Flinn, William C.

FLINN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 14:45:44

WILLIAM C. FLINN
born Jan 20, 1830, Illinois

W. C. Flinn, one of Belmont township's earliest settlers, has been an eye witness of Warren county's development, has seen Milo grow from a wild prairie of waving grass to a city beautiful homes, business blocks, free schools and churches, and has seen his adopted country bound by bands of steel, and its bosom studded with telephone and telegraph poles. Few men are now left in Warren county who date an earlier settlement, or who have felt greater pride in the continued growth of the county. Mr. Flinn was born in Cass county, Illinois, January 20, 1830, a son of Josiah and Elizabeth (Smith) Flinn. They were the parents of four children: Nancy, widow of Andrew Bertram, who died in Jasper county, Iowa; Eveline Jane, deceased at the age of twentyfive years, was the wife of Jacob Schrader, who resides near Fort Scott, Kansas; W. C., the subject of this sketch; and Mary, deceased, was the wife of John Lang, a farmer of northeastern Kansas. The father, Josiah Flinn, was born in North Carolina and was there married. They afterward located in Cass county, Illinois, when that section was a comparative wilderness. There he erected a small log cabin in which our subject first saw the light of day. The father passed away there and shortly afterward his widow married Joshua Adkins. She also buried her second husband, and had this grand old lady lived eight days longer she would have celebrated her ninetieth birthday. She was a Christian woman and for sixty years worshiped in church from her home where she had resided those many years. W. C. Flinn, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the subscription schools of Cass county. In the fall of 1855 he emigrated to Warren county, Iowa, where he practically lived an isolated life for a number of years, his nearest neighbor having been a mile and a quarter distant. Not a stick of timber was on the place when he came here, but today he is surrounded by beautiful groves, and has a fine young orchard having already outlived one. Although he has practically paved his way to civilization, and has witnessed many trials and sorrows, joys, and privations. Mr. Flinn is still apparently in the prime of life. He is a strict adherent of the Populist party. January 10, 1851, he was united in marriage with Miss Mahala Joyce, a native of Kentucky and a daughter of Alexander Joyce. She accompanied her parents to Illinois when a child. Mr. and Mrs. Flinn have had ten children, namely: Josiah, of Lyons, Colorado; John, a farmer of Belmont township; William Henry, who has been aninvalid for years, is at home; Mary, wife of Frank DeSandy, of Lyons, Colorado; Louisa, wife of James Johns, also of that city; Adelin, wife of Elisha Johns; Florence, wife of Cyrus Duncan, engaged in farming the home place; Charles, at home; Frank, deceased at the age of six months; and Amanda, who died at the age of fourteen months. Mr. Flinn is a member of the Freewill Baptist Church. Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.513