Ann, I am sending you the only information I have on the Lynch family. I hope to have more soon. I will definitely let you know when I can attend your tour! Mimi The information on the house is towards the end in bold print and underlined. Please note: Katherine Hinton Wootten, Granddaughter of Patrick Lynch, wrote the following for the Atlanta Pioneer Society, in March of 1939. I, Miriam Weems Stewart, am a descendant of Sophia Heery and Patrick Lynch. In 1847, just after Atlanta had emerged from Marthasville, five young brothers, Peter, Patrick, James, John and Michael Lynch, sons of Patrick and Nan (Little) Lynch, came from their home in County Meath, Parish of Slane, Ireland, seeking escape from English tyranny and Irish poverty to win fame and fortune in the new city. Four of the brothers, Patrick, James, Michael and John, bought a tract of land now bounded by Courtland (then Collins), Gilmer, Ivy, and Auburn Avenue (then Wheat Street) and erected their homes thereon. Michael built on the corner of Gilmer and Ivy Streets, and long known as Mead's corner. I cannot remember whether the Mead house was originally built by John Lynch, or whether he built the house that long stood at the corner of Auburn and Ivy Streets. Peter, the eldest brother, opened a store on Whitehall Street, near the corner of Mitchell, which was long a landmark, and erected his comfortable home at the corner of Trinity Avenue and Central Avenue (then Lloyd Street). This house is now used by the Atlanta Juvenile Court, but it is a place of happy memory to many older Atlantans, for to his dying day, Peter Lynch and his family dispersed a lavish hospitality. He first married Miss Mary Ann Cannon, by whom he had one daughter, Mary. As second wife, he married Miss Julia Rice, of the well-known Augusta family. Children of Peter Lynch and Julia Rice Lynch are: Lula-married John Murphy Clara-married Patrick McGeever Lizzie-married Patrick Bloomfield Cecelia-married Jerry Wallace Josephine-married Harry Rutler, of Savannah Thomas-married Mary Coleman Nellie-never married Peter-died single Michael Lynch married Ellen ? ,who died within a few months. He married second Margaret Carey, and he died within a year. His widow lived in the large frame house he built at the corner of Courtland and Gilmer Streets, directly opposite the City Auditorium, now the site of the last home of his brother James. He left no children. James Lynch became a merchant, and married Johanna Mayer. Their first home, on Gilmer Street, was surrounded by a garden, which would be noteworthy even in this garden conscious age. Their second home still stands on the corner of Courtland and Gilmer Streets, and was quite palatial at the time of its erection. His daughter, Mrs. Edward Kenney, his only living child, now occupies it. Children of James Lynch and Johanna Mayer Lynch are: John-married Hannah Mahoney, who recently endeared herself to Georgia Catholics by financing so many churches. Mary Ann-married William Erskine, long known as the "Linen Merchant" on Whitehall Street. Patrick-married Lizzie Connelly Lizzie-married Henry Williamson Theresa-married Edward Kinney James-died single Patrick Lynch became a contractor and builder, and erected his home at 20 Gilmer Street. Tradition says that mass was often offered in this home before there was a Catholic Church in the city. During Sherman's occupancy of Atlanta, Patrick Lynch went with the Catholic priest, Father O'Reilly, and persuaded Sherman to place guards around the churches, thus saving many from destruction. He owned a large rock quarry on Simpson Street, now used by the Power Plant, and later operated by his eldest son, Patrick, who followed his father's business as contractor. From this quarry, came the foundation stones of many Atlanta buildings, notably the old Fulton County Court House and the Immaculate Conception Church, the rock for the foundation, which was his personal contribution to it's building. Patrick also owned a plantation on McDonough Road, (made famous by Margaret Mitchell's book, Gone With The Wind), to which his family refuged during the shelling of Atlanta, and which descended to his son James, and is now occupied by his grandson, James Lynch. Patrick Lynch, Senior and Junior were huge men, weighing over three hundred pounds. His weight kept Patrick Senior from service in the Confederate Army, but in recent years a claim against the government for cotton taken from the plantation by Federal troops was not allowed, as the Government proved that he had given so much aid to the Confederacy in the way of supplies, etc. His three sons were in the Confederate Army. The grounds of his home at 20 Gilmer Street extended far into the tract purchased by the four brothers, and around the branch which flowed down what is now the center of Edgewood Avenue, he established a brick yard, to supplement the building stones from the quarry. Before leaving Ireland, Patrick Lynch had married Bridget Maginnis, of his native village, and when he came to America he left her at home with their three babies, promising to send back his first earnings for her to follow him. She joined him in Atlanta the next year, 1848 and left the city but one time until her death in 1901. Patrick Lynch died in 1871. Their children numbered thirteen. Children of Patrick Lynch and Bridget Maginnis Lynch are: Seven of the thirteen died in infancy. Mary-died unmarried Patrick-born in Ireland, married Sophia Heery James-born in Ireland married Belle Thompson Anne-born in Ireland, married (1) John Mann (2) John Hamilton Hugh-born in Atlanta, married Mary Elizabeth Blotter Katherine-born in Atlanta, married Powhatan Bowling Wootten These Lynch brothers had four sisters, one of whom lived in Atlanta. Elizabeth-married John Blount (parents of Mike, Mary, Maggie and John) Mary Ann-married in Ireland to John Jarrett. (Their son, John lived in Atlanta) Fannie-died single in New York Julia-married in New York to? Russell (had one daughter, Julia Russell) None of these Lynch pioneers gained fame, or considerable fortune, but they did their part in building the great Atlanta of today, and they left to their descendant's examples well worthy of imitation. Washington DC March 2, 1939 By Katherine Hinton Wootten Granddaughter of Patrick Lynch and PROUD OF HIM. Copied by Mary Weems Gilbert Saginaw, Michigan July 1, 1976 Descendant of Patrick Lynch and Sophia Heery