Colonial New Jersey 

 

* Much of David's early life has yet to be uncovered, we are still Happy Hunting for information.

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Between 1757 and 1761 - David Flinn marries Rhoda Stone, presumably after the death of her first husband Joshua Stone. Rhoda and Joshua Stone have a child named Jeremiah.

 

May 12, 1769 - David Flinn petitioned for and was granted guardianship of Jeremiah Stone as well as control of the estate left to Jeremiah after his father's death.  Within this petition the phrase “since the Letters of Guardianship, your Petitioner’s Mother hath Deceased”, inferring that Rhoda perhaps passed before the petition was penned.

- In this document it is also noted that David Flinn's occupation is a 'Cooper' (A Cooper's work includes but is not limited to casks, barrels, buckets, tubs, butter churns, ect).

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May 14, 1769 - David Flinn marries Lydia (nee Littell) Prior in the Presbyterian Church of New Providence, New Jersey.   (This is her second marriage, previously married to Andrew Prior with which they had Andrew Jr, Mary "Polly" and Moses.)

- It should be noted that 2 days prior to David and Lydia's marriage he adopted Jeremiah Stone.

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July 11, 1772 - Jeremiah Stone petitions the courts to have David Flinn’s guardianship revoked. Stone and his maternal grandfather, Benjamin Tharp/Thorp, file concurrent petitions to have Benjamin Tharp/Thorp become his guardian.

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August 7, 1772 - The petition was granted for removal of David Flinn as Jeremiah Stone's guardian.

 

 

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American Revolutionary War  |  1775 - 1783        

 

January 19, 1763 - Joseph Shotwell and John Moore v. David Flinn, Trespass Case in Perth Amboy; Middlesex County; New Jersey

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February 1779 - Revolutionary Census of New Jersey Ratables 1788-1780 David Flin, Essex County, Elizabeth Township, Springfeild Ward: 2 horses, 2 horned cows, 3 hogs, and cleared 100 acres of land.  Exempt.  

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January 1, 1780 - David Flinn Tax Records Interest paid, New Jersey Adjutant General's Office.

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February 1780 - Revolutionary Cencsus of New Jersey Ratables 1788-1780 David Flin, Essex County, Elizabeth Township, Springfeild Ward: 5 horned cows, 0 hogs. Exempt.  

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April 21,1780 - David Flinn Tax Records, Paid for 2 days of Carting

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January 29, 1781 - David Flinn paid for Carting New Jersey Dept of Treasury, Elizabeth Township; Essex County.

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July 23, 1786 - Baptism record  for Lydia and Susannah Flinn "on their mother's account, the wife of David Flinn"  Recorded in the Presbyterian Church at New Providence, New Jersey, kept by Reverend Johnathan Elmer (1763-1793).

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September 1, 1789 - David Flinn, Taxes Paid - New Jersey Tax Lists 1772-1822

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OH! IO!  |  1790

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John Cleves Symmes, another New Jersey man, infamously began selling plots of land along the Ohio River Valley.  Symmes may or may not have had the right to sell land, but sell land he did. One of numerous New Jersey families to move - was the Flinn family.  Settling near what is now Cincinnati, know then as Losantiville.  We were true pioneers!  Moving into a wilderness rife with attacks by local native tribes who's land we stole.  We were subject to abductions, burned alive at the stake, and killed before Ohio was even a state.  Struggling to scratch out a living, surviving, and thriving, on a strong foundation of celtic roots.  It is amazing we are here to read this today!

- Moses Prior, son of Lydia Littell Prior Flinn, listed as "went to Ohio and was killed by Indians" in the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the Passaic Valley New Jersey.  

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1808 - Tax List David Flinn Hamilton County, Ohio

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1815 - David Flinn dies.  His Last Will and Testament made in Hamilton County, Ohio.  As is the case with most last will and testaments - a list of all his worldy possessions were doled out to each member of his family.  Some a little more than other - I'd bet there is a story there.  But it's worth making note that he also requested that monies be set aside to educate his granddaughters.  At a time when a girls education consisted on learning to read but not write (so that she may only mark her mark with an 'X'), THIS was a quite a statement to his character.

It should also be noted that his will lists 3 daughters for whom we have no information.  The first name is indiscernible and at best guess is Miyah, followed by 2 other daughters names Elizabeth and Martha Joshanna.