The Michael Flynn and Ann Galvin Family of Cass County, Howard Township, Michigan: An Analysis of their Migration from Ireland, Marriage in South Bend, St Joseph County, Indiana and Residence in Cass County, Michigan
Michael Flynn (aka O'Flynn) and Ann Galvin were married at Sacred Heart Church at Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana on February 16, 1868. They obtained their marriage license from St Joseph County, Indiana. Michael was a resident of Niles, Michigan and Anna Galvin attended Sacred Heart Church Parish. Notre Dame is very close to the Michigan border and in the early years many parishioners hailed from areas in lower Michigan. They were living in Cass County, Howard Township, Michigan as early as 1860 and remained there through at least September 11, 1907 when Michael Flynn died at the age of 83. The Michigan Death and Burials Index 1867-1995 identified his parents as Dennis Flynn and Sarah Fitzpatrick. They appear to have had at least the following children: Dennis, John, Daniel, Mary, Michael, Eliza and Edward. Son Edwin S (aka Edward?) married Eva L Miller on November 2, 1910 accordign to Michigan Marriages 1868-1925. According to the Michigan Death Certificate for Michael Flynn, he was born on February 18, 1824 to Dennis Flynn and Sarah Fitzpatrick in Toprarie (likely Tipperary), Ireland. He died from organic Heart disease and also suffered from acute gastro-enteric infection. He was buried in Calvery Cemetery in Niles, Michigan on September 14, 1907.
The objective of this compilation is to try to establish the earliest possible evidence of this family in the United States through all available resources.
This will most definitely be a work in progress and all findings I speculate on would have to be proven for accuracy with Ireland and U.S. marriage records, church baptismal records and death records among other genealogical resources. Please use this information with that caveat in mind so that nothing is assumed and no stones are left unturned to assure it's your family and the connection is accurate. Please contact me if you feel that you are descended from this Cass County, Michigan family or another South Bend, Indiana Irish Family so that we can share information, see if there were common migration trails followed and delve further back into their origins in Ireland!
| Census, Church or other Record | Date Born, Baptized, Married, Died, Buried or other Reference Date | Father/ Husband | Mother/ Wife | Child | Occupation; Misc. Info. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart Church, Notre Dame, South Bend, IN Marriage Record | February 16, 1868 | O'Flynn, Michael (Michaelem) | Galvin, Anna (Annam) | Joanne and Joanna Neenan Witnesses; A Granger Sp | |
| Indiana Marriage Collection St Joseph County, IN | February 16, 1868 | Flynn, Michael | Galvin, Ann | ||
| 1860 Howard Twp, Cass County Michigan Census Pokagon Post Office | July 19, 1860 Census conducted | Flynn, Michael 30 born in Ireland | Flynn, Ellen 30 born in Ireland | Flynn, Dennis 7 born in MI | Michael is a Farmer with $6000 Real Estate and $200 Personal Property |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, John 5 born in MI | |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, Daniel 4 born in MI | |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, Mary 2 born in MI | |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, Michael 4/12 born in MI | |
| 1870 Howard Twp, Cass County, Michigan Census; Casopolis, MI post office | July 12, 1870 Census Conducted | Flinne?, Michael 44 born in Ireland | Flinne?, Ann 39 born in Ireland | Flinne?, Dennis 16 born in Michigan | Michael was a Farmer; Ann Kept House; Son Dennis works on the farm |
| " | " | " | " | Flinne?, John 15 born in Michigan | John worked on the farm |
| " | " | " | " | Flinne?, Daniel 13 born in Michigan | |
| " | " | " | " | Flinne?, Mary 11, born in Michigan | |
| " | " | " | " | Flinne?, Michael 8 born in Michigan | |
| " | " | " | " | Flinne?, Eliza 6 born in Michigan | |
| " | " | " | " | Flinne?, Edward 1 born in Michigan | |
| Michigan Births and Christenings 1775-1995 | September 9, 1870 Birth | Mickael Flynn | Ann | Ann | Born Cass County, Michigan; LDS film 1021041 |
| 1880 US Census for Howard Twp, Cass County, Michigan | Census Conducted on June 6, 1880 | Flynn, Michael, 55 born in Ireland; parents born in Ireland | Flynn, Ann 45 Wife born in Ireland; Parents born in Ireland | Flynn, Mary 21, Daughter born in Michigan; parents born in Ireland | Michael was a Farmer; Ann- kept house; Daughter Mary helps with the house |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, Eliza 15 yr old daughter born in Michigan, Parents born in IR | Servant Girl |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, Michael 20 yr old son born in MI, parents born in IR | Works on the farm |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, Edward 11 yr old son born in Michigan, parents born in MI | |
| 1900 US Census for Cass County, Howard Twp, Michigan District 0088 | Census Conducted on June 8, 1900 | Flynn, Michael H 71 born August 1828 in Ireland as were his parents | Flynn, Anna, 69 yr old wife born February 1831 in Ireland | Flynn, Mary, 32 yr old single daughter born on January 1862 in Michigan, dad in MI?, mom in Ireland | Michael was a Farmer who came here in 1848; here 52 yrs and was naturalized; Anna came here in 1850, here 50 yrs |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, Edwin S, 30 yr old single son born April 1870 in Michigan, parents born in Michigan | Farmer |
| " | " | " | " | Flynn, Nora G, 28 yr old single daughter born in Michigan, parents born in Ireland | |
| Michigan Deaths and Burials Index 1867-1995 | September 11, 1907 Death in Howard Twp, Cass County, MI | Flynn, Michael born abt 1824 in Ireland; 83 yr old farmer at time of death | His father was Dennis Flynn and Mother Sarah Fitzpatrick; FHL Film 1021048 | ||
| State of Michigan Certificate of Death | September 11, 1907 in Cass County, Howard Twp, Michigan | Flynn, Michael born February 18, 1824 in Toprarie (likely Tipperary) Ireland | he was married at the time of his death | Michael's father was Dennis Flynn of Ireland and Sarah Fitzpatrick of Ireland; Michael was a Farmer; Info provided by Edward Flynn of Niles, MI. Michael died of Organic Heart Disease and also had acute gastric Enteric Infection; He was buried at Calvary Cemetery, Niles MI on September 14, 1907 (this death certificate was placed online by Averyfamilygal in 2011) | |
| Michigan Marriages 1868-1925 on Familysearch.org | November 2, 1910 Marriage in Niles, MI | Flynn, Edwin S, 39 yrs b 1871 in Cass County, MI (son of Michael Flynn and Anna Gilvin) | Miller, Eva L, 33 born abt 1877 in Niles, MI (son of Henry Miller) | Edwin was a Farmer; Catholic Priest Victor Ducet? married them. witnessed by Howar Flynn of Detroit and Sadie Kennedy of Niles. |