Fort Dodge Messenger
Fort Dodge, IA
Thursday, July 25, 1907
Page 3

The last sad rites over the body of the late Robert Flattery whose death occurred Monday morning after an extended illness, were performed this morning at 10:00 o’clock from the Sacred Heart church. Interment followed afterward in Corpus Christi cemetery.

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Fort Dodge Messenger
Fort Dodge, IA
Monday, July 22, 1907
Page 1

ROBERT FLATTERY, PIONEER; DEAD
OLD RESIDENT OF WEBSTER COUNTY DIES AT AGE OF NINETY-ONE YEARS.
SETTLED IN COUNTY IN 1873

His Life Was Rich in Experiences—Went Through Cholera Days in Pittsburg—Saw Indian Warfare While Railroad Contractor in West

Robert Flattery, for thirty-four years a resident of Webster County, died early during the forenoon today at his home in Colfax township four miles from Fort Dodge at the age of ninety-one years. Death was due to old age. He had long been in feeble health.

Mr. Flattery came to Webster county at the early date of 1873 and has since resided within its bounds. The farm on which he then located is the one of which he was owner at the time of his death. It was then the wildest prairie and his nearest neighbor was more than a mile distant. The farm at present consists of more than a half section of the finest land that can be found in Iowa.

The deceased was born in Kings County Ireland in 1816. During the days of his youth his time was spent on the little parental farm in Ireland. As a man of twenty years he was made a member of the police force in County Kilkenny and this position he held for ten years, finally resigning to come to the United States.

He was accompanied to this country by his mother, whose death occurred soon after their arrival, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Flattery first found employment in the warehouses and mills in Johnstown. Later he became a conductor on a freight train running between Johnstown and Pittsburg. In the latter city he went thru the devastating cholera plague that swept the city during 1854 and 1855. At its close he came to Iowa and continued in the railroad business as contractor. In this he was very successful. The last contracting work that he was engaged in was on the Northern Pacific Railroad between the Cheyenne and Lem rivers. At that time the Indians were a source of much trouble and many exciting stories of the experiences of himself and his men were told by the deceased.

At the close of his contracting work Mr. Flattery purchased the farm on which his death occurred. He was married in 1861 to Julia Flannery. Thirteen children were born to them. Of these two are deceased . The others are as follows: Mrs. D. Strain of Coalville, Mrs. William Yuelly (sic) of Colfax township. Mrs. Edward MacLean of Red Lodge, Mont., Will, Mike, Philip, Hugh, Julia, Josephine, John and Edward.

Mr. Flattery was a member of the Catholic church. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Transcribed by Leta Koll