Robert
Bruce Flenniken
Mallory Twp.
Robert Bruce Flenniken, millwright and farmer, P.O.
Colesburg, was a son of John N. and Elizabeth (Grooms)
Flenniken, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Iowa in
1857, and died here. Robert B. was born in Greene County,
Pa., Aug. 28, 1830, where he was educated and learned his
trade. He came to Iowa in 1852, at twenty-one years of
age, to assist in building a mill, but liking the
country, after a return to Pennsylvania, he came to Iowa
to permanently reside. In 1865 he purchased his present
farm of 160 acres on section 28, and also owns another
farm two miles distant, of like size, both being finely
cultivated, and his home is one of the finest in the
county for comfort and beauty of location. On March 27,
1856, he married Margaret, daughter of John and Milinda
(Patterson) Brown, natives of Ireland and Pennsylvania,
respectively. They came to Iowa in 1848, and died in
Mallory Township. Margaret was born in Pennsylvania on
Oct. 28, 1833. By the above marriage there are two
children-- Mary Alice, born March 28, 1859, is the wife
of Omar Hammond (they live with her parents), and John
Franklin, born March 14, 1864. Mrs. F. and daughter are
members of the Congregational church. Mr. F. is a member
of the A. F. & A. M. Fraternity. He has held many of
the township offices, and in 1872-'3 represented his
county in the State Legislature; the session of 1873 was
for the purpose of codifying the laws of the State, in
which work Mr. F. evinced much skill and good judgment,
coupled with much hard work, as his co-laborers can
attest. Mr. F. devotes most of his time to his trade,
building and furnishing grist-mills, putting in the
Flenniken patent turbine water-wheel, which is the best
wheel in use. He has opened an office in Dubuque, Iowa,
in company with T. W. Graham, in connection with the
Utter Manufacturing company of Rockford, Ill. and is
doing a very large and profitable business. He has met
with great success, and is one of the wealthiest
citizens.
source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa, 1882, p. 917-918
transcribed by Sally Scarff and Marlene Chaney
|
