Individual Details

Royal Flynn has been "assigned" to Laughlin Flynn many places on the Internet. I can see why - he did live near Zadock W. Flynn in Morgan Co IL for many years. He was only a few years younger than Zadock. The censuses all state Royal was born in North Carolina. He may very well be part of the Flynn family but I suspect he is more likely a cousin to Zadock. There are some parts of Royal's history that just doesn't "fit" in the family of Laughlin Flynn & Elizabeth Wright.

The name appears most often in Morgan Co records as "Flinn" but since the name was "Flynn" in my line, I'll continue to use that spelling.

After many years of hunting for hints to the parentage of Royal, I discovered an estate file from Yadkin, NC, that had been digitized on FamilySearch.org. One of the heirs was "Rial" Flynn - I believe it to be this man. He is noted in 1855 as living "outside the limits of this state (Virgina)". If this is indeed the same person, his father was James Flynn (Flin); his mother Frances Martin; and they were married 15 Jan 1796 in Surry, NC. Exactly where James fits into the Flynn family is still unsolved. He seems a bit too young to have been a brother of Laughlin (1746-1824) yet too old to have been a son of most of Laughlin's brothers.

Royal is said to have first married Sally Creed but I do not know where - possibly they lived in Tennessee as both William and Daniel gave their birth place as Tennessee.

Royal fought in the Black Hawk War which took place in 1832; Zadock W., William & Royal Flynn are all shown as members of the Company of Allen F. Lindsey, most from Morgan Co, the Spy Battalion, 3rd Brigade, Illinois Mounted Volunteers, called into service 16 May 1832. Royal was a Corporal, the others Privates.
Note signed Alen F. Lindsey: This company organized 4th day of Jun 1832. Took up line of march for head Quarters 9th day June 1832 mustered into service 19th day of June 1832. Eight days Rations for Seventeen men have Been drawn for traveling purposes 16th Aug 1832.
The Black Hawk War 1831-1832, Vol I, Illinois Volunteers; compiled and edited by Ellen M. Whitney, Illinois State Historical Library, Vol. XXXV, Springfield, 1970.

Zadock Flinn also enlisted at Beardstown which is in Cass Co, in the Company of W. Smith, 3rd Regt, Whiteside's Brigade. Josiah Flinn enlisted at Edwardsville, which is Madison Co, in the Company of J. Banrsback, 1st Regt., Whiteside's Brigade.

He married 2nd to Levicey Hall - in Pike Co, MO which is basically across the Mississippi River from Pike Co IL and not so far from Morgan Co. It is not known why he was there. According to Levicey's obituary they married 6 Feb 1837. By 1840 the were in Morgan Co, and were enumerated next to an Equillar Hall whose land shows him to have been a next-door neighbor - perhaps he is a relative of Levicey.

Some of the reasons Royal Flynn doesn't seem to fit in the family of Laughlin Flynn:
He does not seem to appear in the household of Laughlin Flynn in 1810 or 1820.
He doesn't appear anywhere in 1830, certainly not in areas where the other Flynns were living.
Here are the census records:

1810 - Surry Co NC. According to the records, Royal should have been under ten years old in 1810. Laughlin Flynn [listed as "Leonard" Flynn - he often went by "Lin"] had the following household: 2 males 10-16 [thought to be Josiah & Zadoc based on ages shown later], 3 males 16-26 [one of these was Laughlin Jr; the others not positively known], 1m over 45 [Laughlin], one female 16-26, on female over 45 [Elizabeth]
There is no child in the household of Royal's supposed age, if he was not born until 1801, and Josiah and Zadock were neither married and their ages match the 10-16 category. Frances "Franky" Flynn had two sons that age in 1810.

I did not find Royal in 1820, but he was probably at home with his parents since he would have been about 18 or 19. Laughlin Flynn was in Cumberland Co KY: 1m age 16-26, 1m over 45, 1f over 45. Zadock did not marry until 1821 and is not counted anywhere by himself so the younger male is most likely Zadock.
Laughlin Jr. was counted in Monroe Co which had recently been formed from Cumberland. He had 1 male under 10 and himself, age 26-45, 3 girls under 10 and 1 lady age 26-45.

By 1830, the following Flynns and their families were already living in Morgan Co and counted there: Zadock, age 30-40, Josiah, age 30-40, William, age 30-40, and John age 20-30. A number of other families that had lived near them in Cumberland/Monroe Co, KY are also found living in Morgan Co. Obviously a group moving together Royal Flynn is not found in the 1830 census - none of the others have an extra adult male in their household. The births of some of his older sons would suggest Royal was in Tennessee in 1830, but he doesn't show up in a census.

1840 Census. Only Flinn found in Morgan Co [which seems really strange - I believe the others were there - the handwriting is awful]
Royal Flyn: 2m under 5, 2m 5-10, 1m 10-15, 1m 30-40. 1f 20-30

1850 Census. Morgan Co IL, Hh 767
Royal Flynn, age 46, farmer, b. NC. Vice, age 28, b. KY
William, age 22, b. TN. Daniel, age 20, b. TN
Born in IL: Colby 16, Francis 12, John 10, Patterson 9, James 6, Amanda 5, George 4, Ellen 3, and Royal age 4 months [he must have been Royal Thomas as he's subsequently called Thomas]
it seems that William and Daniel were counted twice:
Hh 785
William Flynn, age 24, b. TN. Diana, age 20, b. IL, Henry age 6 months, b. IL
Daniel, age 21, b. IL

1855 Illinois State Cenesus. Morgan Co.
Royal Flinn, 2m under 10, 4m 10-20, 1m 50-60. 3f under 10, 1f 30-40. 11 in the household, 1 in the militia
Value of his livestock was $700

1860 Census. Allen Co, Kansas, Hh 34
Royal Flinn, age 60, b. NC. Lavisa , age 43, b. KY
Francis M., age 23, farmer, b. Missouri
Children born in Illinois: James 16, Amanda 14, George 12, Sarah E. 11, Thomas 9, Mary A. 5.
Ruben A., age 3, b. Missouri
Nancy J. age 8 months, born Kansas
Hh 35
John Flinn, age 21, farmer, b. IL. Hanah, age 23, b. KY.
OpheliaR., age 4 months, b. Kansas
back in Morgan Co IL, P.O. Orleans, Hh 842
Colby Flinn, age 29, farmer, b. IL. Jane, age 33.
Wm. age 3
Wm. Slater, age 14, b. Prussia.
Wm Hall, age 30, b. IL Nancy Hall, age 28.
Thomas Hall 9, Rebecca, age 2.

1870 Census. Princeton P.O., Princeton Precinct, Cass Co, IL, p.421, Hh 2
Royal Flyn, age 70, farm, b. N. Carolina. Vica, age 50, b. KY
Children all born in Illinois: Ellen 21, Thomas 19, Harry A. 17, Reubin 12, Nancy 10.

1880 Census. Prentice Town, Morgan Co IL, ED 160, Hh12
Royal Flinn, age 70, b. NC, father b. VA, mother b. NC [birth profile could fit Laughlin & Elizabeth, but probably could also fit most of Laughlin's brothers since they had moved to NC before they married]
Lavitha, wife, age 60, b. KY, father b. NC, mother b. KY

1900 Census. Morgan Co IL.
Levicey Flinn was found living with her daughter Nancy and her husband John McDaniel. She stated she was born Dec 1820 [which agrees with both her grave marker and her obituary] in Kentucky. Her father was born NC; her mother KY. She was widowed. She stated she had had 14 children, 7 of whom were presently living.


Royal Flinn held the following land grant. Morgan Co. 40 acres, the NW corner of the NE corner of Section 23, Township 16N, Range 9W, 9 Dec 1851. There is no price listed and it does say "Warrant" rather than cash sale - it's possible he received this land for his service in the Black Hawk War as other parts of this Section are held by those whose military rank is given. The Township is one where both Zadock and his brother Josiah also owned land. Royal's 40 acres does not show up online at the GLO, Zadock and Josiah had bought their lands many years previously and they are in the GLO database.
[Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database; online at the Illinois Archives]

He must have sold the above because he can be found living in Kansas in 1860 and then in Cass Co, IL in 1870. None of these residences were mentioned in the obits of Royal or Livicey - nor is there any explanation for their marriage in Missouri.

Yatesville Cemetery, Section 12, Twp 16N, Range 9W, Morgan Co, IL
Flinn, Royal, b. 2 Jul 1802, d. 27 Jan 1892, Corporal, Illinois Volunteers, Black Hawk War
Flinn, Levicy H., b. 21 Dec 1820, d. 25 Sep 1903 "His Wife"
Flinn, James, d. 22 May 1870, 25y [son of Royal]
Flinn, Moses C., b. 1862 d. 1936 [son of Daniel; gson of Royal]
McDaniel, Nancy, b. 1858, d. 1910, Wife of John McDaniel [dau of Royal]
McDaniel, John W., b. 1854, d. 1938

Obit from Jacksonville, Morgan Co newspaper and placed online:
Died, at Prentice, Jan 27th, 1892, Royal Flinn, at the age of 90 years. Royal was born in North Carolina, July 20th, 1801, and emigrated to Illinois in 1830. He served in the Black Hawk was under Capt. Lindsay. He was the father of sixteen children, of whom seven preceded him to the grave. He is survived by his wife and nine children. Mr. Flinn had been enjoying good health considering his extreme old age until a week before his death, when he was stricken down with lagrippe. He was prostrated the first day he was taken ill and the best medical aid failed to rally him. His wife was just recovering from a similar attack. Mr. Flinn was a member of the Primitive Baptist church and was an earnest and faithful Christian. Elder I.N. VanMeter paid a beautiful tribute to his life and character at his late residence in the presence of a large number of friends. The remains were laid to rest in the cemetery near Prentice.

Levicey's obit was also in the Jacksonville newspaper, 28 Sep 1903
Yatesville:
Levicey Hall Flinn was born in the state of Kentucky Dec. 21, 1820 and came to Yatesville precincet when a child and has lived here all her life except a short time in Kansas. [there is no mention of the marriage in Pike Co, MO - did they perhaps elope?] She united in Marriage to Royal Flinn Feb. 6th 1837. ...family of 13 children, six sons and fours daughters of their union and three stepsons. Three sons preceded them to a better land. Her husband departed this life some years ago. ...departed this life Friday, Sept 25th, at the home of her son Thomas Flinn, at Waverly, IL. She been afflicted for almost 40 years with rheumatism and had not walked a step for about 20 years. ...Funeral services were conducted at the church [Regular Baptists] Sunday at 2 p.m. by Elder John L. Scott .... [buried] beside her husband in Yatesville cemetery. Six grandsons acted as pall bearers.

Obituary of Nancy Flynn McDaniel:
Jacksonville Daily Journal; Sunday 13 Feb 1910, p.6
Mrs. Nancy I. McDaniels, wife of John W. McDaniels died at 2:30 Friday afternoon at the family residence four miles south of Ashland. Mrs. McDaniels was a daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Royal Flynn and was born Dec 21, 1858. She is survived by her husband and her sons, Oliver of Ashland and Sylvia [Sylvanus] of Springfield; also by the following brothers and sisters. Daniel Flynn of Prentice. C. [Colby] Flynn of Springfield. Thomas Flynn of Waverly. John Flynn of Ashland. Mrs. Amanda Baldwin of Berlin. And another sister residing at Roodhouse. Interment in the Yatesville Cemetery.

John McDaniel's obit, 5 Feb 1938. He was the son of Sylvanus & Elizabeth McDaniel; born in Morgan Co, IL, April 24, 1854. Died at Schmidt Memorial Hospital in Beardstown, Wed morning at 10:05, 2 Feb 1938. We find that Nancy and John were married Jan. 8, 1878 and had three sons, Oliver N. McDaniel of Ashland, Sylvanus R. McDaniel of Springfield who had died 9 Nov 1937, and a son who died in infancy. He had outlived nancy by 28 years. One sister Miss Frances S. McDaniel of Ashland. A sister and brother preceded him in death. He had four grandchildren, Mrs. Olive Howland of New York City, Mrs. Lorene Ode of Macomb, IL, Harvey and Eugene McDaniel. One great grandchild, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Leo F. Ode.

Birth	2 Jul 1802	North Carolina
Marriage	Ca 1825	Sally Creed
Marriage	6 Feb 1837	Pike County, Missouri - Lavicey Hall
Death	27 Jan 1892	Morgan County, Illinois

Spouse	Sally Creed ( - 1837)
Child	William Flynn (1827 - )
Child	Daniel Flynn (1829 - )
Child	Colby C. Flynn (1834 - )

Spouse	Lavicey Hall (1820 - 1903)
Child	Francis Marion Flynn (1838 - 1901)
Child	John Flynn (1840 - )
Child	Patterson Flynn (1841 - )
Child	James Flynn (1844 - 1870)
Child	Amanda Flynn (1845 - )
Child	George Flynn (1846 - )
Child	Sarah Ellen Flynn (1847 - )
Child	Royal Flynn (1850 - )
Child	Thomas Flynn (1851 - )
Child	Mary Ann Flynn (1855 - )
Child	Reuben A. Flynn (1857 - )
Child	Nancy Isabelle Flynn (1859 - )

Father	James Flynn (1770 - )
Mother	Frances "Frankey" Martin ( - 1853)
Sibling	Mary "Polly" Flynn (1796 - )
Sibling	Sarah Flynn ( - 1850)
Sibling	Susanna Flynn (1801 - )
Sibling	Elizabeth Flynn (1803 - 1856)
Sibling	Priscilla Flynn ( - 1844)
Sibling	James Flynn (1813 - 1880)
Sibling	William Clinton Flynn (1814 - )