Maria Wiegner and Edmund Flinn [154-5]

[154-5] MARIA WIEGNER, b Dec. 29, 1746; d Jan. 18, 1832; dau Christopher and Anna (Schultz) Wiegner [154-1]; m Oct. 7, 1790, by Rev. Christopher Hoffman, at the house of William Dennis,to EDMUND FLINN, b 1755; d Dec. 24, 1836. Mr. Flinn was a native of Ireland. No issue.

Edmund Flinn was born in Ireland in 1755. When he came to Pa. is not known, but he was in Franconia before he came to Salford in 1790. He was known amongst his neighbors as ‘‘Teddy Flinn.” That he was an ingenious man is evidenced by the fact that he is sometimes called a shoemaker, at other times a stone cutter, as wellasafarmer. He is said to have chiseled many tombstones stil] standing in the cemeteries in Salford Twp. It is said that an error made by him in spelling, while chiseling a tombstone, changed the name of ‘“‘Hechler’’ to ‘“‘Hecéler.”’

On Oct. 7, 1790, he married Maria Wiegner, daughter of Christopher Wiegner, and it is said that he was the only Irishman who ever married a Schwenkfelder and joined the denomination.

In 1792 he bought a home and 13 acres of land in Salford for 104 pounds. Having prospered, in 1798 he bought 25 acres adjoining the first tract for 225 pounds, and also acquired other land, all of which he bequeathed to his wife together with all personal property, which at her death was to go to the Schwenkfelder Society in repayment for the gratitude he felt towards the Schwenkfelders who had befriended him when he first made their acquaintance. [Edward Matthews.] THe EpmMuNp FLINN BEQUEST AND THE CHARITY FUND

Those familiar with the history of the incorporation of the Charity and Literary Fund of the Schwenkfelder Church in 1842, know that the bequest of Edmund Flinn to the “‘Sechwenkfelder Society Poor officers’ had a great deal to do with it. We are told that Flinn was an Irish-American Schwenkfelder, generally known as ‘“‘Neddy Flinn.’’ We do not know when he appeared in the Schwenkfelder community, but on October 7, 1790, he married Maria Wiegner, a daughter of Christoph Wiegner. On the 24th of Sept., 1798, he purchased a tract of land in Lower Salford Twp., Montg. Co., Pa., from Godshalk Godshalks; it is described as bordering on properties of Barny Freyer, Andrew Ziegler, Sr., Andrew Ziegler, Jr., and Jacob Reiff, containing about twenty-five acres ofland. The buildings consisted of an old one-story loghouse containing two rooms; to this was annexed one room built of stone; there were also a log-barn and an old fashioned well-sweep on the place. Here for nearly forty years lived Edmund Flinn, stone-cutter and small farmer. Many of the tombstones in the neighboring churchyards are of his carving. The late James Y. Heckler tells us that the modern way of writing Heckler is to be charged to the fact that Flinn changed the h to & on the headstone of the ancestor of the Heckler family.

In a copy of the ‘Journal von den Jahrlichen Einnahmen u. Ausgaben des Wohlthatigen Funds oder der Armen Casze Im Mittlern District 1790-1890,”’ we find that Edmund Flinn received 3 Pounds and 15 Shillings from this fund in 1797 to pay rent for Rosina Wiegner; although her name continues on the record until 1834, Flinn’s name does not appear in connection with hers after 1801. The fact that his wife’s sister for so many years had the benefit of this fund may have been one motive that led him to remember it in his will, signed in the presence of Samuel Kriebel and Israel Schultz, May 20, 1831, and registered in Will Book 7, p 527, at Norristown, Pa. Benjamin Anders is named as executor. In it he bequeaths to his wife Maria his personal estate and “lot of land whereon I now dwell,” consisting of fourteen acres of land; ‘‘and after her decease and just debts and funeral expenses are paid of it, it is my will what is left whatever real estate or personal or money is to go to the Schwenkfelder Society Poor Officer’s hands to be for the poor of the society.”

On the 18th of Jan., 1832, his wife died and he on Dec. 24th, 1836, at the age of 81 years. His will was probated and an inventory was filed four days after his death, Dec. 28, 1836, and the account, Jan. 29, 1839. His personal property inventoried $126.42, while the account shows $126, 5414. The sumof all amounts paid, “‘including $250.00 paid. Benjamin Anders for waiting and attending to the business of said testator for seven years during his life,”” was $461.65. In pursuance of an objection filed by one N.B. Brown, a relative of Edmund Flinn’s, a law-suit resulted. It was argued that the Schwenkfelders had no legal standing and so could not receive the balance of the estate. After a long struggle the Supreme Court handed down a decision in favor of the Schwenkfelder Society.

According to a deed of sale under date of August 3, 1844, Caspar Schultz and George Anders, Jr., Poor Officers of the Schwenkfelder Society, seld eighteen acres and twelve perches of land of the Flinn estate to David Zimmerman for $675.00. In the Journal of the Charity Fund above cited, the officers charged themselves with $50.00 interest money and $59.00 on account of principal received from David Zimmerman in 1844; on May 1, they charge themselves with $23.25 interest money received from David Zimmerman, and also with a bond of $629.00 against the same, payable as the bequest made by

Edmund Flinn. In 1846 they received from David Zimmerman, interest $40.00. Thereafter no specification is made. However, the total amount received up to and including 1846, as here indicated, would be $801.65. The Journal further shows the following items of expense: 1843, April 18, Paid witnesses in the case of N. B. Brown vs. Flinn’s Estate..................002 00 cue $ 92.17 1844, May 17, Paid attorney’s fee in the case of Brown vs. Executors of Flinn’s Estate.................- 50.00

Paid board for witnesses to said case... 2.0... ee ent nen ee ee eens 5.40 1845, May 1, Paid costs of writing and recording mortgage for David Zimmerman...............-.-..-- 3.41 1849, April 10, Paid a debt for E. Flinn’s Estate on demand of N. B. Brown................2-..---0005 99.49 This makes the total amount expended... 1.0.0.0... ee ee eee ete $250.47

According to these figures, and including the interest on the principal for the time between 1846 and 1849, the Charity Fund had a net benefit of at least $660.00 from the Flinn Estate. [Schwenkfeldian, Vol. 7, pp 29, 80.}