Stephen Lynch of Ashtead Surrey

Profile & Legacies Summary

???? - 25^th Jun 1771

Biography

Owner of Skerretts and Gobles on Antigua.

Buried in Old St Pancras churchyard. Full epitaph: Here lie interred the remains of Stephen Lynch, A tender parent a kind husband And a true friend who dyed in peace With God and man on the 25th June 1771 Lamented by relations and regretted by All his acquaintances who sincerely wish that He may be in everlasting peace. His spring of life was such as should have been Adroit and gay, unvex'd by care or spleen; His summer's manhood open, fresh, and fair; His virtue strict, his manners debonnaire; His autumn rich with wisdom's goodly fruit, Which every varied appetite might suit. In polish'd circles dignified with ease, And less desirous to be pleas'd than please. Grave with the serious; with the comic gay; Warm to advise, yet willing to obey. True to the fond affections of the heart, He play'd the friend, the husband, parent's part. What needs there more to eternize his fame, What monument more lasting than his name?
Lynch's second wife, Alice Trant, was the daughter of Edward Trant of Antigua (d. 1760 or 1761). In his will dated 12/10/1760, Edward Trant recorded: "On the marriage of my dau. Alice with Mr Stephen Lynch I gave her 4 negros worth £222 currency, she is since dead, & I give the said 4 negros to Stephen Lynch with £328 currency." Stephen Lynch was also named as a residuary legatee in the will, along with Trant's four daughters, his son and another son-in-law.
Lynch's estate later became the subject of the case Kirwan v. Nugent: "At the Court at Windsor, 27 February 1828. Report of the Committee for hearing Appeals from the Plantations. Your Majesty having on 20 Ap. 1825 referred the Appeal of Clement Kirwan & Matthew Kirwan against Nich. Nugent setting forth that on 17 Ap. 1823 the Appellants filed their Bill of Review in the Court of Chancery in the I. of Antigua against the said Respondent & Rich Jos. Gilbert Munro, Alex. Williams, Luke Foreman, Nich. Tuite Selby, Mary Ann Kirwan, Ph. Lyne, John Blackburn, Nich. Kirwan, Wm Musgrave & Tho. Sanderson reciting a Bill filed by J. G. Munro, A. Williams, & Nich. Nugent against Tho. Kirwan (since deceased) & the Appellants & also against Patrick Kirwan (since deceased) & the said L. Foreman & N. T. Selby & divers decrees made before Appellants had put in any answer & setting forth the death of Tho. Kirwan who had by will appointed M. A. Kirwan, P. Kirwan, P. Lyne & J. Blackburn his Ex'ors & Patrick Kirwan by will appointed J. Blackburn the Appellant C. Kirwan & Tho. Norbury Kerby, Wm Musgrave, & Tho. Sanderson Ex'ors & the Defendants were not represented in the Island, pray that the orders & decrees of 15 March, 3 May, & 14 June 1810, 13 Feb. 1812, 6 Nov. 1812, 20 Feb. 1813, &c, might be reviewed or reversed & that the Receiver should deliver up possession of the Plantation to the Complainants & accounts passed & costs settled & Appellants to furnish account of the administration of the trust estate of the late Stephen Lynch. The Lords of the Committee having heard Counsel on both sides report that the Order of 17 July 1821 should be reversed, the Appellants shall give security for costs of this suit & His Majesty with the advice of his Privy Council approved thereof. Signed C. C. Greville.”
Lynch was related in some way to Robert Skerrett (q.v.), planter of Antigua, and named in Skerrett's will as "my kinsman" when Skerrett bequeathed £500 to Lynch's son Joseph on reaching the age of 18 years.

Sources

Vere Langford Oliver, The history of the island of Antigua, one of the Leeward Caribbees in the West Indies, from the first settlement in 1635 to the present time (3 vols., London, 1894) vol. 2 pp. 206-211.

Email from Brian Bouchard, 08/04/2015.
Vere Langford Oliver, The history of the island of Antigua, one of the Leeward Caribbees in the West Indies, from the first settlement in 1635 to the present time (3 vols., London, 1894) vol. 3 p. 141.
Vere Langford Oliver, Caribbeana being miscellaneous papers relating to the history, genealogy, topography, and antiquities of the British West Indies (6 vols., London, Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1910-1919) vol. 1 p. 65.
PROB 11/970/175.

We are grateful to Brian Bouchard and Rita Lamb for their assistance with compiling this entry.

Further Information

Absentee?

British/Irish?

Spouse

(1) Bridget (2) Alice Trant (3) Maria Nugent

Children

With (1) John, Bridget Margaret. With (2) Stephen, Edward. With (3) Joseph Walter

Will

Stephen Lynch of the parish of Ashsted, co. Surrey. Transcript of Will dated 10 July 1769 ; proved P.C.C. 2 July 1771 by John Kirwan and Mary Lynch the relict ; power reserved to the others.

To my wife Mary £1000 till the joynture I settled on her become due, & I give her for life all my furniture & plate. To my dau. Bridget by my 1st wife Bridget £4000 st. at 21 in lieu of the £2000 & the negros which I settled on her by deed made to Messrs. Harry Webb & Robt Browne. To my s. Edwd by my 2nd wife Alice £4000 st. at 21, & £50 a year till 17, £80 a yr. till 21, charged on my plantation in Antigua called Gobies, & he shall be placed in some business or profession at 16. If he die under 21 his legacy to my s. Joseph Walter & my said dau. Bridget. To my s. Joseph Walter by my present wife £4000 st. at 21, £60 a yr. till 7, £40 a yr. till 16, & £80 a yr. till 21, charged on Gobies, but if he die under 21 his legacy to my s. Edwd & my dau. Bridget. I give him also of the shallops (?) Joseph & the John, also £2000 due to me from the estate of Walter Nugent of Antigua, decd, being my present wife's fortune, & for which I have his bond. If my Ex'ors pay any sums for Oliver Nugent, Esq., of Antigua on account of my being his security the £2000 shall be used for that purpose. To my s. Stephen by my 2nd wife Alice £40 a yr. till 17, then £100 a yr. till 21. All residue to my good friends Robt Browne of Antigua, Esq., Joseph Lynch of Antigua, mercht, Robt Skerrett, & John Kirwan of London, mercht, on Trust to convey to my s. Stephen Lynch by my 2nd wife Alice at 25, all my plantation called Gobies, slaves, cattle, etc., remainder to my s. Edwd then £2000 to my s. Joseph Walter & my dau. Bridget, remainder to my s'' s. Joseph Walter, subject to £4000 for my dau. Bridget. To my Kinswoman Ann Lynch, dau. of my uncle Anthony Lynch, decd, £40 c. a year for her life. To Mr Peter Bryan £50. All other my estate in Antigua, Ireland, or elsewhere, particularly my estate called Skerretts in Nonsuch Division, & the plantations I leased of Edward Williams, Esq., & all residue to my s. John Lynch by my 1st wife Bridget at 25, remainder to my sons Stephen, Edward, & Joseph Walter. To my s. John £400 st. a year till 25. All sugars to be shipped to Mr Robt Skerrett of London, mercht, & to Mr John Kirwan of ditto. My trustees & my wife Mary, Ex'ors & Ex'trix. Witnessed by P. Parker, Nicholas Nugent, James Tinkler.

Transcribed in Vere Langford Oliver, The history of the island of Antigua, one of the Leeward Caribbees in the West Indies, from the first settlement in 1635 to the present time (3 vols., London, 1894) vol. 2 pp. 207-208.

Associated Estates (2)

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