The first half of his life was fraught with misfortune but he was gifted with an active and studius mind, good health, a high level of mechanical aptitude and a determination that eventually enabled him to attain professional status in the business community and a significant level of financial success.
His first misfortune was the death of his mother on 24 May 1892 - before he reached his 4th birthday. For the most part he was raised by his uncle and aunt Fred and Linnie Prince in Colebrook, NH. His father probably provided part of his financial support but at an early age he had to provide for some of his own support by working on farms in the Colebrook area. He attended only an elementary school education.
While his father married Grace B. Webster in 1895, he did not establish a home for either Lynn or his sister Ada, probably because his new step-mother did not wish to assume the responsibility. This second marriage ended in divorce in Feb. 1900.
At the age of 20 Lynn married Laura L. Higgins of Columbia, NH, the only child of Gordon and Carrie (Covell) Higgins. Laura was 18 years of age and was very devoted to her parents - particularily her mother. From Nov. 1908 to Nov. 1909 they lived in Bethlehem, NH (his occupation undetermined) when they moved back to W. Columbia and resided briefly in the home of her parents. Here, on 10 Jun 1910, their first child, Ruth, was born. Either before this time, or after 1917, Laura took nurses training at Dartmouth College Hospital and became a registered nurse.
In late 1910 they moved to Wilder, VT where Lynn obtained employment at the International Paper Co. as a millwright apprentice. In a letter of recommendation dated 13 June 1916 the International Paper Co. described him as "... a man absolutely dependable, trustworthy and skilled as a mechanic possessing a knowlege of the fundamental theoretical knowlege of power transmission machinery and a practical knowlege derived from long experience with same."
At Wilder, he purchased a house with acreage and engaged in the raising of chickens. From Feb. 1913 and Jul. 1914 he was a member of the White Plymouth Rock Club.
Between 1912 and 1915 one son and two additional daughters were born, but one daughter lived only 13 days. In July 1914 his oldest daughter, Ruth, was stricken with polio. These misfortunes placed a strain upon their marriage which increased with the passage of time and was probably aggravated by a protective attitude on the part of Laura's mother.
In 1916, Lynn left his family in Wilder and went to St. Johnsbury, VT, where he was employed by the U.S. Fisheries Station. He remained there until approximately Sept. 1917. In letters dated Nov. 29, 1916 and Dec. 2, 1916 he was commended for his actions in extinguishing a fire at the station - the later being signed by the Commissioner of Fisheries, Dept. of Commerce, Washington, DC.
On 13 April 1916, he became a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, United BrethrenLodge No. 21, White River Junction, Vermont. (He terminated his membership 5 Apr 1954.)
On 4 May 1917, his only son, Ralph Gordon, died.
On June 5, 1917, Lynn registered with the draft board (certificate #336) at Wilder, Town of Hartford, Windsor co., VT.
In Sept. 1917, Lynn moved to Washington, DC where he was employed in the Radio Dept., Signal Service, Department of the Army in the War, State and Navy Building (now the Executive Office Building) on Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. In Washington he lived at 1708 F St., N.W.
On Dec. 17, 1917 he informed his father by post card that he was going home to spend the holidays. His family was still in Wilder and remained there until late 1918. On 24 Mar 1918, his daughter Ruth was baptised at the Methodist Church in Wilder, VT.
On or about 22 July 1918, he transferred to the Radio Laboratories, Camp Alfred Vail, Little Silver, New Jersey and remained there until the end of the war (Nov 1918) - or possibly later.
By this time, his separation from his wife had become final. From late 1918 to 30 June 1919 he lived in Pittsfield, MA where he was employed at a paper company (name undetermined). While there he lived in the home of William and Emma Freehan as a boarder. Also living there was Emma's unmarried sister, Wilhelmina Eichstedt who was employed by England Bros. (a department store). Seven years later they would be married.
From 1 July 1919 to 31 March 1920 Lynn was employed at the Canada Paper Co., Ltd., Windsor Mills, Quebec.
From April 1920 to approximately 19 March 1921 he was employed by the American Writing Paper Co., Holyoke, MA. He then transferred to the Marvellum Co., at Holyoke, and remained there until late 1924. On 31 Jan 1922 he was living at 161 Walnut St. and on 25 Jun 1924 he was living at 273 Maple St., Holyoke.
Apparently he saw a limited future as a millwright so he took a course in salesmanship and received a certificate issued by the National Salesmans Training Association on 12 May 1922.
In the early 1920s he developed an interest in numismatics. In 1922 he joined the American Numismatic Association (membership #2417) while at Holyoke. This was to develop into a lifelong interest and expertise in the field and a coin collection of value. He took Ruth to the ANA convention held Aug 26-31, 1922 at the Great Northern Hotel, 118 W. 57th St., New York City.
In 1921 or 1922 he and Laura were divorced. By that time he had decided his wife had not been providing Ruth with the medical care that she needed. In 1922 she entered Children's Hospital, Boston for an operation and when she ws sufficiently recovered he took her back to Holyoke with him without the approval of her mother. He obtained boarding accomodations for her in a family named Kohler in Holyoke.
In mid-1924 he took a job with the Champion Fiber Box Co. in Canton, NC and in December of that year took Ruth down. They stayed there for approximately 9 months. In 1925, he worked briefly on a construction job in Akron, Ohio.
In late 1925, or early 1926, he moved to Detroit where he became a salesman for the E.F. Houghton & Co., manufacturers of industrial lubricants. He and Ruth first boarded at 2690 Hazelwood Ave. for a few months and then moved to a house or flat at 9819 Chenlot.
In early 1926 he proposed marriage to Miss Wilhelmina Eichstedt of Pittsfield, it was accepted, and they were married in June 1926 with Ruth accompanying him. After a brief honeymoon, they returned to the residence at 9819 Chenlot. In 1929 or 1930 the family moved to 5558 Whitfield.
Around 1932 or 1933, because of the depression and reduced sales, he was dismissed from the E.F. Houghton & Co. He continued to sell industrial lubricants and leather belting on commission for other firms.
He continued his study of coins and maintained his membership in the ANA becoming a life member. He was continuously active in the Detroit Coin Club, serving as its President in 1937 or 1938.
On 2 Jan 1942 he purchased the property at 803 Lawndale, Detroit for his business and recorded the deed in the name of his wife Wilhelmina A. Noyes, since she furnished the money on loan for the purchase from her savings (recorded Register of Deeds, Wayne co., Michigan 9 July 1942 liber. 6150, p 77).
In Sept. 1949 he rented a cottage on Hickory Island near Detroit for the month. Ruth and her family shared the cottage. A few days after her return Wilhelmina Noyes died suddenly of a heart attack at her home, 5558 Whitfield Ave. on 4 October 1949. She was buried in Grandview Cemetery, Detroit.
Wilhelmina died intestate with the property at 803 Lawndale still in her name. Having no children of her own, one half of her estate had to be paid to her sister (and perhaps other heirs). To keep the business intact, he as executor of her estate, sold the property to his daughter Ruth Etheredge for $2,700 - he providing the money for the purchase (recorded 4 April 1951 liber 10878 p. 488).
He continued to live at 5558 Whitfield for approximately one year after his wife's death. In 1951 he disposed of most of his furniture, placed most of his personal effects into a bonded storage warehouse and moved into a mobile home.
In 1954 he sold his machinery and equipment to Aloysius Gauszka and Alfred Schacht (a partnership) and leased the building to them for three years with an option to purchase it - and he retired from business and active employment. In 1957 the partnership purchased the land and building.
Upon retirement he purchased a GMC carryall and started to travel visiting most (or all) of the 48 states during the next three years. He spent one winter in Florida but the remaining winters in Tuscon, Arizona.
Early in his retirement (or possibly before) he developed cancer of the lymph system which required periodic treatment at the Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit. In June 1957 he became critically ill in his mobile home in Tuscon, Arizona. Ruth went to Tuscon to care for him, placed him in a hospital, where he died 1 July 1957. She accompanied the body to Detroit (via train) where funeral services were held and burial made at Grandview Cemetery. [Written by James Etheredge -- son-in-law (Ruth) of Lynn Ray Noyes]