Jim Flack

The spelling of the name Flack, Fleck, Flak, or Flecke; Ship master’s did not have documents for registration of names, therefore they used phonetic spelling. The name Flack and Flak are identical with the name Fleck.

We do not know where the Flack’s emigrated from, but we have strong evidence that they came from Speyer, Germany. We believe Lucas’s father arrived in North America, before 1750. This Lucas had a land patent for forty acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1749. He did not exercise his option, so that was blind alley. Our Lucas would have been too young for that patent. We believe Lucas was born approximately 1743.

Lucas Flack, our progenitor, first resided in the town of Frederick, where he married, Barbara Duffer. Their first born a girl was named Catherine. Catherine was baptized in the year of 1763. Census records show there were three girls and four boys born to Lucas and Barbara. There might have been more children born in this family, however, we do not have any record about them. Their children names were as follows; Catherine, born 1763, Margaret, born 1767, Frederick, born 1773, Mary, born 1774, John Lucas, born 1778, Adam, born 1780 and George, born1784. All were born in Frederick County, Maryland.

In 1775, on April the 19th, Lucas received a tract of land called "Long Field" containing 269 acres.

[For those not 100% familiar with the Stony Branch - Emmitsburg Area - The road cutting across the southern tip of Long Field is called Four Points Road.  At the 'Y', Four Points turns to the north and running thru what once was Digg's Lot, continues 1/2 mile to Tom's Creek Bridge.  The right hand fork of the 'Y' is Sixes Bridge road, which led to the Sixes Bridge over the Monocacy. The North West most tip of Long Field touches what is Now Old Frederick Road, 2 1/4 mile South of that roads intersection with Rt. 15, just south of Emmitsburg.  The road at the South East tip of Long Field is Bollinger Road. The Blue line in the map is Stony Branch Creek, which empties into the Monocacy 1 mile below this map.]

Long Field was assembled out of two tracts of land, "Long Swamp" totaling 100 acres and "Wooten’s Discovery" totaling 122 acres. There were two surveys previous to the granting of the patent in 1775. One survey made in 1773 and one in 1774. The vacancies were added making a total of 271 acres. Here Lucas and Barbara made their home and reared their family.

The Flack’s were involved in farming and in the milling business, an operation of some size, as it required, besides the family, the use of three slaves in 1790. Lucas’s holdings included mountain. This might have been a summer retreat as the Catoctin Mountains are just to the west. He was a Democrat Republican in the 1796, as he voted for Thomas Jefferson. He was quite successful in his operation and had acquired considerable estate, both real and personal, by the time he passed away in 1807. His passing was quite sudden as he did not leave a will. He was survived by his wife, four son and two daughters. A settlement of his estate took place in 1807.

Catherine married Casper Hennings, November 2, 1784. Margaret Flack and John Ellenberger were witnesses. Mary married Isaac Thomas, prior to 1790. Both families were on the 1790 census as head of families for Frederick County, Maryland. Catharine remained in Frederick County, however, Mary and her husband moved to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Margaret, most likely, married John Ellenberger, but passed away by the time of the settlement in 1807.

Frederick was born 1773, Frederick County, Maryland. He was married the first time by the time he was twenty years old. There is no information on this marriage, other then the 1800 census of Cumberland County, Tyrone Township, and Pennsylvania, which showed that he had three children, two boys and a girl. This wife must have passed away as all the children were born before 1790. There is a time lag between these children of the later marriage approximately ten years. His second wife’s given name was Christina. They were living in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania at the time of the settlement in 1807. The 1810 census showed Frederick living in Donegal Township. His family consisted of four boys and two girls. Frederick moved to Salt Lick Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania by 1820. His family had increased by two girls and he had lost two sons. 1830 was the last time Frederick appeared on the census. At that time three boys and two girls were living at home. His youngest son was between five and ten years old.

Frederick was a farmer in Westmoreland County, however in1823 he purchased grist, saw and oil mill in Salt Lick Township, Fayette County. Here he stayed until his death in approximately 1833. Fayette County census for Salt Lick Township in 1830 showed Christina as head of family, one male and one female at home.

Excerpt from The History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, edited by Franklin Ellis.

Volume 11

Probably the first mill on the waters of Indian Creek, near the north line of the township, was built by Christian Perky. It was put in operation some time about 1780, and was first a very small affair. Later a better mill was built of logs on a good foundation which allowed remaining when James Muir took down the old and built in its place a one story frame mill, with improved gearing and a pair of French burrs in place of ordinary mountain stones which previously did service. That mill in turn gave place to the present structure, which was erected in 1778 by William Newill, under the direction of James Leeper as millwright. The property has had many owners, passing from Christian Perky to his son Daniel; thence to Frederick Fleck, who had the grist - saw and an oil mill in operation in 1823, the latter being continued about ten years.

John Lucas was born in 1778, Frederick County, Maryland. He married Barbara Snyder, February 8, 1800. He moved to Bull Skin Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania and was living there at the time of the settlement in 1807. John L. was a farmer. He owned land in the southern part of the township which was taken into Connellsville Township, when it was erected in 1822. All of his children were born in Bull Skin Township.

Adam and George remained at home in Frederick County, Maryland. They first appeared as heads of families on the 1819 census. This was after the passing of their father in 1807. Adam and George made the settlement with the other members of the family. This settlement provided for one third of the estate to, Barabara, Lucas’s widow, and the balance to be divided equally between seven heirs. They were Catherine, Frederick, Mary, the Ellenberbergers, John Lucas, Adam and George. Ellenberger share must have been Margaret’s. There was no explanation in regards to that share. In 1808 Adam and George purchased Frederick’s, John Lucas’s and Mary share of the home place. Catherine or the Ellenbergers were not mentioned in this transaction. Adam and George divided the farm equally between them. They remained there until they moved to Ohio. This move took six weeks by horses and wagon.

Col. Henry Colgate Brish was the Indian agent at Fort Ball, Ohio. He also was from Frederick County, Maryland. He was a well thought of friend of the Flack family. He most likely was instrumental in getting the Flacks to come to Seneca County, Ohio. In 1830 he moved the Seneca Indians from Ohio to the Neoshsa River in Kansas Territory. Mrs. Henry Brish brought a piano and floor covering, when she moved to Ohio. This made the rugged life more livable. She had a party for the Marylander people at her house in Fort Ball; The Sandusky River was at flood stage at the time. That made crossing the river very difficult so it took awhile for all the people to arrive, however the party lasted three nights and two days. I am sure the Flacks were there.

Arriving in Seneca County, Ohio John Lucas and Adam located in Fort Seneca Township, John Lucas near the town of Bascom and Adam nears the town of Kansas. George located in Clinton Township, approximately six miles to the south of Tiffin. The country west north of Tiffin was heavily timbered and swampy. It was very remote and a long ways from other heavily populated places. This is John L. and Adam erected their log houses and reclaimed their farms. George had extensive farm holdings where he located to the south.

All three of the Flacks were good politicians in their own way. Adam was Justice of the peace in his district. John a good politician in the back ground was instrumental in erecting and separating Liberty Township from Fort Seneca Township. George was a more active politician. He ran for coroner in 1832 and was defeated; however he was elected in 1834. At one political meeting things were pretty dull and not much to talk about. George suggested that they should drink a toast to each of the original Colonies, which they did and things picked up. George was on the county school board. He and William Gault were instrumental in getting a parcel of land donated for a school house from John L. … This was at the northeast corner of section 31, Liberty Township. There is a boarded up brick building standing there today. All three were of Democratic persuasion in politics.

The first real tragedy, to strike the Flack family in Ohio, was the untimely passing of George. He died in 1834. There was a cholera epidemic a long the Sandusky River and this probable was the cause of his death. His wife, Mary, passed away a short time later. Henry Kuhn was guardian for three minor children.

The next to die was John L. in 1839. He was 65 years old. By the time of his passing he had assembled a large estate, 535 acres; this he divided among his children the bulk going to Louis S. and Jacob.

Adam lived fifteen years longer then John L. . . He passed away in 1854, at the age of 70 years. He was a good farmer and successful in his operation. There is a Veteran marker on his grave. He must have seen service in the war of 1812 as he would have been too young for the Revolutionary War.

John L. Jr. oldest son John L. stayed in Pennsylvania. He lived to be over 80 years old. In his later years he resided with his youngest daughter, Elenorah, and her husband, John K. Myers. They lived on a farm in Donegal Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. After a thorough search of the census records, it was determined; John L. Jr. was the son of John Lucas not Frederick’s.

George, John L.’ son, left home at an early date and was gone for seven years, he worked on the Ohio and Erie Canal. In 1830 he purchased 96 acres from Samuel Rinebolt. This tract of land was just to the south of his father’s farm. Here he and Dorothea reared their family and remained until they passed away George in 1877 and Dorothea in 1878.

Jacob married Elizabeth Jane Bachtell. They built their cabin north and east of

The Old Home Place they raised their family there. Jacob died May 4, 1867. Elizabeth survived until 1899.

Lewis S.; the youngest son of John L. and Barbara, remained at home. He married Margaret Ann Null. They reared their family on the "Old Home Place ". Lewis S. Passed away in 1866, leaving Margaret to raise the family and handle the farm operations making decisions, which she proved to, be capable. One incident was involving a boar belonging to her neighbors, the Bricker’s. Margaret had sows and had warned the Brickers several times about keeping their boar at home. The boar untimely visits were creating havoc in her furrowing schedule. So with losing patience, she advised them if they didn’t keep the boar at home she would do something about it.

The next tripe the boar made was his undoing. Margaret and her sons caught the boar and sent him home gelded. Needless to say this put a strain on relations between the neighbors.

Lydia, John oldest daughter, married William Gault in Pennsylvania. The Gaults shared in John Lucas’s willed and received forty acres of land. They left Seneca County in 1849, and moved to Nobles County, Indiana. Barabara, John Lucas’s widow lived with them. She was on the census of Indiana, Nobles County, and Wayne Township in 1860. She was living with her grandson, George and his wife Mary Jane Gault. The Gaults move to Atwood, Harrison Township, and Kosciusko County, Indiana after the 1860 census. Barabara died 7 April 1865, she is buried in the Wooden Cemetery. Barabara head stone reads "Barabara wife of John Fleck". William, also, is buried there. William died before Lydia; there is a marker for William, but not for Lydia. George and Mary Jane are buried in the same cemetery.

Barabara Jane, John Lucas’s youngest daughter, married John G. Turner in Pennsylvania. John Turner was missing from 1830 census for Seneca County, Ohio.

Barabara Jane was shown as head of the family. John Turner was with Henry C. Brish at the time of the relocation Indians from the Seneca’s reservation in Ohio to the Neosho River in Kansas Territory. Barbara Jane did not know whether he would get back or not, however, he was back by the time of the 1840 census, as head of family. The family story has it that he wore his pant legs off to the knees walking from St. Louis to Tiffin, Ohio. The turners received 40 acres of land from the will of John Lucas. They left Seneca Country and moved west, where we have not been able to determine.

Adam and Mary E. reared their family near the town of Kansas, Ohio. Adam’s oldest son, John Lucas, was married twice. He lived in Jackson Township, after the death of his first wife, he remarried and move to Huntington County, Indiana. There he raised his family and stayed. On the 1850 census t here was a Henry Flack and his wife Susan. They had two children, a boy name Adam and girl named Susan. Both Henry and his wife were born in Maryland; however we have been unable to identify them and have lost track of them. We thought they were Adam’s children. This proved to be erroneous. Nimrod Bright married two of Adam’s daughters. Nimrod Bright was a well to do farmer and stock dealer. He, also, was a Lay Preacher and Deacon in the United Brethren Church. He officiated at Adam’s funeral. He was well thought of by the Flack family. William named one of his sons after him. William’s family stayed in Liberty Township. His descendents are still in that locality. Barabara married George Ash, however she passed away early, leaving no heirs. They were married in the United Brethren Church. Sophia and Mary Elizabeth never married. They lived their entire life in Liberty Township. Mary Elizabeth raised William B. Flack. She lived to be over 86 years old.

George’s family; lived in the southern part of Seneca County. Henry Jeremiah was County recorder for Wyandotte County, Ohio in 1860. One of Henry’s sons, Cyrus, was a wagon maker. Hiram was a story keeper in Sycamore, Ohio later he moves to Upper Sandusky where he ran a livery. Josiah resides in Adrain, Ohio. Not any information on Josiah, however he raised a remarkable family. Albert L. the oldest, was a school teacher, merchant and cigar manufacturer in in that order and was very successful. Kinney became a preacher and resided some where in Iowa. Lewis W. resided in Hancock County, Findlay Township. Lewis’s family consisted of three boys and three girls. He was in the Insurance business.

This completes the first generation of the Fleck family born in Maryland at the time of the American Revolutionary War.

We feel we are fortunate indeed to be able to trace our family from the time they first came to this country u p to the present through land records, census records and legal documents, but we are especially indebted to the Moravian Records of North Carolina, not only for a record of our ancestors but for an excellent short history of the Moravian Church which enlightened us as to why our ancestors left Germany in the 1750s to emigrate to this country. The reason, of course, as with many of the early settler’s o f this country, was religious persecution. We are also indebted to Lester H. Binnie for an article concerning of the Church of the Brethren from which we quote:

"As was true with other separatist groups, they were severely persecuted by other religious groups; first by the Lutherans, from which much of the early Brethren was derived, secondly by the Roman Catholics. Because of the persecution on one hand and the promise of religious liberty on the other, the group immigrated to America leaving practically none of the members in Europe."

In time past the Brethren were commonly referred to as Dunkards. These denominations are sometimes confused with the United Brethren Church, a denomination formed in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with Lutheran and Moravian influence, now mostly consolidated with the United Methodist Church. The first settlement of the German Baptists was in southeast Pennsylvania and by 1760 there was a settlement at Middleton Valley, Frederick County, Maryland, near where our family settled.