The “I Am Williamson” column features individuals in Williamson County who are known and unknown as staples of our community, doing good, being seen and unseen, and exuding Williamson County. This month, we honor two beloved individuals that our community has been blessed to know. Louise Lynch and Ronald Ligon were giants in our community and are greatly missed. There are no two better examples of people who represent the “I Am Williamson” spirit. Join us as we honor their legacies and celebrate their commitment to our community.

Louise Gillespie Lynch, of College Grove, passed away on January 3, 2025. Born in Franklin to Luther Alexander and Rebecca Martin Gillespie, Louise’s family were early settlers of the Flat Creek area. Married for sixty-four years to Clyde Lynch, they farmed in Cool Springs and operated a popular strawberry patch where Nissan’s headquarters now stands.

 

A passionate historian, Louise founded the Williamson County Archives in 1993, preserving records and artifacts and expanding them into a museum, later renamed in her honor. She authored several historical books, including Our Valiant Men and Moonshine and Murder, and published abstracts of court records.

 

In 1979, Louise became Tennessee’s first female Grand Jury Foreman. She earned numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Award from the Williamson County Historical Society and honors from the Tennessee Historical Commission and Daughters of the American Revolution.

Ronald Sanders Ligon, Sr., passed away on December 28, 2024. Born in Lebanon and raised in Franklin, Ronald was a celebrated entrepreneur and former Chairman of the Executive Committee at Harpeth National Bank. His most treasured venture was Christus Gardens, a renowned religious history museum in Gatlinburg that operated for forty-eight years. An avid outdoorsman, he loved the western U.S. and was a Wild West History Association member nicknamed “Cody Kid” through the SASS Association.

 

Dedicated to his community, Ronald co-founded Harpeth Academy (now Battle Ground Academy Lower School), was a longtime member of the Franklin Noon Rotary Club, and volunteered with the Franklin Police Department for nine years. He also contributed to transforming Harlinsdale Farm into the beloved Harlinsdale Park.