Bob Flanagan's Family
Most reports I have seen to date refer to three
brothers who left from Dublin, Ireland on a voyage to
end on "some wood land and some sandy hills" at a
place called "Absecon Island" or " Absecon Beach".
'Drawne by the only labour and endeavour of Augustine
Herrman' 'A note on the map states that the area is
"Inhabited only or most by Indians". 'Indian
longhouses are shown along the rivers.' 'The Great
Egg Harbor and Little Egg Harbor Inlets are both
labled. In 1693 this region was called "Egg Harbour".
On March 20th, 1693 it was mentioned in Gloucester
County in court records. Also know as Atlantic County
and New Waymouth at times. Today this area is around
Atlantic City, New Jersey.
In 1732 these three brothers disembarked from ship
with members of their family(s). Probably born in
Roscommon County, Ireland, the brothers were named;
Ambrose, earliest estimated birth: 1700, Whittle,
ealiest estimated birth: 1702, James, earliest
estimated birth: 1704. With Ambrose Flanagan, at
least one family-tree record indicates, was his wife
and son. His wife's first name is not indicated, but
her last name was Winwright. His son's name was James
Winwright Flanagan (the Elder), earliest estimated
birth; 1723.
Little is know of the years following their landing in
1732, except that; Ambrose went with family to Virginia
and was 'a planter'. Whittle went (with family?) to
North Carolina. James (with family?) stayed in the area
which became New Jersey.
In at least one record it says that James (the Elder)
settled in Fluvanna County, Virginia in 1740. Then he
'removed' to Albermarle County, Virginia. Another
record says that he 'lived in Louisa Couty, VA. as
early as 1744'.
It is in 1747 that the first 'formal records' of James
Flanagan (the Elder) are found. Up until this first
record all that I have advanced has been from
family-tree records/statements passed down in family
writings of their ancestory.
The first record of James Flanagan of Louisa County,
Virginia, is found in the Fredericksville Parish Vestry
Book, 29 July 1747, and states, "That Samuel Dalton and
James Flanagan do procession the lands from Nick
Meriwether's line ye Mountain and the county line to
Cuffy's Creek".
Also during 1747 James married Serena Frances Whittall
of Albemarle County, the daughter of Francis Whittall
and Sarah Cole.
On August 20, 1747 James 'obtained two tracts of land
in Louisa Couty from Lieut. Governor Gooch, issued at
Williamsburg, one containing 400 acres "on both sides
of north fork of Hudson's Creek" for "forty shillings
of good and lawful money". This 400 acres also is the
land grant from King George II refered to in many
accounts. 'The second tract of 250 acres for "twenty
shillings of good and lawful money" beginning at the
said Flanagan's corner pine in Sylvanus Morris'
line...crossing three branches of Bunches' Creek...and
white oak saplins in said Flanagan's line...' These
tracts of land constituted 'the total land holdings in
James Flanagan's estate'.
The earliest recorded home built by James was in 1747,
and we believe the original building (along with
additions added) is still standing today. The home was
called Red Hill. The site is in the Greensprings
District of Louisa County, Virginia, located south of
Route 22 on the west side of Route 15 near the waters
of Hudson and Bunches' Creeks.
Micki Flanagan Perry has sent me pictures of this house
along with letters describing the house and 'line of
residents' that have lived there. It is fascinating to
also find in a map of the area described a road leading
off of Hwy. 15 (south of Route 22) named Red Hill
Trail. This 'trail' I believe leads to the Flanagan
home built by James in 1747.
In 1747 James (the Elder) and wife Serena had their
first child named Ambrose. On November 18, 1749 their
second child was born named Whittle. Sometime in 1750
their third child was born named James (2nd) after his
father. Sometime in 1751 their fourth and last child
was born and named Mary. Mary was called 'Milly', and
was likely named after her mother's sister, her aunt
Mary Whittall.
"At a Vestry held for Fredericksville Parish ye 5th day
of June 1749, ordered that James Flanakin be appointed
Sexton of the Middle Church in the room of Wilmoth
Davis, and that his wages commence the 20th of May
last". There are variations in the spelling of the name
Flanagan in the records of Louisa, Albemarle and
Fluvanna Counties. I believe this Flanakin is James
Flanagan (the Elder). It is also noted in research of
the early settlers that the actual spelling of the name
was many times Flannagan, and that with the children of
James and Serena was the name thereafter consistent
with the spelling Flanagan of my line.
In June of 1752 James Winwright Flanagan (the Elder)
died in Louisa Couty, Virginia, I believe at his Red
Hill home and probably buried in the cemetery nearby.
If born in 1723, James was only 29 or 30 when he died
leaving Serena with four children under 6 years of age.
Tradition has it that Serena remarried a man named Lane
who was not kind to his stepchildren.
Two things to mention that are my opinions; 1) because
James was a Sexton of the Middle Church in
Fredericksville Parish, I believe he and family were
religious members of the Church of Ireland. Being from
Dublin I think he and parents likely prayed at Christ
Church which is not Catholic, but Anglican. 2) because
of his land grant from King George II that he (through
father Ambrose?) had some connection back to England
for influence.
In 1782 Serena Whittall Flanagan died at the home of
her son James (2nd).
Whittle Flanagan, second child and son of James
Winwright Flanagan (the Elder) and Serena Whittall
Flanagan, born November 18, 1749, was just over 2 1/2
years old when his father died. Whittle, as all his
siblings, was born in Louisa County, Virginia most
likely at Red Hill.
Records show that Whittle and his two brothers all had
early interests in Albemarle County. The first account
of Whittle being in Albemarle is the purchase of the
dower interest of Sarah Whittall, his grandmother,
consisting of 112 acres of land in Louisa County on
Hudson's Creek for 100 pounds of current money and the
deed of conveyance stated that Sarah and Whittle were
of Albemarle County. Whittle's name does not appear on
the land books of Albemarle County until 1810. The
first land book of Louisa County, 1782, records 60
acres of land in the name of Whittle Flanagan but
doesn't indicate how he obtained it.
On April 12, 1773 Whittle Flanagan married Judith
Ferguson probably in Louisa County, VA. Their children
are as follows:
James Wainrite born 1774
Mary born 1775
Stephen Ferguson born 1777
Charles W. born January 1,1779
Ambrose born 1780
Ruben born 1782
Susannah born 1783
Daniel born 1784
Francis Whittle born 1789
John born 1791
Elizabeth born 1794
All children were born in Louisa County, Virginia.
There are several entries in Deed Books (land dealings)
and Order Books (legal cases) of Louisa and Albemarle
Counties that show Whittle and Judith were active in
buying and selling land, and in some cases legal
judgments were made against him in which monetary
settlements were directed by the court.
On March 14, 1791, Whittle was appointed Surveyor of
the road from the river to the county line. He also
served on the grand jury beginning May 3, 1800.
No record has been found that Whittle or his two
brothers were in the Revolutionary War. Whittle was 27
years old when the war started. The Gilmer Papers,
1672-1865, Virginia Hist. Soc. Library, records that
Whittle took the Oath of Allegiance to the Commonwealth
of Virginia in 1776. The Oath was subscribed to by 217
persons including Thomas Jefferson.
Whittle and his family lived at Red Hill, and there is
some conjecture that it was Whittle who built the house
not his father. Red Hill was passed down to Whittle's
daughter Elizabeth, and in 1873 to her daughter Julia.
Julia deeded it to her daughter Ida in 1911, and in
1964 Ida deeded it to her children Ruby and Graham. In
1986, Ruby and her niece Sarah Amick and her husband
J.R. Amick were living at Red Hill.
The last legal record I show for Whittle and his wife
Judith is a deed of trust dated October 18, 1825. Most
family-tree records I have show Whittle died in 1830. I
only know that Judith died after 1825.
Because the next in my line is Charles W. Flanagan, 4th
born child, I thought I would leave this section with
the following:
'It appears from the record that Charles Flanagan,
son of Whittle, got into some trouble and was brought
into court and Ewel Boulware went his bale and
Whittle Flanagan gave a deed of trust, 13 of June
1823, to John D. Fielding, Trustee, on 100 acres of
land and certain personal property to guarantee
security to Ewel Boulware'.
The lives of my line gets VERY interesting during the
1800's. Soon I want to 'lay down' what I have for those
adventures, first 1800 to 1850.
I don't claim that everything above is 100% accurate. I
believe from what I have read that most is true. I'm
putting this down so that anyone who has infrmation to
correct or add to this writing will please substantiate
more.
I hope this helps some of our Clan to find and search
for more of our heritage.
