90 Years Late

The Civil War soldier died on November 24, 1916, but his gravestone was set in place ninety years later, almost to the day. Lawrence Flynn was no longer forgotten. But why had his grave lain unmarked for so long? The simple answer was likely an absence of money, but I wanted to know why.

When Lawrence mustered out of the 1^st Michigan Engineers & Mechanics in September 1865, he was still a young man, having just turned twenty-one. Unfortunately, he suffered a spinal injury while in service that pushed his last lumbar vertebra forward so that it apparently impinged on his spinal nerve. This resulted, according to one doctor who examined him, in “extreme neuralgia pains in both legs on standing or walking.” [1] Lawrence, himself, stated he experienced pain except when lying prone. [2]

Despite his injury Lawrence pursued a career. Apparently wishing to be more than a farmer, like his father, Lawrence wasted no time after the war in learning a trade. He moved in with his brother Michael, a successful Three Rivers carriage maker and lived with him for at least a couple of years learning the carriage business, particularly wordworking. [2] According to the 1870 census Lawrence was employed in a carriage-making shop in Constantine. By 1877 he had moved to Kalamazoo to join the burgeoning carriage industry there.

For most of his working life, Lawrence worked as a carpenter in one of a number of carriage-making shops. He even opened his own shop (twice), with a friend and blacksmith, Frank Whaling. Their business failed the second time after he and his partner quarreled. The case went to court, but despite examining the microfilmed records I am still in ignorance of the result. The court papers end with the appointment of a receiver to examine the books. After his business failed Lawrence continued working as a carriage maker and by 1901 was an employee of the Michigan Buggy Company. He would have been put out of work for many months when the entire plant burned to the ground in 1902. [See before and after photos and read the story] After the company rebuilt, Lawrence again worked for Michigan Buggy (at least in 1903 and 1908), but whether there or elsewhere he continued to work as a carriage maker (according to Kalamazoo city directories) until after 1910 when age (he was then 66) and ill-health presumably forced him to quit.

Another stressor for Lawrence, as well as a drain on his finances, was a lawsuit over the ownership of his home. This suit dragged out for five years, eventually concluding in 1908 when Lawrence was forced to move. This case may have originated in a breach of contract lawsuit from 1893 (the same parties were in both cases). Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the court records for the 1893 case, though I've searched the Kalamazoo chancery index more than once. The only references I have came from notices in the Kalamazoo Telegraph.

By 1911, and again in 1912, Lawrence was listed as a laborer in the Kalamazoo city directory. The next published directory in 1915 lists no occupation for him at all. How much Lawrence was physically able to work during these years is questionable. Even in his 30s, 40s and early 50s Lawrence was sometimes laid up for weeks at a time as a result of pain from his back injury. [2,3,4] This also seems to have played a role in the demise of his business, according to statements made by his partner. Lawrence did receive a military pension of $24/month in the last years of his life, but in the absence of additional income it was probably difficult for Lawrence, his wife and daughter to make ends meet.

The salary brought home by Lawrence's schoolteacher daughter, Mabel, was likely important in supporting the family. Upon Lawrence's death at the age of seventy-two, Lawrence's family apparently could not even afford a grave stone. And so, his burial plot lay unmarked for nearly ninety years until I provided information to the Michigan Sons of Civil War Veterans who applied for a government marker. Now, whenever I'm home and pass by Riverside Cemetery (specifically where Gordon Pl. meets Riverview Dr.) I say hello to one of my soldiers.

1. Deposition of H.B. Osborn, M.D., Lawence H. Flynn, invalid pension application no. 279,062, certificate no. 382,696 (Cpl., Co M, 1^st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, Civil War); Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files, Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives Record Group 15; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
   
2. Deposition of Lawrence Flynn. Lawence H. Flynn, invalid pension application no. 279,062, certificate no. 382,696 (Cpl., Co M, 1^st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, Civil War); Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files, Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives Record Group 15; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
3. Deposition of Edward Flynn. Lawence H. Flynn, invalid pension application no. 279,062, certificate no. 382,696 (Cpl., Co M, 1^st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, Civil War); Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files, Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives Record Group 15; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
4. Deposition of Frank Whaling. Lawence H. Flynn, invalid pension application no. 279,062, certificate no. 382,696 (Cpl., Co M, 1^st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, Civil War); Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files, Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives Record Group 15; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.