Dennis Thomas Flynn
Encyclopedia
Dennis Thomas Flynn was a Delegate
from Oklahoma Territory
to the United States House of Representatives
.
Flynn was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
on February 13, 1861. He moved with his mother to Buffalo, New York
, in 1863. There, he became an orphan
at the age of three when his mother died. Flynn was raised in a Catholic
orphanage where he remained until 1880. He attended common school
and then Canisius College
in Buffalo.
After college, Flynn moved to Riverside, Iowa
, where he established and edited the Riverside Leader and studied law. He was admitted to the Iowa bar association
in 1882 and commenced practice
in Kiowa, Kansas
. There, he was the publisher of the Kiowa Herald and served as first postmaster
of Kiowa from December 5, 1884, to July 17, 1885. He would then serve as the Kiowa city attorney
from 1886 to 1889.
Flynn then moved to Oklahoma Territory
where he served as the postmaster of Guthrie, Oklahoma
from April 4, 1889, to December 20, 1892. A Republican
, Flynn was an unsuccessful candidate for election as the Territorial Delegate to the United States House of Representatives in 1890. Flynn ran again and was elected as the Territorial Delegate to the Fifty-third Congress
and began his term on March 4, 1893 and was reelected in 1894. Flynn was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1896.
Flynn would seek office again in 1898 and would be elected to the Fifty-sixth Congress
. His term began on March 4, 1899 and would be reelected on 1900. Flynn was nominated but declined to be a candidate for reelection in 1902. He term ended on March 4, 1903. He resumed the private practice in Oklahoma City
in 1904. He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for election to the United States Senate
in 1908. Later, he would serve as a delegate to the Republican National Convention
in 1912. Flynn died in Oklahoma City on June 19, 1939 and interment was in Fairlawn Cemetery.
Delegate (United States Congress)
A delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a U.S. territory and from Washington, D.C. to a two-year term. While unable to vote in the full House, a non-voting delegate may vote in a House committee of which the delegate is a member...
from Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Flynn was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of French Creek with the Schuylkill River. The population is 16,440 as of the 2010 Census.- History :...
on February 13, 1861. He moved with his mother to Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, in 1863. There, he became an orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
at the age of three when his mother died. Flynn was raised in a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
orphanage where he remained until 1880. He attended common school
Common school
A common school was a public school in the United States or Canada in the nineteenth century. The term 'common school' was coined by Horace Mann, and refers to the fact that they were meant to serve individuals of all social classes and religions....
and then Canisius College
Canisius College
Canisius College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York, United States. The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and...
in Buffalo.
After college, Flynn moved to Riverside, Iowa
Riverside, Iowa
Riverside is a city in rural Washington County, Iowa, United States, along the English River on Iowa Highway 22. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 928 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Highland Community School District.Riverside proclaimed...
, where he established and edited the Riverside Leader and studied law. He was admitted to the Iowa bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1882 and commenced practice
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
in Kiowa, Kansas
Kiowa, Kansas
Kiowa is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,026.-19th century:Kiowas was the city where anti-saloon advocate Carrie Nation vandalized her first saloon.-Geography:...
. There, he was the publisher of the Kiowa Herald and served as first postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Kiowa from December 5, 1884, to July 17, 1885. He would then serve as the Kiowa city attorney
City attorney
A city attorney can be an elected or appointed position in city and municipal government in the United States. The city attorney is the attorney representing the city or municipality....
from 1886 to 1889.
Flynn then moved to Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
where he served as the postmaster of Guthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 9,925 at the 2000 census.Guthrie was the territorial and later the first state capital for Oklahoma...
from April 4, 1889, to December 20, 1892. A Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Flynn was an unsuccessful candidate for election as the Territorial Delegate to the United States House of Representatives in 1890. Flynn ran again and was elected as the Territorial Delegate to the Fifty-third Congress
53rd United States Congress
The Fifty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1893 to March 4, 1895, during the fifth and sixth...
and began his term on March 4, 1893 and was reelected in 1894. Flynn was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1896.
Flynn would seek office again in 1898 and would be elected to the Fifty-sixth Congress
56th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Garret Hobart , until November 21, 1899 , vacant thereafter.* President pro tempore: William P. Frye * Democratic Caucus Chairman: James K. Jones...
. His term began on March 4, 1899 and would be reelected on 1900. Flynn was nominated but declined to be a candidate for reelection in 1902. He term ended on March 4, 1903. He resumed the private practice in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
in 1904. He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for election to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1908. Later, he would serve as a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in 1912. Flynn died in Oklahoma City on June 19, 1939 and interment was in Fairlawn Cemetery.