Rare Thomas Lynch JR Letter 1776 Charleston South Carolina

Letter written from Charleston, South Carolina to George Laurence Eaton, Esquire. In full: “I am happy to extend to you the enclosed letter on his Excellys. account. I shall explain to my Father the visit and the reason. With great esteem I have the honor to be your friend.” Reverse bears an address panel in Lynch’s hand to “George Laurence Eaton Esquire, Charleston,” with “The politeness of James Coggeshall, Esq,” written in the lower left of the address panel.

by Ole Erekson, Engraver, c1876 Library of Congress from USHISTORY.ORG Thomas Lynch JR (1749-1779) signer of the Deceleration of Independence was born in South Carolina to Thomas Lynch Sr and Elizabeth Hamilton Allston. Thomas received an education in England and graduated with honors at Cambridge. He studied law in London and then returned home in 1772. He was politically engaged as soon as he returned home, and was commissioned a company commander in the South Carolina regiment in 1775. Soon afterward he was elected to a seat in the Continental Congress. He fell ill shortly after signing the Declaration and retired from the Congress. At the close of 1776 he and his wife sailed for the West Indies. The ship disappeared and there is no record of his life after.

Elizabeth Hamilton Allston Lynch (1728-1750?) wife if Thomas Lynch SR. Daughter of Gov. R. F. William Allston and Esther LaBrosse.  Portrait of Artist: Jeremiah Thëus, 1716 - 1774From Reynolda House Museum of American Art
Gift of Barbara B. Millhouse Object # 
1972.2.1 Read more at Womenhistoryblog

Charles Francis Jenkins (17 December 1865 – 1951) was an American Quaker and historian. He was born in to Howard M. Jenkins and Mary Anna Atkinson. He owned this portrait of Thomas Lynch JR.

Charles Francis Jenkins autograph collection Thomas Lynch, Sr. (South Carolina) 1769 June 5   Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Charles F Jenkins Papers Swarthmore College Archives
More coming on this rare signature soon!