LYNCH SCHOOL
The Lynch community was east of Hooker Ridge, between Bull
Creek and Cedar Creek; its name was taken from JamesLynch, one of the first
cattlemen in Rains County. The community was previously known as “Pleasant
Grove”.
Court ordered School District No. 4 to be established Ben Wise,
G.H. Coler, H.A. Turner appointed to hold trustee election. Petitioners
requested Commissioners Court to order an election to be held at Pleasant
Grove Schoolhouse within said territory of Rains County, Texas, to determine
whether or not the territory herein described shall constitute an independent
school district under the statues of Texas, permitting the formation of independent
school districts in counties under the community system bounded as follows:
Beginning at the northeast corner of a survey of land known as the Horton
survey on Cedar Creek. Thence west with said Horton survey line Bull Creek.
Thence south with the meanderings of said creek to Sabine River; thence down
the channel of said River to where Cedar Creek empties into same; thence up
Cedar Creek to the place of beginning.
H.A. Turner ,H.A. Nipper, S.O. Stockton, W.A. Adams, J.H. Stockton, B.J. Porter,
D.H. Horton, J.M. White, J.O.Smith W.E. Lucas, Hutton Hughes, W.H. Ogburn,
J.M. Robinson, J.L. Hughes, P.C. Porter, R.B. Franks, E.P. Stockton
S.T. Sapentin, W.J. Jones, L.R. Cox, B.J. Hambrick, G.W. Stewart, J.W. Latt
Dated April 1898
(Rains County Commissioners Court Minutes, vol. 3, pg. 60-61)
Citizens petition the Commissioners Court to allow them the privilege of moving
or selling the school building in school district #4 for the purpose of erecting
a new building in the center of said district.
The court granted the above petition May 1899
(Rains County Commissioners Court Minutes, vol. 3, pg. 188)
There were 5 schoolhouses in this community.
The first schoolhouse was located about 1-1/4 miles southeast of the cemetery;
it was a log building that stood near a lake
The second schoolhouse was located about ½ miles southeast of the cemetery.
It was built of logs also and the land on which it was built was later owned
by Mr. Raymond White.
The third schoolhouse stood a little northwest of the Pleasant Grove Cemetery,
now known as Lynch Cemetery. Mr. Hutton Hughes, who lived in Lone Oak, was
a respected land owner in the Lynch community and was always interested in
the community affairs. It was he who gave land where the school was built.
His wife, Mrs. Fannie Lynch Hughes, had been reared in the Lynch community.
4th - During 1909 a fine schoolhouse, costing $800, was erected at Lynch;
labor was mostly volunteer. (The Rains County Leader, 1909) The building was
one-room with high ceilings, windows on all four sides, and transoms over
the doors for extra ventilation.
Tthe fifth schoolhouse was built prior to 1932, located on the same campus
at the 4th schoolhouse.
Fall 1909 (from
John Moody)
top row:
1. Mr Rainwater
2. Willie Stuart
3. Fanny Chism
4. -
5. -
6. -
7. Ruth Stuart Johnson Slider
8. Annie Grisom
9. Ms Claude Mills, teacher
10. Jewel Slider
11. ____ Rabe, right window
12. _____ Rainwater
middle row:
1. Ollie Rainwater
2. Daphne Miller
3. Jewel Medlin
4. -
5. -
6. -
7. _____ Kiser
8. Mary Bell Grissom
9. Evelyn V Hooten, age 5
bottom row (kneeling):
1. Oral Medlin
2. _____ Miller
3. Frank Oler
4. Richard W Hooten
5. ______ Miller
Lynch School about
1911. This is the 4th site of Lynch school house.
Picture from "Rains County Leader 4th Aug 1983, submitted by
John Moody.
Front Row, kneeling and seated:
1. Alton Jordan
2. Chester McDonald
3. Unknown
4. Jimmie Stockton
5. Jimmie D _______
6. Lillian Pritchett
7. ____Pritchett
8. Evelyn Hooten
9. Maggie McDonald
10.Jewel Medlin
11.Mary Bell Grissom
12. ______ Grissom
13. Dewitt Slider
14. Grady Jordan
15. Cecil Pritchett
2nd row from bottom, left to right
1. Unknown
2. Oral Medlin
3. Walter Jordan.
4. Berta Cowan, Teacher
5. Mr Cowan
6. Mr Medlin, Teacher
7. Mr Grissom
8. Mrs. Grissom, Teacher
9. Howard Oler
10.Richard Hooten
11.Frank Oler
3rd row
1, 2 3, Unknown
4. Guy McDonald
5. Dot Lynch
6. Jewel Slider
7, 8, 9, Unknown
10. Dulcie Stockton
11 Unknown
12. Stuart J Slider
4th row top
#2 Rob Street only one identified
In doorways
1 Mrs John Pritchett
2. Mrs Gwen Street
3 Unknown
Mrs. Abbie Vice taught at Lynch for the 1916-1917 school term. (The Rains County
Leader, September 15, 1916).
During the 1924-1925 school term J.A. Fortenberry was Principal and the school
had an enrollment of 96 scholastics. (The Rains County Leader, February 27,
1925).
The Lynch school progressed nicely under the principalship of Miss Evelyn Hooten
of Woosley, assisted by Miss Allene Rodes of Emory. (The Rains County Leader,
November 15, 1929).
In 1932 Mr. Louis Lankford was Principal, assisted by Mrs. Evelyn Hooten Moody
teaching the Intermediate grades and Mrs. Charlsie Harris Shaw, teaching the
Primary grades; daily attendance was 60 pupils.
Trustees for the 1935-1936 school year were Walter S. Shook, Lem Phillips, and L.D. Parker. Teachers serving under them were Winnie Evelyn Pollard, Ben Sparks, and Estilee Ervin Wallis.
1938-1939 teachers were Mrs. Betty Sue Hughes and Miss Grace Sisk. (The Rains
County Leader, 21 Oct 1938)
Katherine Lynch and Johnnie Bellah Bergin taught during the 1948-1949 school
term. (The Rains County Leader, September 12, 1947)
In the 1948 school year Katherine Lynch & Johnnie Bellah were teachers.
Pauline Rivers drove the bus and cooked the lunches.
Trustees for the 1952 school year were Edward Hooten, Less Dodson, and Jim Moss. Less Dodson moved out of the school district so the County School Board appointed C.B Williams to fill his vacancy. The following year Arvil Shedd, C.B. Williams and Jim Moss served as trustees.
Katherine Lynch and Johnnie Bellah were teaching when on September 19, 1953
the Rains County School trustees voted to annex Lynch School District #4 to
Point ISD.
Info - Mary Jo Harris Warrick, The Rains County Leader, August 20, 1983
Be it resolved by the County Board of school Trustees,of Rains County, Texas
, assembled in regular session at their usual meeting place in the city of Emory,a
quorum of said Board being present and participating that: Whereas,Lynch school
district of Rains County,Texas,has been by this Board abolished and the school
therein discontinued;and Whereas,the buildings now standing on the land herein
descibed were erected principally for school purposes; Now, Therefor,We, the
County Board of school Trustees of Rains County, Texas,do here by authorize
sale of said lots together with the buildings thereon to the said the Lynch
Community for and in consideration of the sum of $ 1 cash; and Whereas, said
Community has designated J.N. Stocken, Rob Brumitt, and Lee Weatherford as trustees,
to take title of said property in trust for said Lynch Community, it is ordered
that deed of conveyance of said property be executed to said trustees in trust
for said community.Be further resolved that Jim McBride, president of the County
School Board of Trustees,and Arthur Jones, Secretary to said Board, be, and
they are hereby authorized and directed to exucute a deed of conveyonce the
property said trustees above name.
Resolution 19 Sept. 1953
Arthur Jones, County Judge wittnessed 24 June 1954
Lynch school census
1936- no census on file
1937- 39 families, 66 children
1938- 29 families, 60 children
1939- 32 families, 66 children
1940- 58 students
1941- 60 students
1942- 94 students
1943- 65 students
1944 -63 students
1945- 51 students
1946- no census available
1947- 45 students
1948- 46 students
1949- 54 students
1950- 45 students
1951- 47 students
1952 -37 students
1953- 38 students
1952 trustees - Edward Hooten, Less Dodson, Jim Moss
1953 trustees - Arvil Shedd, C.B. Williams, Jim Moss
