Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning news at the Ursuline Convent and academy noting that "our pupils are diminishing weekly on account of the heat." July 8, 1859. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch discussing a visit from their siblings, John, Hugh and Anna, and the arrangements being made for the Ursuline academy's upcoming Distribution Day. July 14, 1859. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch asking him to procure newspapers from Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and New York so the sisters can read about Distribution Days and exhibits from other Catholic academies. She laments that the South Carolinian newspaper did not publish their recent events and jokingly comments that it's "a very good index that they fear our power." July 27, 1859. 4p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning the American Hotel on Richardson and Blanding Streets in Columbia as a potential site for relocating the Ursulines. John describes the hotel in detail and includes a small sketch of the lot it resides on. July 28, 1859. 3p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about family news and mentions the potential sale of the American Hotel in Columbia, believing it may be an appropriate place for relocating the Ursulines. July 25, 1859. 2p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him of the latest news at the Ursuline Convent and school in Columbia. November 6, 1858. 4p.
Letter from John Lynch to Louisa (?) concerning family news. John writes that he is tired of hearing so little news about the war and he hopes "to see the war ended without a general battle." He also wonders what congress in Washington is doing and expresses hope that they "act with a spirit of wisdom and justice, different from that of Lincoln and his advisers." July 16, 1861. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news from the Ursuline Convent and Academy. Madame Baptiste writes that several parents have sent remittances for the school year but she fears "few will be able to return if the war continues." July 6, 1861. 4p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about purchasing mules and a wagon for the Bishop's property and discusses the planting of crops. June 8, 1861. 3p.
Second letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch on this date. John describes a flag the Ursulines have made for the Emmett Guards writing, "it is the common infantry size, on one side blue, with Palmetto tree, with an Irish Harpleaning against the trunk..." He has heard the guard may be disbanding and, if so, asks the Bishop to offer it for sale to "some of your Irish Companies." He informs the Bishop that the telegraph is working again and they are being deluged with news about the attack on Fort Sumter. April 12, 1861. 3p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning preparations being made on one of the Bishop's properties. John writes that "your negroes have not yet arrived" and fears the lack of field hands and a shortage of corn may impact the season's crop. May 24, 1861. 2p.
Francis Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick about forming a partnership with a Mr. Murphy to expand his shoe business believing it "highly important to push the production of shoes now." May 3, 1861. 2p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch that a load of corn and peas purchased for the one of the Bishop's plantations is at the depot awaiting a car and suggests to the Bishop that it be turned over to the local quartermaster as payment for taxes if the car should not arrive by tomorrow. He also writes of an offer for $400 to hire out one of the Bishop's slaves. January 21, 1864. 2p.
Madame Antonia writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch in Rome imploring him again to speak to the general superior of her order concerning issues at the Carmelite Convent in Baltimore. She mentions the evacuation of Richmond, General Sherman's stay in their hometown of Cheraw and the Ursulines' move from their burned out convent in Columbia to the Bishop's plantation two miles away. April 9, 1865. 8p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch in Rome about the ongoing recovery effort after the war and the destruction of the Ursuline Convent. She is soliciting funds to rebuild and has written Washington with their case demanding reparations. The Ursulines have accepted the offer of General Preston to reside in his house while he is abroad and are using the Methodist College for additional space. July 17, 1865. 4p.
Letter from Madame Antonia in Baltimore to Bishop Patrick Lynch in Rome describing the events surrounding the destruction of the Ursuline Convent in Columbia by Sherman's troops. She also mentions the recent assassination of President Lincoln and writes "what the consequences may be no one can imagine." April 20, 1865. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch in Rome from Valle Crucis, the Bishop's property outside of Columbia, having moved the convent and academy from temporary housing at Methodist college and Gen. Preston's mansion. Since Valle Crucis is too remote for day schoolers and too small for large numbers of boarders, she writes of setting up a satellite institute in Macon, Ga., until their convent can be rebuilt in Columbia. She mentions the pardon granted the Bishop and hopes that he will soon return to America. September 25, 1865. 2p.
Letter from Anna Lynch in Cheraw to Madame Antonia Lynch in Baltimore with news from the family. She writes of the losses suffered by their brother, Francis, the relocation of the Ursulines and their sister, Madame Baptiste, to the Methodist College in Columbia and the return of their nephew Conlaw to Cheraw as a "paroled prisoner." June 15, 1865. 2p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch detailing the departure of one of the Bishop's overseers and the transfer of slaves among the plantations, and attempts by John to rent out one of the Bishop's properties. 1864. 2p.
Anna Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch asking him to save her some "blue satinet" in order to make an overcoat for their father. She mentions a fatal explosion in the arsenal in Charleston and their mother's intention to accompany the Bishop on his "foreign trip.” 1864. 2p.
Henrietta Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch asking him to send some cloth to make a suit for his brother, Francis. She has been unable to get her wool "carded" and fears that Francis will spend the entire winter without one. January 9, 1864. 2p.
Anna Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about family news in Cheraw and pleads with the Bishop to stay out of reach of the Union shelling in Charleston. December 1, 1863. 2p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch describing the elaborate preparations made by the noviciates and sisters for her namesake feast day. June 26, 1859. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the decision of a sister to leave the Ursulines and comments on some property that may be appropriate for building a new convent. June 6, 1859. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch about a young boy who "despite the contradictions of a stepmother, and the labors of a blacksmith, thinks of becoming a priest." She also writes at length about a candidate for lay sister for the convent claiming, "I do not know what to think of her." June 2, 1859. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about news at the Ursuline Convent and academy. She again mentions the property that may be available for building a new convent but is warned by her brother, John, that its location may cause the order to lose its day pupils. The Ursulines' current location is not tenable because of the proximity of "gross shops" and "beer houses" and they are frequently disturbed by "profane language" and "midnight carousals." June 21, 1859. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about news at the Ursuline convent and academy including the purchase of books for their library and her desire to rent a piano for several months. May 16, 1859. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch discussing a new candidate for the Ursuline sisterhood. According to Madame Baptiste, the 58 year old woman has changed her opinion "respecting widows and old ladies becoming nuns." July 8, 1866. 4p.
Short letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the ongoing effort to solicit funds for a new convent including writing a letter to General Sherman to "recommend our cause at Washington." May 20, 1866. 2p.
Letter from Madame Antonia in Baltimore to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him of the availability of a priest for his diocese should the Bishop require one. February 26, 1866. 2p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning the upcoming school year at the Academy. She writes about the number of boarders, teachers, reference books, finances and provisions. She also comments on the "blockade paper" her letter is written on and mentions a deserter that the Bishop had attended to prior to his execution. August 29, 1862. 8p.
Letter from Madame Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news from the Ursuline Convent and Academy. Madame Baptiste reports that the "Charleston refugees" do not like Rev. O'Connell, and suggests if the Bishop wanted to make a change in the priest assignments in Columbia now is the time "to break up this nest of (blank)." September 10, 1862. 4p.
Letter from Francis Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch detailing the difficulty he is having procuring leather for his business. He laments the "speculators" who are driving up the price of leather and has disseminated a handbill outlining his proposal to furnish brogans to the Confederacy at the low price of $1.50/pair by obtaining hides directly from the government. He has sent a copy of the handbill to "that distinguished advocate of low prices, Doct. Bachman." August 21, 1862. 4p.
Madame Antonia writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news from Baltimore and a wish that God "will soon withdraw the scourge" of war. August 25, 1862. 4p.
Letter from Robert Lynch to his parents from Combree, France, where he is studying for the priesthood. Robert writes at length about a debilitating episode of constipation he has recently recovered from. April 24, 1860. 4p.
Madame Antonia at Mt. Carmel in Baltimore writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the death of a local priest and congratulates him on the progress he is making as Bishop. April 30, 1860. 3p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about arrangements for a reception for one of the sisters that is to be presided over by a Bishop McGill. April 21, 1860. 2p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bp Patrick Lynch informing him that a Mrs. Cohen would like to see him regarding an issue with her husband, a recently paroled prisoner of war. Madame Baptiste also boasts of the continued numbers of boarders being welcomed to the school but notes that one of the parents believe "our school will stand a poor chance when peace is proclaimed." January 2, 1863. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch with updates on the number of boarders at the academy and relates how one potential boarder from Georgetown has been denied passage by the Yankees. January 26, 1863. 2p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about her concerns over the war. She has heard that the British Consul in Charleston intends to leave and fears it is in anticipation of a Union attack. She recounts the story of a Catholic saint who, in a time of war, was able to summon a storm of gnats to disrupt the horses of the enemy and asks the Bishop, "can you not do something like that for Charleston?" She also asks the Bishop about investments, fearing that the Confederate currency might one day be worthless. February 5, 1863. 2p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning news about the Bishop's properties. John writes that the Lexington plantation continues to be a financial burden and hints at turmoil at the Bishop's Lancaster farm. Several slaves have been brought to Columbia from Lancaster and John suggests to the Bishop to sell them for a profit stating that "I saw some sold here today at pretty good prices." February 2, 1863. 2p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch with updates on boarders at the academy and asks the Bishop to inquire if Mother Theresa, of the Sisters of Mercy in Charleston, has space for three "half orphans." January 13, 1863. 2p.
Ash Wednesday letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him of their fasting plans for Lent and asking his advice concerning the sale of the copyright of the "Ursuline Manual." February 22, 1860. 4p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch describing his attempt to secure corn for the Bishop and his negotiations with a potential overseer for one of the Bishop's properties. May 14, 1861. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about several recent visitors to the convent, including one woman, a mother of a boarder at the academy, who has come to retrieve her daughter. The mother, Madame Baptiste writes, has been "implicated for running off negroes to the yankees" and Madame Baptiste fears that both "may be hanged." January 15, 1864. 3p.
Hugh Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch while on convalescent leave in Cheraw. As his health improves, Hugh realizes he will be conscripted back into the service and asks the Bishop to use his influence to get him a staff position with General Beauregard when he returns to take over Charleston's defense. Besides his rank as 1st Lieut., his qualifications for a coveted staff job are that he is a "good accountant and write a tolerable fair hand" and that an appointment should be made from "this section of the state" in Cheraw. September 8, 1862. 3p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch admonishing him for his forgetfulness concerning the profession of vows for two sisters at the Ursuline Convent. January 2, 1867. 4p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the possibility of renting out half of the Bishop's plantation house to Gen. Beauregard's sister, Mrs. Proctor. The other half is currently occupied by the family of Gen. Blanchard. January 18, 1864. 2p.
Letter from Henrietta Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch thanking him for the cloth that he sent. She mentions frequent parties being thrown in Cheraw and her dislike of taking refugees on as boarders. January 26, 1864. 4p.
Mary Lynch Spann writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the death of her daughter and other family news and describes the effects of the late war in Texas. January 29, 1866. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch discussing renovations on the property at Valle Crucis, new pupils and new curricular materials, and the Bishop's upcoming trip to New York. February 3, 1866. 4p.
Copy of a letter sent from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Verot concerning the Ursulines' plans to open a satellite institution in Macon, Georgia. February 12, 1866. 2p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch asking him to send a copy of a letter so that he can more accurately respond to its contents. April 13, 1859. 4p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him that he has received the will (Bernard's?) and requests a copy of a letter he had previously forwarded. April 25, 1859. 2p.
Letter from Mary Lynch Spann to her brother, Bishop Patrick Lynch, informing him of news of her family in Washington County, Texas. September 24, 1858. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about news at the Ursuline Convent in Columbia, including the potential recruitment of two lay sisters to help in housekeeping so the convent doesn't "have to pay servant's hire." She also mentions stocking up on stores and that she has ordered two tons of coal, "two thirds anthracite and one third bituminous", from Charleston. October 26, 1858. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news from the Ursuline Convent and Academy and of the prospects of the new school year. July 11, 1863. 6p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch regarding negotiations to accept the pupils of "Barhamville" into the Ursuline Academy. July 1, 1863. 5p.
Letter from Francis Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch responding to his inquiry of boarding room in Cheraw for those wishing to flee Charleston. He also touches on his shoe business, mentioning paying patent rights on a tanning process, the use of fennel, salt peter and salt in the tanning process and the delivery of 1000 pairs of shoes to the Confederacy. November 16, 1861. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news from the Ursuline Convent and a proposition to house the Sisters of Mercy from Charleston if they should come to Columbia to nurse the sick soldiers hospitalized there. October 17, 1861. 4p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning news from the Bishop's plantation and his medical practice. John writes about the ongoing construction at the plantation and of a runaway slave, Emmett, who was briefly jailed but escaped. John told the overseer's son that "if Emmett should come around the plantation to tell him to come in and go to work as I did not blame him for trying to escape from prison." He also confides in the Bishop that his medical practice is on the verge of blossoming "if bigotry does not override everything." November 13, 1861. 2p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the deteriorating condition of a house on one of the Bishop's plantations and that it is too dangerous for the overseer, Mr. Buff, to continue to live there. August 16, 1861. 2p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about news at the Ursuline Convent and Academy including a recent ceremony for nine child "aspirants." May 31, 1860. 4p.
Letter from Francis Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch asking the Bishop if it is okay to draw a draft in his name for $800 at the Merchants Bank of Cheraw. He also mentions that recent heavy rains have allowed him to successfully use the river to ship several flats of bark. June 9, 1860. 3p.
Letter from Ellen Spann to her uncle, Bishop Patrick Lynch, requesting his presence at the Ursuline Convent to celebrate the feast of St. John the Baptist. June 14, 1860. 4p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about expiring insurance on the Convent's former house and offers to house Bishop Hughes when he visits Columbia, joking that he can turn the Bishop's stay into an advertisement for his medical practice. March 14, 1860. 2p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the upcoming Distribution Day at the Ursuline Academy and hopes to establish a firm date to notify the parents. The children, she adds, are "complaining so much of heat weakness that we are anxious to liberate them from their studies...and not have them getting sick on our hands." June 12, 1860. 2p.
Copy of letter sent from Bishop Patrick Lynch to Francis Lynch. Bishop Lynch writes to Francis concerning a number of Charleston residents who are inquiring about leaving the lowcountry for Cheraw over uncertainty with the war. He also tells Francis to allay their father's fears over a Union invasion of Charleston, likening the panic in the city after the recent fall of Port Royal with that "at Washington, after the battle of Manassas." November 13, 1861. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him of the latest news at the Ursuline Convent and school in Columbia. December 4, 1858. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him of the latest news at the Ursuline Convent and school in Columbia. November 19, 1858. 4p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him that he probably will not be able to attend a novitiate's reception and asks the Bishop to send his regrets. November 17, 1858. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him of the latest news at the Ursuline Convent and school in Columbia. November 17, 1858. 2p.
Francis Lynch, Cheraw, writes to his brother, Bishop Patrick Lynch in Charleston, about a recommendation the Bishop had given to a third party concerning a job applicant. He also discusses their family's health and the business woes of their brother, Hugh. September 21, 1858. 4p.