James Born in 1823

Castlebar, 1823-1848. James Flannery was born in Aglish Parish (Castlebar), County Mayo, Ireland in 1823.

James was the first of six sons to be born to John Francis and Catherine Grady Flannery.

In 1825, James' brother Thomas was born.

In 1827, James' brother John was born.

In 1828, James' brother Patrick was born.

In 1836, James' brother Richard was born.

In 1844, James' brother Peter was born.

The 1855 Griffith's Valuation shows a John Flannery on two streets in Castlebar: Tucker Street and Gallowshill. There is also a John Flannery in two townlands about two miles northwest of Castlebar: Tawnycoolawee and Loughrusheen.

Mary Born in 1827

Castlebar, 1827-1848. Mary Murray was born in Aglish Parish (Castlebar), County Mayo, Ireland in 1827. Her father was Martin Murray. The Griffith's Valuation of 1855 shows a Martin Murray in Carrowbrinoge townland in Aglish Parish. This townland is two miles northwest of Castlebar.

Mary is assumed to have been born in Castlebar because she was married there. The year of birth is based on her tombstone and the 1870 census.

James and Mary Marry in 1848, Have 13 Children

James Flannery, 25, and Mary Murray, 21, were married in Castlebar, County Mayo, on February 3, 1848. Bridget Flannery was a witness. The source of this information is the Church of the Holy Rosary, the Roman Catholic Parish of Castlebar in the Diocese of Tuam.

Castlebar, 1848-1852. James and Mary's first child Bridget was born in Castlebar. She was baptized there on January 12, 1849. Patrick Flannery was a sponsor. The source of this information is the Roman Catholic Parish of Castlebar in the Diocese of Tuam.

James and Mary's second child Mary was born in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland, in 1852. Her parents shortly after emigrated to Baltimore, Maryland. Mary Flannery stayed in Ireland, perhaps with her grandparents, rather than go with her parents to Baltimore. She stayed in Ireland until age 19.

Baltimore, 1852-1855/57. The family immigrated to Baltimore, Maryland, arriving there aboard the ship William Patten on May 10, 1852. The U.S. flag had 31 stars, the most recent one being for Michigan. The President was Millard Fillmore.

The William Patten was a 608-ton fully-rigged sailing ship built in 1848 in Bowdoinham, on the Kennebec River in Maine. Charles Theobald was the ship's captain on the voyage that carried the family to America. The May 10, 1852, edition of the Baltimore Sun stated that the vessel had "experienced a continued succession of easterly gales since April 1st; had bulwarks, stove, bowsprit carried away, &c." The Good Friday storm would have occurred on April 9. One of the passengers on the voyage was Peter Doyle, age 8, who would become a close friend of Walt Whitman.

James and Mary's third child Ellen was born July 22, 1853. Ellen was baptized August 7 at St. Vincent de Paul Church at 120 Front Street. Her sponsors were John Flannery and Mary Duncan. The church was established 1841 and is still there.

The 1855 Baltimore directory shows James Flannery, a laborer, living at 170 Columbia. Records of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad show James Flannery working in the Rd. Way Department in 1855 for $1 a day.

James and Mary's fourth child Patrick was born in Baltimore on February 12, 1855. He was baptized February 18 at St. Peter the Apostle Church at Hollins and Poppleton Streets. His sponsors were Patrick and Mary Flannery. The church, 1.6 miles west of St. Vincent de Paul Church, was established in 1843 and is still there.

Leyden, Wisconsin, 1855/57-1860/70. Sometime between 1855 and 1857, the Flannerys moved from Maryland to the rolling green countryside of southern Wisconsin, near the Illinois border, about eight miles northwest of Janesville.

In the 1860 census, the Flannerys were living on a farm in Leyden Post Office, Porter Township, Rock County, Wisconsin.

James and Mary were listed in the censuses as unable to read or write.

James and Mary's fifth child Catherine was born in 1857.

James and Mary's sixth child Anna was born in 1858.

James and Mary's seventh child John was born in 1860.

James and Mary's eightth child James was born in 1862.

James and Mary's ninth child Martin was born in 1866.

James and Mary's tenth child Edward was born in 1868.

Adams, Wisconsin, 1860/70-1870-80. Sometime between 1860 and 1870, the Flannery family moved to Adams Township, which is just northeasst of Argyle. In the 1870 census, the Flannerys were living on a farm in Adams Township, Green County, Wisconsin. This is about 35 miles west of Leyden Post Office, Porter Township, Rock County.

On May 23, 1869, James and Mary's first child Bridget, 20, married John L. Brazel, 25.

On March 26, 1871, James and Mary's third child Ellen, 18, married Daniel McDonald, 29.

In 1872, Mary Flannery, 19, immigrated to Chicago, Illinois.

On December 3, 1876, James and Mary's fourth child Patrick, 22, married Amanda Poff, 23.

On December 9, 1879, James and Mary's second child Mary, 26, married James Kenny, 32, at St. Jarlath Church on the Near West Side of Chicago. Witnesses were John Condon and Mary's sister Kate Flannery. Kate was working as a servant on the Near West Side in the 1880 census.

James and Mary Divorced Between 1870 and 1880

Sometime between 1870 and 1880, James and Mary Flannery were divorced.

Adams, Wisconsin, 1870/80-1890. In the 1880 census, Mary Flannery was listed as divorced and was using her maiden name Murray. She was living in Adams Township with three sons: James, Martin, and Edward. Her former husband James has not been found in the 1880 census.

On December 31, 1882, James and Mary's fourth child Catherine, 24, married Frederick Divan, 26.

On April 4, 1884, James and Mary's fifth child Anna, 25, married Maurice Crotty, 25.

On September 14, 1885, Ellen Flannery McDonald's husband Daniel died. Their last child Lottie was born on May 12, 1885. Daniel's age at death would have been 43, and Ellen was 33 when Daniel died.

Woodford, Wisconsin, 1890-1900. Mary Flannery's obituary says she moved to Woodford in 1890. Woodford is in Wiota Township, Lafayette County.

On December 23, 1890, James and Mary's seventh child James, 28, married Frances Burrington, 22.

In 1894, James and Mary's eighth child Martin, 28, married Daisy Schultz, 19.

On June 12, 1893, Ellen Flannery McDonald married David Powell, a harness dealer in Cadiz. By the time of the 1900 census, however, he had died or they were separated.

Sometime between before 1900, Ellen's daughter Lillian moved to Chicago and married Charles Hill.

On August 6, 1899, Ellen's son John McDonald married Martha Parmer, They had a child, Ellen, on April 20, 1900.

Sections 29-32, Jordan Township, Green County, Wisconsin, 1902.

Sections 5 (partial) and 8, Jordan Township, Green County, Wisconsin, 1902.

Sometime before 1900, James and Mary Flannery and their children moved to farms in Jordan Township, Green County. The 1900 census shows the households and people living on these farms. A 1902 plat map shows the location of these farms.

• Bridget Flannery Brazel was living with her husband John L. Brazel and five children in Adams Township, Green County.
• Ellen Flannery McDonald Powell was living on a farm with her daughter Charlotte Mae McDonald and her son John McDonald and family, which included his wife Martha, and their newborn baby Ellen. John was listed as the head of household. The plat map shows 80 acres in Section 29 owned by John and his mother.
• Patrick F. Flannery was living with his wife Amanda and their eight children, two of whom were married with no children. They lived on 80 acres owned originally by Amanda's father Henry Poff in Section 5.
• Katie Flannery Divan was living with her husband Fred Divan and five children on 40.85 acres in Section 30.
• Anna Flannery Crotty was living with her husband Morrice and five children. The 1900 census shows them living in Wiota Township, Lafayette County. The 1902 plat map shows them on 40.85 acres in Section 30 of Jordan Township, Green County. Wiota Township, not shown here, abuts the western boundary of the Crotty land in Jordan TownshipJordan Township.
• James Flannery, Jr., was living on a farm with his son John. James Flannery, Sr., was living with son James at the time of the census in 1900 but had died by the time the plat map was done in 1902. Kate McDonald, niece of James, also was living there. The plat map shows this farm had 120 acres in Sections 30 and 31, including 40 acres owned by the estate of James Flannery, Sr.
• Martin "Mac" Flannery was living with his wife Daisy and four children on 87.5 acres in Section 8. Son William Flannery died in 1901 at age 2.
• Edward Flannery was living on a farm in Woodford, Wiota Township, Lafayette County. Living with him was his mother Mary Murray Flannery. Wiota Township, not shown here, abuts the western boundary of Jordan Township.

Four generations of Flannerys: Mary Murray Flannery (left), her daughter Bridget Flannery Brazel (right), her granddaughter Mary Elizabeth "Mamie" Brazel Patterson (middle), and her great granddaughter Zella Patterson. Circa 1906.

Ellen's son John McDonald and his wife Martha had three more children after Ellen: Mary, Katie, and Dennis. John's wife Martha died sometime before 1910.

James Dies in 1900 at Age 78

Death Record

James Flannery died of heart disease in Jordan, Green County, Wisconsin, on December 13, 1900. James was age 78.

Based on the census taken six months earlier that year, he was living with his son James, and his children Patrick, Catherine, and Ellen lived on neighboring farms.

James was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Argyle, Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

In the 1900 census, James was shown as divorced and his wife Mary was living with their son Edward in Woodford, Wiota Township, Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

Argyle Agenda
James Flannery died at the home of his son P. F. Flannery in the town of Jordan, Dec. 13, 1900, aged 80 years. The deceased was a native of Ireland, but had resided in this neighborhood for many years. We did not learn the particulars of his life, but suffice it to say that he was well known and highly respected. The funeral was held on the 15th and the remains were interred in the new Calvary cemetery.

Obituary

Flannery tombstone in Calvary Cemetery, Argyle, Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

Mary Widowed at Age 73

Upon the death of James, Mary became a widow. In the 1900 census, taken six months before James died, Mary was not listed, while James was shown as divorced and living with their son James in Jordan.

Sometime between 1900 and 1907, Lottie, age 15 to 22, moved to Chicago. She probably lived somewhere on the Near West Side, because that is where her Aunt Mary Flannery Kenny and her older sister Lillian lived. On January 23, 1907, Lottie, 21, married James M. Kenny, 36, stepson of her aunt Mary Flannery Kenny.

In the 1910 census, Ellen was still living with her son John's family on a farm on Dill Road, near Browntown Road, in Jordan Township.

In the 1910 census, Mary Flannery, 80, widow, farm owner, born in Ireland, was living in Woodford, Wiota Township, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. She was living with her son, Edward Flannery, 42, single, farmer.

In 1911, Anna Flannery Crotty died at age 53.

Mary Dies in 1912 at Age 85

In 1912, Mary Murray Flannery died at home in Woodford. Mary was age 85. She was buried next to her husband in Calvary Cemetery in Argyle, Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

Argyle Agenda, June 7, 1912
Death of Mrs. Mary Flannery.
  Mrs. Mary Flannery, a widely known and highly respected lady, died at her home near Woodford last Thursday morning at the great age of 90 years, having been born in Ireland in 1822. She was married to James Flannery at the age of 17 years, and three years later they emigrated to America and settled in Baltimore, Maryland. After a few years residence in the "monumental city" they moved to Janesville, Wis., then to Adams and in 1890 they moved to Woodford where she spent the rest of her life. Her husband died Dec. 13, 1900. Mrs. Flannery was the mother of thirteen children, nine of whom survive her. They are Mrs. John Brazel of Adams, Mrs. Jas. Kenney of Chicago, Mrs. Dan McDonald of Jordan, Mrs. Fred Divan of Wiota, Mrs. Maurice Crotty of South Wayne, Pat, James and Mack of Jordan, and Ed. on the homestead near Woodford.
  The large attendance at her funeral which was held at St. Joseph's church in Argyle on Saturday proved the love and esteem which her friends and neighbors had for her, a noble tribute. Father McNulty preached a sermon on the necessity of being always ready to meet the messenger of death.

Obituary

James and Mary: 10 children, 42 grandchildren, 110 great grandchildren