John Michael Flynn (1880 - 1956)

John was born in 1880 to Michael Flynn and Catherine Brosnan, all from Ireland. He immigrated to the US in 1901, and in 1917 married at age 37 to a woman 17 years his junior. They met when he boarded at her parents' house in 1910. He passed away in 1956 at 76 years old.

NOTE: The Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1620-1911[1] give John's birth year as 1877. His death certificate (shown on Find A Grave), WWII draft registration and headstone say 1880. His WWI draft registration says 1878, though they all agree on day and month.

OBITUARY

Flynn John M

Mr. John M. Flynn was born in County Cork, Ireland, on February 3, 1880, the son of Michael and Kate Brosnan Flynn. He came to Lake County in 1901 at the age of 21 years and engaged here in the Livestock business. He came to Lake County with Morgan Verling.

On January 17, 1917, he was married to Dola Garrett and about 1919 he moved his family to Paisley where he entered a ranching partnership with Jack O' Leary on the present Jerry O'Leary ranch. About 2 1/2 years later that Partnership was dissolved and the Flynn family bought a ranch at Cottonwood, the present Wes Anderson place.

After selling that ranch, Mr John Flynn became Lakeview Chief of Police in early 1925 and he served in that position until April, 1954, in his 30th year as Chief.

When John Flynn became retired, the people of Lakeview honored him with a testimonial dinner and presented him with a plague in appreciation for his years of outstanding duty.

For the first 20 years as chief John Worked 12 hours shifts seven days a week, with no vacation, His first salary was $75 a month, and he had to use his own car for daily tours of the town to turn on street lights at each pole. In his 21st year, he began getting 2 weeks vacation per year, and later, as the force was enlarged, he was able to reduce his daily work shift.

Mr. John Flynn is survived by his wife Mrs. Dola Flynn of Lakeview; by three sons, Millis and Field Flynn, of Lakeview, and Noel Flynn, of Klamath Falls.

Timeline with Sources

• 1880 (or 1877) Feb 3 - Birth - Cork Co, Ireland (1877: Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1620-1911, FHL Film #255976)

• 1901 - Arrival from Ireland

• 1910 United States Federal Census[2] - South Lakeview, Lake, Oregon - Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head of House: Boarder Occupation: Sheep Stockman - Household members: Gordon W Garrett 55; Sarah Garrett 47; Irvin L Garrett 21; Earl G Garrett 18; Dola Garrett 13; Dala Dewey 44; (Irish boarders: ) John Flynn 30; Richard Flynn 21; Bridie Flynn 25; Christina Flynn 24
  • Note: Boarder John Flynn and Dola Garrett marry 7 years later

• 1917 Jan 17 - Marriage to Dola Mae Garrett - Lake County, Oregon - Oregon, Marriage Indexes, 1906-1924, 1946-2008

• 1917 Nov 9 - Birth of son John Millis Flynn - Oregon

• 1918 Sep 11 - Lake, Oregon - U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [3]

• 1920 United States Federal Census[4] - Paisley, Lake, Oregon - Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Head - Occupation: Farmer - Household members: John M Flynn 39; Dela Flynn 23; John M Flynn 2; Mike O Tanner 34; Andrew Buckley 30; Joseph Muldoon 35
  • Note: Mike, Andrew and Joseph are all hired men to work on the farm, and all from Ireland

• 1920 May 6 - Birth of son Noel Brosnan Flynn - Lakeview, Lake, Oregon

• 1924 Dec 14 - Birth of son Fields Ewing Flynn - Lakeview, Lake, Oregon

• 1930 United States Federal Census[5] - Lakeview, Lake, Oregon - Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Head - Occupation: Sheep Stockman - Household members: John M Flynn 50; Dola Flynn 33; Millis Flynn 12; Noel Flynn 9; Fields Flynn 5

• 1940 United States Federal Census[6] - Lakeview, Lake, Oregon - Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Head - Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 8th grade - Occupation: Chief of Police - Household members: John M Flynn 60; Dola M Flynn 43; Millis Flynn 22; Noel Flynn 19; Fields E Flynn 15

• 1942 Apr 26 - Lakeview, Lake County, Oregon - U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942[7] Employer: Town of Lakeview

• 1956 Oct 14 - Death - Lakeview, Lake County, Oregon - Oregon, Death Index, 1898-2008[8]

• 1956 Oct - Burial - IOOF Cemetery, Lakeview, Lake County, Oregon - Find A Grave: Memorial #38331996