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.............. BIOGRAPHY ..............
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Thomas Lynch, Jr., born in 1749 in what is presently known as Georgetown County, South Carolina. His father was a wealthy rice planter, a revolutionary, and politically powerful. While growing up, Lynch attended a school called the Indigo Society School, and later attended Eton and Cambridge in England. He took up the study of law while he was abroad, but upon his return home he decided to get married and settle down at Peach Tree Plantation (gift from his father) instead.
Lynch chose to become politically active in politics in the early 1770’s, probably as a result of his own father’s involvement. While his father was away serving at the Continental Congress (1774-1776), he worked at the state level. Lynch was present at South Carolina’s first and second provincial congresses. He was also part of South Carolina’s first State legislature and served on the state’s constitutional committee.
The year 1775 proved to be unlucky for Lynch when, as captain of the First South Carolina Regiment of Continentals, he contracted a terrible fever that left him an invalid for the rest of his life. His father had a stroke a year later, however, and Thomas Lynch, Jr. was asked to come to the Congress in order to aid his ailing father. While he himself was quite weak, Lynch, Jr. still made the trip to Philadelphia. In the summer of 1776, Lynch, Jr. signed the Declaration of Independence since his father was too ill to be present for the ceremony.
Father and son were forced to return home towards the end of the year though because both were too weak to continue. Lynch, Sr. died en route, unfortunately, and his devastated son retired from politics and settled down at Peach Tree. He and his wife died while sailing for France in 1779.
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