, whom married his sister MaryAnn Elizabeth Lynn on November 3, 1867.)
Lew married Martha Harrison on November 19, 1865. They moved to Montgomery County, Kansas about 1870, where he is listed in the census in Westrailia, as a Saloon Keeper. His wife, Martha passed away at age 34, in March of 1876, leaving four children, ages 1 to 10 years old.
Lew remarried on September 13, 1877 to Sarah Ann Holt. In the 1880 Census they are listed in Belleville, he as a Farmer. Lew spent many years of night study to become an attorney. The Cedar Vale Star, July 31, 1891, stated:
“He raised himself from the plow to the bar by his own excursions, he was respected and liked by all.”
In 1881 Lew moved his family to Chautauqua Springs. He and Sarah would have seven children, his widow giving birth to his name sake three months after his death. He would leave behind a widow and seven living children.
“Lew Lynn was a man of prominence and high standing in the county, especially in Chautauqua Springs, where he had resided ever since the town was started. He was Justice of the Peace for seven years, and at the time of his death, City Attorney. He was the leading Pension Attorney in the county, was himself a soldier in the Civil War… He leaves a wife and four children at home.”
“Lynn received three cuts, two of which were on his left arm… both cuts were to the bone, thus showing the assailant was aiming for the heart of his victim. The third and fatal stab was received between the fifth and sixth ribs on the left side.”
Sedan Republican, July 29,1891
Jack Quinn was charged with 1st degree murder was said to have had a grudge against Lew Lynn from a previous prosecution. He is described in the newspapers as a shoemaker, blacksmith, fiddler, loafer and bootlegger.
Reflections on Family History 