|
|
Edward and Ellen’s son Christopher Michael Flynn was born January 03, 1903 in Knochbrach, Mallow, Cork, Ireland. He married Christena F. Nyhan November 11, 1934 in St.Pius Church, Bronx, NY, in a double wedding ceremony with Christena’s sister Mary & Joseph Maloney. Christena was the daughter of James Nyhan and Catherine Adams. She was born December 25, 1906 in Knuttery, County Cork, IR, and died March 07, 1987 in New York, NY.While in Ireland, Christopher stayed with an uncle named Bill(?) Lahay (Lehay) and was the manager or worked at Lane's farm in Ireland. His brother Danny bought the ticket to the US but was sick and afraid to go through Ellis Island (afraid he'd be sent back). But the ticket being bought, Christopher went instead. He came to this country and lived in the South Bronx, around Bruckner Blvd and E. 138th Street. He came to some cousin Hanna Mullane Buckley. He first got a job with the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (I.R.T) and later worked for St. Elizabeth's Hospital in the South Bronx. Eventually got a job with New York Telephone Company as a chauffeur. He was later promoted to Office Manager and worked at Columbus Circle. |
Christopher was from the "old school" and known for his strong work ethic as well as his promptness. While working as a chauffeur to the Vice President of New York Telephone, Christopher was told by his boss to pick him up at his house at 8 A.M. But Christy, being the person that he was, showed up at 6:00 A.M. and waited outside. When the boss finally came out, he told him not to come before 8 o’clock. So instead he would wait at six a.m. around the corner. His diligence must have paid off as he was later promoted to management. It was also said that he showed up so early at the office, he had his own key to the building’s front door!
Christopher and Christena lived in various places in the South Bronx and were even superintendents in at least one of the buildings. A super’s job was not an easy one in those days. Coal furnaces had to be maintained on top of the other duties of cleaning the halls, shining the brass and collecting and putting out the garbage, etc. In one building, the landlord was such a cheapskate that he made them pick the unburnt coal out of the ashes and reuse it!!!
Well, the day came when a change was needed, so in 1943, they moved out of the South Bronx to a new neighborhood called Stratton Park. It consisted of a mix of one family houses, apartment buildings and some nice stores. It was nearby the new housing development that was going up on the old Catholic Protectory grounds that would be called Parkchester. This new neighborhood also had one feature that would become very important to Christopher, St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.
He and his family attended St. Anthony’s and he became very involved there. His children and grandchildren attended the parish school. He joined the Holy Name Society as well as the Usher’s Society. He could always be found ushering at the 7,8 and 9 A.M. masses on Sunday. He was appointed Trustee of the church and held that position for at more than 25 years. He and some friends formed a committee that was to start a neighborhood tradition that lasted for nearly 50 years, the St. Anthony’s St. Patrick’s Day dance.
Chris Flynn & Mike Vicunti,
Trustees of St. Anthony's
He also became involved with the St. Vincent de Paul Society as well as the Stratton Park Social Club. He even worked part-time in the neighborhood, as a bartender in Carey’s Bar on Archer Street.
The family eventually moved to Long Island in 1977 and there he and Christena lived with two of his daughters and his six grandchildren. While he was happy to have his family around him, he always missed the old neighborhood. The pastor of the parish at the time of his departure, Msgr, Robert Ford, with whom he had become good friends with, paid him tribute at both mass and the parish bulletin.
Chris Flynn's HNS |
From the Church of Saint Anthony Bulletin, June 19, 1977:
|
Christopher died November 26, 1982 and was buried in the place he loved so much, the Bronx, not far from his beloved Stratton Park.
Chris Flynn at |
The Children of Christopher Flynn and Christena Nyhan are:
|
