Who was John J Flynn? – Bricking Genealogy

Who was John J Flynn?

The is a lot of family lore around John J Flynn passed down from generation to generation. The only common theme in those stories that I have discovered is that he was a real estate agent. Lore is that he owned property in several states. Some Texas property originally purchased by him is actually still in the family.

Birth and Baptism

John Joseph Flynn, commonly known as JJ Flynn, was born 3 Sept 1854 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Research indicates that he was the oldest of 4 sons. John Joseph Flynn was baptized at St. Patrick Church in Northside, Ohio. Copy and translation below.

Only known photo of John Joseph Flynn

Orphan

My research suggests that their maternal uncle, James Bird adopted John Joseph and his brother, Luke in 1866. Their parents and 2 brothers are presumably either deceased or incapacitated.

I have been able to find some information on James Bird as well as his brother Michael Bird. I cannot 100% confirm, but I suspect they were Bridget’s brothers (John and Luke’s mother). They both lived at 70 Pike Street (servants) in the 1867 City Directory. In 1866 James was listed as a coachman at the same address. James married Margaret Maher, 4 Aug 1868 at St. Patrick Church on 3^rdStreet in Cincinnati. Neither John nor Luke are listed as residing in their home in the 1870 census. Michael Bird married Mary Smith in 1876 at St. Patrick Church on Blue Rock, the same parish John Joseph was baptized 22 years earlier.

Newsboy

A John Flinn, 13 years old was found in the 1870 Census as a News Boy (“born in Kentucky”) in the 3^rdWard of Cincinnati. He was residing with dozens of other newsboys and bootblacks. I suspect that his residence was at the Union Bethel and Newsboys’s home that he was also noted to reside in the 1879 Cincinnati City Directory and 1880 Census. According to the 1880 Census, John J lived at the Union Bethel and Newsboy House, 306 East Front Street, Cincinnati. The Newsboy’s Home was a branch of Union Bethel, where homeless bootblacks (employed to polish boots/shoes) and newsboys are furnished free lodging, baths and cheap meals (10 cents being the full price). The Newsboys home was considered an “orphan asylum”. The Cincinnati Union Bethel was established in 1839 whose “object is to provide for the spiritual and temporal welfare of river men and their families, and their families, and all others who may be unreached by regular Church organizations.

Marriage

John Joseph Flynn wed Mary Mulvaney 3 Sept 1883 at Saint Xavier Church, 607 Sycamore Street, in Cincinnati. The record below lists Lucas Flynn (brother) and Anastasia Keahage (?sp) were witnesses. Even though Luke was his witness there was no evidence in the 1882-1884 Cincinnati City directories his was living in Cincinnati. Luke was also the witness in John J’s first son’s baptism in 1885.

Real Estate Agent

By 1885 at the age of 30 John J Flynn became a was a real-estate agent at J.J.F. & Company in Cincinnati. In addition to being agent owning his own company he also purchased land in Hardin County Texas and possibly Florida. The Texas property remains in the family. I do not suspect he left much of an inheritance to his family however as evidence supports all of his children struggled financially.

Family

John J Flynn and Mary Ann Mulvaney had 5 children

William Matthew 25 Oct 1885 – 13 Sept 1951, m. Gladys Johnston and Jennie Taulbee
Margaret Mary 10 Oct 1887 – 7 Aug 1888, m. Augusta Becker
John Joseph 1 Apr 1891 – 16 Jan 1924
Edward Edwin20 Apr 1893 – 19 May 1932
Luke Howard 15 Sept 1895 – 12 Jan 1936

Known Residencies

1860 (Census) Millcreek Township, Hamilton, Ohio, Dwelling 304
1870 (Census) Cincinnati Ward 3, Hamilton, Ohio
1879-1880(Cincinnati City Directory) bds. Merchants Union Hotel
1880 (Census) Union Bethel and Newsboy House, 306 East Front Street, Cincinnati, Ohio
1881-1882(Cincinnati City Directory) bds 30 public landing
1883(Cincinnati City Directory) 2 possible John Flynn in Directory, one living at 30 Public landing (newspaper dealer) and the other Union Bethel (newsboy)
1884 –not in Cincinnati Directory
1885-1887(Cincinnati City Directory)111 East 2^ndStreet, Cincinnati, Ohio
1889 - 1892 (Cincinnati City Directory) 109 E 2^ndStreet, Cincinnati, Ohio
1893 109 E 2^ndStreet (Edwin’s Cincinnati Birth Record)
1894 not in Newport
1895 – 1927 (City Directories and Census Records) Owned House at 324 West 5th Street, Newport, Campbell, KY

Employment

1879 (Cincinnati City Directory)News Agent
1885-1886 (Cincinnati City Directory)21 W 4^thStreet, Flynn JJ & Co, real estate agents and merchandise
1887 - 1892 (Cincinnati City Directory) J.J. F. & Co. 13 E. 3^rdCincinnati, Ohio
1895 - 1897(Newport City Directory) 110 Lincoln Inn Court (Real Estate)
1914-1923(Newport City Directory) Real estate

Census Records:

1860 Census Millcreek Township, Hamilton, Ohio, Dwelling 304
- Wm Flinn, 40 yo, laborer, born Ireland
- Mary 28 yo, born Ireland
- Jno 6yo, born Ohio
- Lewis (?Lucis) 4yo, born Ohio
- Jno,2 yo, born Ohio
- Wm 8/12 yo, born Ohio
1870 Census, Cincinnati Ward 3, Hamilton, Ohio
- Flynn, John, 13 yo, News Boy, born Ky
1880 Census, Union Bethel and Newsboy House, 306 East Front St, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Flinn, John 23yo, boarder, news boy, “not known” birthplace for him or parents
- 1900 Census 324 West Fifth Street, Newport Ward 2, Campbell, Ky
  - John J Flynn, 40yo, born Ohio, Sept 1859, Married 1883 for 17 yrs, Father Ireland, Mother Ireland, Real estate, own home
  - Mary T Flynn, 39, wife, June 1860, 5 children, 4 living, born Canada Fr, father Canada Fr, mother Canada Fr immigrated 1864, 36 yrs in US
  - Wm Flynn, 14, son, Oct 1885, born Ohio, shoemaker
  - John J Flynn 9, son, Apr 1891, born Ohio, at school
  - Edw Flynn 7, son, Apr 1893, born Ohio, at school
  - Howard Flynn 4, son, Sept 1895, born Ky
  - Margaret Mobanny 60, mother in law, Mar 1840, 13 children 5 living, born Canada Fr, Mother France, mother Ireland, unk immigration year
- 1910 Census 324 West Fifth Street, Newport Ward 2, Kentucky
  - John J Flynn, 48, born Ohio, father Ireland, mother Ireland, English tongue, Real Estate Agent, Owned home, married 26 yrs, able to read and write
  - Mary Flynn, 47, 26 yrs married, 4 children, 4 living, born Can-English, father Ire-English, mother Ire-English, Immigration 1866
  - William Flynn, 24 yo, Foundry boilermaker
  - John J Flynn 19 yo, Scolloper Shoe Factory
  - Edward Flynn 17yo, Apprentice Shoe Factory
  - Howard Flynn 13 yo,
- 1920 Census 324 West Fifth Street, Newport Ward 2, Kentucky
  - John JFlynn, 60, Father Ireland, Mother Ireland, real estate agent, home free, born Ohio
  - Mary Flynn 54, immigrated 1866, Naturalized, Naturalized in 1887, born Canada, father Ireland, mother Ireland
  - Luke 24, single, born Ky, dept store clerk
  - John J 31, single, born Ohio, shoe factory, shoemaker

Death and Burial

John Joseph Flynn died on 12 Dec 1927 from apoplexy (stroke). He was buried 15 Dec 1927 next to his wife Mary Ann at St. Stephen Cemetery

Resources:

https://www.probatect.org/court-records/archive-categories/guardianships/guardianship-docket-index-(1852-1974)
Kings Pocket Book of Cincinnati, by King, Moses, published 1879, Publisher Cincinnati, J, Shillito & co. (Details on Union Bethel)
Illustrated Cincinnati; a pictorial hand book of the Queen city, comprising its architecture, manufacturing and trade. Published 1875, Publisher Cincinnati, R. Clarke. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcinci00kennrich