St. James United Church Cemetery Stone #5 Patrick Flinn Dimensions: 45.5”x20.5”x2”, pointed arch with half-circle bumps on each slope Orientation: East Carver: Not identified Inscription: A memorial of/ Patrick Flinn/ DIED/ Sept. 27, 1875/ Aged 75 years/ ---------/ --------/ Variety of fonts and text sizes. Name arranged in a semi-circle, the 3^rd line in majuscule block letters. Material: Grey sandstone Condition: The condition of the stone is quite poor: it is chipped, cracked, partially covered with lichen and moss, and significantly eroded, which make the stone quite difficult to read. Even the carving at the top of the stone – an open bible – is weathered to the point where most details other than the general shape are no longer visible. Patrick Flinn was born in Ireland in 1800 and died in Antigonish 75 years later on Old Glen Road, according to his death record. Flinn married Mary Ella Bradshaw, and they had a number of children. The 1838 census indicates that there were three males in his household under 6 years old, and one female aged 14 and up, in addition to himself and his wife, for a total of six people. A later census documents other (adult) children living in the home. There are also additional parish baptism records. These children, who do not show up in later census returns, could have died in infancy/childhood. Flinn’s property was documented in the 1871 Canadian census and indicates the family’s economic status shortly before his death. He owned 125 acres of land, 2 barns/stables, 2 carriages/sleighs, and 2 cars/wagons/sleds. One could draw the conclusion that the Flinn household worked and farmed for subsistence rather than at a surplus, like some of the more wealthy farmers and members of the church, like Reverend Trotter. However, both Flinn and his wife were buried with fairly substantial gravestones, which would indicate some amount of wealth. Janley Grant (edited by Christopher Greencorn) [ Back ]