Truckin' on the Western Branch

Benjamin P. Lynch Jr. Ben Lynch’s family has been in Norfolk County since 1774. He was born in West Park View and lived in Craddock before his family built a house in Pinehurst in 1941. My mother was a public health nurse and worked for Dr. Leake, who lived in the old original schoolhouse. My father’s older brother was A. Otto Lynch, Commonwealth Attorney and then Treasurer of Norfolk County. There were only 13 houses in all of Pinehurst—a wonderful place to grow up. We used to play on the old wharf where produce was shipped. A florist lived in the old farmhouse before he sold it to Frank D. Lawrence. Frank Lawrence brought folks home for lunch, including the owner of the Philadelphia Phillies. His wife, Mrs. Margaret Lawrence, a matronly woman, sat at the head of the dining table with her back to the river. Pauline, in her white uniform, would appear at all the right times with each next course, summoned by a signal from a silent foot button under the table.

Dr. Meads lived next to them. He had a seaplane tied to the pier and flew out to Baltimore for lunch.

G. T. McLean owned the old Bidgood farm where there was an old house we all thought was haunted. We’d ride our bikes from Pinehurst out there at night.

I graduated from Churchland in 1957. Everyone did their own thing. We had no gangs, no wars. It was peaceful and the teachers knew you so everyone walked the line. Everybody went to the football games. Once I got a ride with Principal Frank Beck to the Kempsville game, and we had to leave at 4 p.m. to avoid the tolls and still get there on time.

I remember Grady Speers who always laughed and had a story.

I graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1961. It was so hard I thought at times I couldn’t do it, but it would have been harder to come home and tell people I couldn’t, so I stuck it out. I went to law school, inspired by my ninth grade civics teacher, Russell Gary, who introduced me to government and had me going to city council meetings. After law school I came back to Churchland—it was home. When the county closed the black school, the American Legion bought the property—where my office is now.

Benjamin P. Lynch Jr. Image by Sheally

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