A WWII Story

Stephen Flynn b 1921, has just returned from Overseas - WWII
Lt - Rt, Danny ( Gert's Fiance), Steve, Fred, Roy and Vince ( Roy's Best Friend)

My 2nd cousin, Susan shared a story with me about her two uncles Steve and Fred, who both served in WWII.  Uncle Steve was in the Canadian Air Force and Uncle Fred served in the Canadian Army.  Fred was wounded when shrapnel hit his leg while in a fox hole.  Susan's father Roy, remembered how upset Grandma Lucy was when the letter from the Army came to the house, since she was not sure if he survived.  Fred was taken in by a family in France and hidden from the enemy.

Also while in France, Fred and Steve met once during active duty, by accident.  There was a baseball game going on in the field and Fred looked over to see a tall, blond man resembling his brother Steve.  Sure enough, it was Steve and they spendt the afternoon together.  Susan states she thinks her Uncle Fred returned home first and Uncle Steve stayed til the war was over.  The above photo was taken shortly after his return home and the war was over, about 1945-46.

Susan's father Roy, was too young to join but tried several times telling a lie about his age. He was only 17 years old and tried different locations to enlist so he could be with his brothers.  His best friend Vince was in the Navy and Roy missed him as well.

Thank You Susan, for sharing this Flynn Family Story!

                                              Elaine

Patrick Flynn's Children

Patrick and Lucy Flynn had a family of 10 children, 4 Boys and 6 girls.  The above photo was taken in the early 1990's at Patrick Flynn's Grand Daughter Lori Ann's Wedding.  Eight of Patrick and Lucy's children are in this photograph.

 

 

Front Row - Lt to Rt

          Fred, Madeline (Dolly) (Mother of the Bride), Rosaleen, and Roy

 

Back Row

          Gertrude, Ellen ( Nell), Al Feeney and Lori Ann, Kathleen and Genevieve ( Sr Bernadette)

 

I came across this photo in my mother's collection, it was protected in a large envelope, labeled " Patrick Flynn's Family". I put the envelope aside and several years later filed it in my Family History Book.  I knew my grandfather had a brother named Patrick but never knew any of his family until I recently made the connection with my second cousin Susan from Ontario.  Not until she started sharing stories about her Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles did I begin to understand this branch of the Flynn Family Tree.

 

The photo below is of Patrick Flynn Sr and 3 of his sons.

Susan shared with me that her side of the family has been "cursed with cancer" and asked if other Flynn relatives have also.

Birth order of Patrick and Lucy's Children
       Patrick Joseph 1913 - 1980 born in NFLD died age 67 of Stomach Cancer
       Rosaleen          1914 - 2000 born in NFLD died age 86 of Throat Cancer
       Ellen (Nell)      1918 - still living, born in Nova Scotia
       Gertrude           1919 - still living, born in Hamilton, Ontario
       Stephen Michael 1921 - 1970 born in Hamilton, Ontario died age 48 of Hodgkin's Lymphoma
       Kathleen            1923 - 2002 born in Hamilton, Ontario died age 79 of Breast Cancer
       Fred                   1924 - 1996 born in Hamilton, Ontario died age 72 of Colon Cancer
       Genevieve         1926 - still living, born in Hamilton, Ontario
           (Sr. Bernadette)
       Roy Thomas      1927 - 2011 born in Hamilton, Ontario died age 84 of Lung Cancer
       Madeline            1931 - still living, born in Hamilton, Ontario
             (Dolly)

Susan states the remaining four sister Nell, Gert, Sr Bernadette and Dolly are in good health.

Patrick Thomas Flynn Sr

 Patrick Thomas Flynn Sr was my grandfather Stephen Flynn Jr's older brother,  making him my Great Uncle.

 

 Patrick was born July 11th, 1890 in Lakeview, Harbour Main Newfoundland, Canada.  He was the 5th child born to Stephen Flynn Sr and MaryAnn Tubrett.

 

Recently, I made contact with his grand daughter Susan, who shared with me that her Grandfather  Patrick and her Father Roy Thomas were Hoist Engineers. She also stated that she was told by her Aunts that Stephen Sr was a Hoist Engineer also, working in the Mines in Newfoundland.     

 

In March of 1912, at the age of 21, Patrick married Louise (Lucy) McGrath from Harbour Grace, NFLD. Susan informed me that her Grandfather never fought in WWI, as I had stated in a previous entry. A son Patrick Jr was born in 1913 and a daughter Rose born 1914 while they were still living in Newfoundland. Another daughter Ellen (Nell) born 1918 in Nova Scotia en route to Hamilton Ontario where they settled and raised their family of 10 children total.

 

I believe this photo is of a young Patrick Thomas Flynn Sr,. through process of elimination and comparision to the below photo and others sent to me by my 2nd cousin Susan.  She will have her Aunts confirm this in the near future.  (Notice the Steel-toed shoes he is wearing)

 

 

The photo on the right is of Patrick and Lucy Flynn taken May 1962 at their 50th Wedding Anniversary.     Patrick Thomas Flynn Sr died Apr 14th 1963 of cancer at the age of 73 years. Susan states she believes he sufferred from Hodgkin's Lymphoma.




I look forward to meeting Patrick and Lucy's family and learning more about their life.

Stephen Flynn Sr's Family

This my Great Grandfather Stephen Flynn Sr and six of his eight children. I have posted this photo before but not with all of his children, I now have the photo of my two Great Aunts Mary Ellen and Elizabeth confirmed and have received the photo of my Great Uncle Patrick. The two children I am missing are Michael, the 1st child born in 1884 and died in 1917, and Thomas the 2nd child born in 1885 and died in 1903, both of Typhoid Fever

                      Stephen Flynn Sr. and Stephen Flynn Jr.       

                             1845-1920                                            On the Rt - Patrick Flynn Sr.

Above on the Lt, is Esther Flynn Lahey.

 In the next photo, standing is Mary Ellen Flynn Holden  and sitting is Elizabeth Flynn Morey.

In a "Holding Pattern"

Entries for my Flynn Family History Blog have been somewhat in a "Holding Pattern". Just like an airplane put in a "Holding Pattern" waiting to land at a busy airport or waiting for bad weather to clear.

So here are a few updates that have been on hold over the past month.  First of all, regarding my connection with second cousin Joe Flynn and his tape recording of his visit with Great Uncle Martin Flynn in New York in 1994. I learned from his brother John, that Joe does still have the tape recording and will bring it with him when he comes home to Newfoundland around August 10th.  I must say I am very excited to hear this news,  so excited that I took all the Canadian money I had  and mailed it to John to help with the expense of copying the tape and for sending me a copy. I knew that money would come in handy one day. So today is August 13th, I imagine I will be hearing something soon.

Regarding my recent connection with my grandfather's brother Patrick Thomas Flynn's grand daughter, Susan Flynn Francis, she is now back from her month-long get-away at her cottage and will be getting together with her Great Aunts ( Uncle Patrick's daughters) in a couple of weeks. At that time, I hope to have a few questions answered and to have some photos confirmed.

There are no new developments regarding my connection with my possible 5th cousin Gerry thru my 2nd Great Grandfather Michael Flynn.  I have learned with researching ancestry, that things don't always fall into place and that waiting is part of the process.

Another bit of news I am waiting on, which might only provide information on my father's side of the family ( The Dollens) are the results of a recent DNA Test through Ancestry.com.  My 2nd cousin, Linda Dooley had the idea and my brother Michael was willing to help in our research project.  I am not sure if the results will give us any information on my mother's family  (The Flynns).  If that is the case, I may need to find a male Flynn cousin who would be willing to share his DNA!   Hmmmmmm????

A Strong Hunch

Lakeview, Harbour Main in the Beautiful Conception Bay Penninsula

"I have ancestors named Flynn in my Family Tree from rural areas of Harbour Main and Holyrood, Newfoundland." was the message I  received recently from a possible distant cousin.

 Again a connection made through working with Ancestry.com. This time my sister and I were found.  Gerry had also found my Blog "Flynn's Hill" and was aware of my research. If my hunch is correct. this person would be my 5th cousin, I know it sounds crazy but, I think I am on to something here.

I asked Gerry a few questions to find out more about his family line, stating there were several Flynn Families in the area. He listed his relatives going back to his 3rd Great Grandfather Edward Flynn who was born in 1805 in County Roscommon, Ireland. I could see some similarities in the names in his family tree, like Michael, Patrick Martin, George, Catherine, John, Sarah, Mary,and Bridget. Also, I believe my 2nd Great Grandfather Michael was born around that time, the early 1800's.


FLYNN, Edward
Evening Telegram September 29, 1890 (Monday)
Died. On Saturday, after a long illness, Mr. Edward Flynn, a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, aged 85 years; funeral to-morrow (Tuesday), at 2.30 p.m., from his son-in-law's (Mr. Jas. Buckley), Hoylestown.

I shared with him what Uncle Ray had told me, when he was here to visit March of 2011," as a young boy, he remembers being told a story, that there were Four Flynn Brothers that came from Ireland and settled in Newfoundland", he was not sure where they had all settled though.

The evidence gets stronger, I reviewed the 1835 Voters list for Harbour Main showing, Edward, John and Thomas ( no Michael though). And I reviewed the Release of Land written by my Great Grandfather Stephen Flynn Sr describing "a piece of land on the South Side of Harbour Main bounded by Thomas and John Flinn "

Hmmmmmm? Could Edward, John, Thomas and Michael be the Four Flynn Brothers who came from Ireland?

I don't know much about my 2nd Great Grandfather Michael,  I don't know where or when he was born, where or when he died only the brief mention of him in the "Release of Land" by my Great Grandfather. My 2nd Great Grandmother Elizabeth Dunlae came from Ireland as a young girl in the early 1800's. Michael and Elizabeth's first child was born in 1845 ( Stephen Sr) in Harbour Main. Gerry and I have agreed to stay in touch, to see if  our individual research can help make this connection.

Local land records that are not on the Internet may help in this mystery. Searching records in Roscommon County, Ireland may reveal more information. Hearing the stories from Great Uncle Martin through 2nd cousin Joe Flynn could be helpful!

It has been an amazing week for Flynn Family connections!

More Cousins!!!!!!!!!!!

2nd Cousins - Susan Flynn, Dorothy Flynn ( wife of Roy Flynn) Linda and Rosemary ( daughters of Roy Flynn )

A few months ago, I was working on Ancestry.com and I came across the Flynn/Francis Tree.  Curious, I took a look, discovering the person who was researching this tree was a descendant of Patrick Flynn Sr. ( brother to Stephen Flynn Jr., my grandfather). I knew Patrick had moved to Hamilton, Ontario, and that he had 10 children, but really did not know much more than that.

I sent the message out, and waited, checking my message board from time to time. Last week, the day after I made contact with my second cousin John Flynn, I received a message from my second cousin Susan Flynn.  We immediately started sharing information, she was just as excited as I was, I could tell, even over the Internet.  She shared family history as well as family stories.  We plan to get together sometime soon, I checked on the I PAD, we are only a 10 hour drive away from each other.

Susan sent me several photos and even corrected some information I had wrong. For example the Patrick Flynn I had in my entry "My Great Uncles" was actually his son Patrick Jr. But now I have a photo of Patrick Sr and his children and some of his grandchildren. She was able to confirm, the photo of the 2 young women I was thinking were my Great Aunts Betty and Mary Ellen and sent me another photo of Aunt Betty. Patrick Flynn did have 10 children, 4 of whom are still living Nell ( Ellen), Sister Bernadette (Genevieve), Dolly ( Madeline) and Gertrude. Susan told me she was planning to get together with her Aunts in August and will ask them for any information they could share about Patrick Flynn Sr.

Thanks Susan for sharing your family stories.