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James Wiley "Jim " Lynn son of Wiley Lynn was born November 10, 1850 in Durham County N.C. and died December 29, 1922 in Whiteville, Columbus County, N.C. He is buried in the Chadbourn cemetery beside his wife Emma , their children and grandchildren.
Jim married Emmaline "Emma" Summersett daughter of John and Caroline Walker Summersett. Emma was born 1847 in Troy, Pike County Alabama and died October 21, 1895. John moved his family to Columbus County about 1850.
Jim and Emma had the following children:
Missouri Lynn born July 20, 1870
Louise Lynn born September 23, 1872. Louise married Stephen Wynn Nance.
John Henry Lynn born September 8, 1874. John married Susan Dawsey of Horry County, S.C.
Minnie Lynn born June 6, 1876. Minnie married James "Guy" Dyson.
Emma A. Lynn born Sept 7, 1878. Emma married Robert "Bob" Dyson.
M. George Lynn born February 14, 1881. George married Kate Unknown.
Martha "Maud" Lynn born May 27, 1883. Maud married Jasper "Jack" Bowen.
Nettie Lynn born September 14, 1885. Nettie married Charles"Charlie" Duncan.
Nellie Lynn born November 28, 1887 and died June 8, 1888.
Owen Lynn born and died March 25, 1889.
Amanda Lillian "Lillie" Lynn born July 27, 1890. Lillie married Marion Stephens.
Lonie Belle Lynn born July 4, 1893. Lonie Belle married Doctor Dozier Mercer.
Eddie Lynn born and died October 19, 1895.

Jim married second Elizabeth "Betty" Bowen daughter of Albert and Effie Annie Hayes Bowen. She was born August 8, 1887 in Columbus County, and died September 16, 1971 in Whiteville, N.C., and is buried in the Union Valley Church Cemetery.

Jim and Betty Lynn had the following children:
James "Carl" Lynn born September 16, 1899. James married Lottie Hilburn, Mae Pridgen & Mary Bell.
Earl Lynn born September 21, 1900.
Annie Gladys Lynn born July 20, 1906. Gladys married Bruce Worrell and Napoleon Shade Powell.

Jim purchased 86 acres of land in the Pine Log Swamp from Joseph Fisher in 1896. Here he built a home for his family on the present Union Valley Road between the Chadbourn Road and Union Valley Church in Columbus County, N.C. At that time crossing the swamp in a wagon one had to zig zag around trees and pass through streams of running water that flowed into Wiggins Lake. Granddad Jim Lynn with a crosscut saw, ax, and mules to haul tree saplings, cut the original road through the Pine Log Swamp. South of his home and beginning on the curve the road slanted down and then climbed to a hill of red clay 50-60 feet in elevation above the swamp. Here Jim laid pine tree saplings, beginning at the bottom and up the hill to give the horses a good "footing" to pull the wagons up the steep incline. Heavy and extended periods of rain caused the hill to be slippery, and my dad Wally Lynn remembers later in the 1920's when his dad Carl Lynn was called out all hours of the night and day to pull a car out of the water or the mire, I wonder how many times Granddad Jim pulled a wagon out? A by-pass road was cut to the left of the hill for heavily loaded wagons/ and later cars when they could not make the steep incline. Travelers had to go about a mile out of the way and once around the hill could turn left and head out to the Chadbourn Road or if they continued straight ahead would be on the now Lawrence Tedder Road. Children on the south side of the swamp had to remove their shoes and socks on the way to school to cross the swamp, here Jim laid large logs along side the road for them to walk on without getting knee deep in water.

There were very few automobiles in the 1920's and dad says "if one passed the house, all of us ran to the front door to see it".

Jim helped build the road North from his home on the present Union Valley Road to Union Valley Church, and was one of the volunteers who helped Swift Ernest Pridgen, Sr. build the original wood church at Happy Hill.
Jim was a parent supporter of the Happy Hill School that was located on the present cemetery grounds of Union Valley Baptist Church where his children and grandchildren attended school.

Columbus County's "Lynn Hill Road" was named in remembrance of Jim Lynn. It is located just off the Union Valley Road near the overpass bridge.

I am proud to be the great-granddaughter of Jim Lynn. He was a honest, hardworking, considerate and a "Git" it done man. Jim Lynn's road through Pine Log Swamp was a blessing to the residents of the area and Columbus County.

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