John Elvis Lynch

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial. Courtesy Find A Grave user soilsister.

Letter from A.A. Lynch to NCSU about his picture.

Letter from A.A. Lynch to NCSU about his picture.

Letter from his sister Mrs. A.C. Hanley to NCSU.

Letter from A.A. Lynch to NCSU about his picture.

"There are conflicting reports of the number of and the names of the Orange County men that died while in the military during the war. In 1919, Annie Cameron compiled a list of Orange County Soldiers who were either killed in action or died of wounds or disease, which appears to be the most accurate list compiled so far. There are, however, some descrepancies between her main list and other lists such as J. R. Graham's, to include a separate list of hers of soldiers who served during the war. I used Cameron's list as a base and added and subtracted names as I came across information that either confirmed or refuted a soldier's death. Cameron's list, by the way, is the only list I have been able to find that contains the name of black soldiers who died or were killed. Even unit histories and official military records state incorrect information, which really causes problems when conducting research. Orange County lost 24 men; eight were killed in action, three died of their wounds, ten died of disease, and two were killed or died from unknown (to me) causes" http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~orangecountync/peeps/WWI/WWI.html

Submitted by his father A.A. Lynch. A copy of this photo was used to create the cenotaph. NCSU Alumni Archive.

Cenotaph at Pleasant Green Methodist Church, Eno, NC. Courtesy Find A Grave user Ellen Kerley Manuel.

Cenotaph at Mount Hermon Baptist Church, Eno, NC. Courtesy Find A Grave user Carolina Caswell.

'Killed by A Shell In France, October 9, 1918. Buried At Hurbache, France. Died For His Country.'

Note: Son of A A Lynch and Mattie A Lynch.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=42713900

Born January 6, 1890, in Orange County; lived near Durham (RFD Route #5). Was a volunteer for the Orange County Home Guard in October 1917, and was drafted into the Army May 27, 1918. PVT Lynch was killed in action (by the same artillery shell that killed his friend, Robert Reese) during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive near St. Die (Hande Sapt Subsector), France on October 9, 1918 (although the regimental history states there was no one killed on that day) while serving in Company D, 321st Infantry Regiment, 81st Division. He was originally buried in the cemetery at Hurbache, France, but was reinterred in Plot H, Row 15, Grave 18 within the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery near Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France. He has memorials to him at two cemeteries in Orange County: the Mt. Hermon Baptist Church Cemetery, and the Pleasant Green United Methodist Church Cemetery. 

 

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~orangecountync/peeps/WWI/WWI.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/74591807/WWI-81st-Infantry-Division

John Elvis Lynch Sr. was killed with a comrade by a shell in Petersburg, VA during the Civil War. John Elvis Lynch Jr. was killed with a comrade by a shell in France during WWI.

On west side of Lynch obelisk: '2nd Lt. in Capt. Latta's Co. 66th Reg. and Jackson Whitaker his comrade were killed by the same shell at Petersburg, Va. July 4, 1864'. Masonic Emblem. 'Father' (on east side of obelisk)

On west side of Lynch obelisk: 'John E. Lynch and Bob Reese his comrade were killed by same shell in France, Oct. 9, 1918. Buried at Hurbache, France.'

http://cemeterycensus.com/nc/orng/cem063.htm