William Lynch

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Captain William Lynch (1742 – 1820) of Pittsylvania County, Virginia practiced lynching circa 1780. It is believed that lynching and Lynch law are named after him. He is not the William Lynch who allegedly made the William Lynch Speech in 1712, as the date on this apocryphal speech precedes Lynch's birth by thirty years. William Lynch is the undisputed author of Lynch's Law according to the compact sent to the Virginia Legislature on September 22, 1782.

[edit] Lynch's Law

In the late 18th century, Pittsylvania County, Virginia, was troubled by criminals who could not be dealt with by the courts, which were too distant. This led to an agreement to punish such criminals without due process of law. Both the practice and the punishment came to be called lynch law after Captain William Lynch, who drew up a compact on September 22, 1780, with a group of his neighbors. Arguing that Pittsylvania had "sustained great and intolerable losses by a set of lawless men ... that ... have hitherto escaped the civil power with impunity," they agreed to respond to reports of criminality in their neighborhood by "repair[ing] immediately to the person or persons suspected ... and if they will not desist from their evil practices, we will inflict such corporeal punishment on him or them, as to us shall seem adequate to the crime committed or the damage sustained." Originally, Lynch Law and lynching was not associated with hanging, but called for 39 lashes, and other less severe punishments were also used. William Lynch died in 1820, and the inscription on his grave notes that "he followed virtue as his truest guide."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Relatives

Charles Lynch remained in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and applied Lynch's law, but is not the originator, as is sometimes believed. Nor is their any proof that he is related to William Lynch, merely a coincidence of residence. There is also no known connection to William H. Lynch, the former Inspector General of the state of Louisiana.

[edit] Possible burial site

There is documented evidence that Lynch was endowed with a land grant for some acreage in Pickens County, South Carolina. William Lynch is buried in a lone grave at Lat. N34 59 54, W 82 45 12. He is buried behind his homeplace, which is long gone, while the family plot is 1/2 mile to the east. A handmade tombstone has both he and his wife, Ann Moon Stone Lynch, but Ann was living in Greenville when she died, was buried at Simpsonville City Cemetery.