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Subject: The Fenians and John O' Flanagan(John Stanhope)
Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 18:16:39 EDT

I am searching for any material or source for the Fenian Broterhood and John
O' Flanagan(aka John Stanhope).

My Great GrandFather, John O' Flanagan, served with the Fenians at Fort Erie
and Limestone River, June, 1866. He was 2nd Lieutenant of Company A, 7th
Regiment, IRA.

In May, 1870 he served at Trout River as Captain, Company C, &th Regiment,
IRA.

John O' Flanagan served as a Private in the 164 N. Y. Infantry, Cochran' s
Brigade during the Civil War. He was wounded at Spottsylvania and was
transferred to the 57th Company, 2nd Battallion, Veteran's Reserve Corps.
Interestingly, and verified, he served under the pseudonym John Stanhope.
Why? We are not sure. Family tradition says that he was on the run for
political activity in Ireland prior to his emmigration. Thus, he used an
assumed name.

In 1870 he was settled in Rome, New York and worked as a painter.. He was
using the name Frederick Flanagan(verified) and a had child (Fergus Flanagan)
by Ellen Connor, a domestic, who died in childbirth.

Soon after he was married to Honora Curtin by whom he had three more
sons(John, Joseph, and Gerald). Present at the wedding was General John O'
Neill of the IRA. The family moved to Albany, New York in 1876 where he again
worked as a painter and decorator. He worked on the decoration on the
Bishop's residence. He, from the written reports we have, was a social
acquaintance of the Bishop. While in Albany he continued his work with The
Movement and was visited by John O' Neill. Among his documents is portrait of
General John O' Neill signed, "Very Truly Yours".

John O' Flanagan died of typhoid pneumonia in March, 1879. and was buried in
Rome, New York. His widow Honor Curtin O" Flanagan, in 1915, applied for a
Civil War pension.

John O' Flanagan' s family came from Fermanagh. He was born in Manchester,
England. The family tradition is that his Father and Mother were involved in
the Irish Revolutionary Movement and were in transition from France to
Ireland.

This may be too much information, but perhaps any bit may lead to something
more.

Thank you for any assistance increasing our knowledge of the Fenian Movement
in the United States and the life and work of John O' Flanagan(aka John
Stanhope) in particular.

Bob

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