SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Michael John Lynch, Page 653

MICHAEL JOHN LYNCH, deceased, a worthy pioneer of Sheboygan, and a brave soldier of the late war, was born of Irish parents in the State of New York, in the year 1819.  In 1840, he removed with his parents to Grand Rapids, Mich., and in 1842 came to Sheboygan, in company with John King.  Mr. Lynch was a bridge-builder and contractor on public works.  He is said to have built the first bridge across the Sheboygan River, away back in the early '40s.  He also did much of the contracting on street grading and improvement.  When Franklin Pierce was President, Mr. Lynch held the office of Collector for the port of Sheboygan for a period of four years.

    In February of 1862 our subject enlisted for the late war, as a member of Company C, Seventeenth Wisconsin Infantry, which company he helped to organize, and of which he was elected Sergeant.  He participated in the battles of Corinth, Iuka, and others.  At Lake Providence he was placed on the sick list, and, having received a furlough, he started on his way home, but, upon reaching St. Louis, Mo., died, May 20, 1864.

    Mr. Lynch was married in Sheboygan, October 20, 1849, to Miss Catherine Knoud.  Mrs. Lynch was born in Dublin, Ireland, being a daughter of Walter Knoud.  She came to America in 1848.

    Our subject was a man of considerable local influence in the early settlement of Sheboygan County, and is still kindly remembered by many of the surviving old settlers.