Born in Troy Township, Delaware, Ohio to parents Joseph Lynn and Hannah Lefevre Lynn. James was orphaned at age 5. He was the youngest of 8 sons. He and Joseph, his brother just older than him both became wards of the county because their father (Joseph) had already died and then their mother(Hannah) died just as the Civil War started. And their five older brothers all went into the army. The 8th brother had died earlier at age 5. Of the five that went off to the war, only Samuel came back alive. That was due to his being stationed in Washington DC as part of the Ohio Light Guard that protected the president, vice president and top generals of the War department.

James was placed with an older couple in Troy Chapel, Ohio. One of the family stories is that he slept in the attic of their house and it didn't have glass in the windows, so James remembered many a morning waking up with snow all over him. His brother Joseph was placed with another family in the area that had some of their own kids to work on the farm.

James married Harriet Warren and they had three children although Nellie, the second child, died at age 3; Harriet died when her third child Lula was two years old. James went to Newton, Kansas where his brother Samuel lived, and placed Lulu with an older couple to raise, just as he had been raised after being orphaned. It is not known where the oldest child Frank was at that time. James returned to Ohio and he married Anna Cook; they had three children - Essie, Fern and James Gerson.

From his obituary:
"...About 40 years ago, Mr. Lynn came to Paulding, where he worked as a blacksmith for 4 years, and then started a tile mill, where the Klinger mill now is, and operated it for 14 years. His vision for large things was now beginning to influence his life and it was during this time that he, see¬ing the value of Paulding County land, bought and sold several farms.
He was an enterprising citizen always, and it was also during this time he, with several others who had the courage of their convictions, formed the Lynn Oil Company, which drilled several wells, and from them they supplied the Village of Paulding with natural gas for a while, after which they re-organ-ized and formed the Paulding Gas Light and Fuel Company, which is still oper¬ating.
He took an interest in the public affairs of his town, having served several terms on the Village council, and his faith in the community in which he lived, is evidenced by the fact that he built, owned and improved in Paulding 4 residences, and 2 business rooms, and it is also well known, by all the older residents here, how well he bore his share of the labor, expense and sacrifices in building the chdrch we are now in.
About 20 years ago, he became interested in road and street work, his keen vision showing him that good roads must always go hand in hand with progress and enterprise, and since that time, he has built in Paulding County 67 miles of stone pike, and 6 miles of concrete road in Mercer County.
Thus it will be seen that his was a busy life until 1923, when his fail¬ing health compelled him to retire from active work.
Of his character and honesty ^and public spirit, little need be said, as this is all well known by his neitoors and friends, but as he was of a retiring disposition, his love for his family, his liberality, utter unselfishness, self sacrifice and great heartedness, can only be known by those having been intimately associated with him, and those to whom he has lent a helping hand.
He said little, but did much and there are many traits of his character which might well be taken as an ideal by any young man who wants to live a useful and successful life.
He was a member of the Masonic bodies of Paulding, Commandery of Knights Templar in Defiance, and when a young man, he joined the Methodist Church and continued in that faith until his death..."