JAMES W. LYNES

(From the History of Callaway County Missouri, 1884, page 795-796.)
Transcribed by Kris Breid, 12 September 2006

JAMES W. LYNES is one of the prominent officials and successful farmers of St. Aubert township. He was born in Callaway county, September 16, 1834. His father, Harrison Lynes, was born in Kentucky, and came with his parents to St. Louis, Missouri, and from there to Boone county, where he grew to manhood. The father married Mary Gray, a native of Kentucky, who was reared principally in Callaway county. After his marriage he settled on a farm in this county, and resided there until his death, which occurred while on a visit to Texas in the fall of 1861, whither he had gone for his health. The elder Lynes was twice married, James W. being the only child by his first marriage.

The subject of this sketch spent his early youth on the farm and acquired a fair common-school education, such as the country afforded at that time. At the age of sixteen he became an apprentice in the trade of plastering, and after working under instructions for three years, he branched out for himself, and followed the business for three years more. He was married in this county in 1856, to Miss Sarah Ann Bivens, daughter of Mr. Theodore Bivens, formerly from Kentucky. Miss Bivens was born in Callaway county, and died about two years after her marriage.

Mr. Lynes was again married in September, 1859, this time to Miss Susan Baskett, daughter of John Baskett, a Kentuckian. She was born in Callaway county. By this marriage they had three children, namely: Fannie, John B. and Anna Pearl. After his first marriage, Mr. Lynes located on a farm in Fulton and has resided there since then. In 1869 he was appointed superintendent of the Poor Farm for the county, and has held the position continuously since that time. During the period of his superintendency, he has had in his charge from seven to thirty-four paupers annually, and has managed his trust to the entire satisfaction of the public, and with great credit to himself. Under his management, the farm has been kept in fine condition, and has been most successfully operated, all of its resources have been fully utilized, and the cost of its operation reduced to a minimum. The support of the paupers, over and above the value of the products of the farm, has never exceeded seventy-five dollars per capita per annum, and has fallen in favorable years to forty-three dollars. The farm consists of 200 acres of cultivated, 120 acres of broken land, a good dwelling, eight rooms for the paupers, and a fine barn and other outbuildings. Mr. and Mrs. Lynes are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. Lynes has been a member of Fulton Lodge, No. 105, I.O.O.F., since 1862.

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