Born, Pittsburgh, Pa., Feb. 18, 1856; son of James and Jane (Ferguson) Lynn; educated in public schools of Allegheny; married at St. Thomas, Ont., Can., Frances Louise Kerr Pelton. Served three years’ apprenticeship in the machine shops of the Northern Pacific, R.R., at Duluth and Brainerd, Minn., and became locomotive engineer on the same road, also served on Pittsburgh, and Lake Erie R. R., at Pittsburgh, Pa., 1876-1877; employed at gas plant in, Allegheny, advanced to position of foreman of various plants and executive officer; came to Detroit, 1893, and in 1898 effected consolidation of a number of gas and lighting plants under title of the National Gas, Electric Light and Power Co., now including fourteen public utility companies in different cities, of which he is president. Formerly captain Battery B, Light Artillery, Pennsylvania National Guard; member City Council, Chattanooga, Tenn., 1883-89. Republican. Member Christian Church. Member Detroit Board of Commerce, American Gas Institute (director), Illuminating Gas Engineers’ Society. Mason. Clubs: Detroit, Old Clubs:, Detroit Country. Recreations: Outdoor sports. Office: 402 Union Trust Bldg. Residence: Alfred Apts.

Source: The Book of Detroiters Edited by Albert Nelson Marquis 1908

President of the White Star line of steamships and for many years extensively connected with public utility interests in Michigan and adjoining states, waa born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1856, a son of James and Jane (Ferguson) Lynn. After attending the pnblic schools of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, be entered upon an apprenticeship in the machine shops of the Northern Pacific Railroad at Dnluth and at Draioerd, Minnesota and after thorough preliminary training became locomotive engineer on the same road, while subsequently he engaged in railroad esrvice on the Pittsburgh , Lake Krie Railroad, making hia home in his native city in 1878 and 1877. He waa afterward employed at the gas plant in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, ami his developing power in Ihnt connection won him promotion to the position of foreman of various plants and he was eventually made an executive officer. He was subsequently connected with the gas industry in different cities of the country. In 1893 be came to Detroit where be continued his efforts along the same line of business, and in 1898 he effected the consolidation of a number of gas and lighting plants nnder the style of the National tiae, Electric Light and Power Company, which included fourteen public utility companies of thla character. Mr. Lynn was the president of the corporation and continuously served as its directing head until 1917, when he diaposed of his utility inlereats, continuing, however, as a director of the American Railways Company. Mr. Lynn has been for many years a familiar figure in the business sod industrial circles of Detroit and is numbered among tbe city's strong and able business men whose varied and extensive interests have been no inconsiderable factor in Detroit's growth. Among his other interests he has been for a number of years a director of the White Star Line and in 1921 became its executive head. His powers of organisation, his executive ability and his initiative have often been reflected in tbe success of projects with which he has been identified. These characteristics have been manifest not only in his business career but in his attitude toward all civic and public questions and wero particularly evident during tbe World war, when as a " dollar-a-year man" be went to Washington as a director of the Bureau of Gas and continued to serve in the capitsl city throughout the period of active hostility with Germany.

Mr. Lynn's life history covers s military chapter of service as captain of Battery B of the Light Artillery of tbe Pennsylvania National Guard. His religious faith is that of the Christian church and fraternally he is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias and at one time was identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His political allegiance is given to the repnblican party and from 1893 until 1889 he served as a member of the city council in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He belongs to the Detroit Board of Commerce and is a widely known club man, having membership in the Detroit Athletic, Detroit, Audubon, Detroit Country, Bloomfield Hills Country and Detroit Automobile Clubs, also in the Lotus Club and the Engineers' Club of New York city, the St. Clair Hunting and Fishing Club, the Rainbow Club, a hunting and fishing organization of which he is president, the Bimini Rod and Gun Club of the Bermudas and the Bass Coupe Hunting snd Fishing Club of the province of Quebec. He also holds membership in the American Gas Association, the Elumlnsting Gas Engineers Society and the Natural Gas Association of America. Mr. Lynn was married In St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, to Miss Frances Louise Kerr Pelton.

The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922; By Clarence Monroe Burton, William Stocking, Gordon K. Miller