My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE FLEHARTY was born in Grant county, Wis., August 27, 1837, and is a son of William and Martha (Toogood) Fleharty. His father was born in Maryland in 1802, and emigrated to Ohio when a boy, where he remained for a few years, after which he moved to Springfield, Ill., and subsequently located at Galena. He taught his first term of school near Springfield, where he also studied law. He was a man of marked ability. He served through the Black Hawk war, and entered the ministry of the Methodist church in 1835. His efforts in the ministry were attended with marked success, but he was compelled to retire after ten years’ service on account of failing health. He was a member of what was then known as the Rock River conference. He died on his farm near Apple River, Ill., in 1873.

Two hundred years ago a person standing on the wharf at Baltimore, Md., might have seen two persons swimming towards shore in advance of a ship; one of these was no other than William Fleharty, the founder of the Fleharty family in America, he determined to reach America in advance of his comrades. He was a native of the north of Ireland. He became an extensive slave owner, but freed them all before his death.

George Fleharty’s mother was born in Troy, N. Y., in 1796. She resided after her marriage at Wilkesbarre, Pa; removed from there to St. Louis, Mo., where her husband died. She had a flat-boat constructed, and placing her few household utensils thereon, she and three little children, with the aid of a hired man, poled their little boat up the river to Galena, Ill. Here she met William Fleharty, to whom she was married in 1830. Four children were born of this union — Eveline M., William H., Margaret A. and George. Mrs. Fleharty died at the home of her daughter, Eveline, February, 1887. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

George Fleharty was married, December 25, 1860, to Annie Kelly, daughter of Richard and Katie Kelley, and born in Ireland in 1838. She emigrated to this country in 1845. Her father died in Warren, Ill., March 10, 1862; her mother resides in Chicago. Eleven children were born to them, seven of whom are still living, namely — Rosette, born November 11, 1863 (wife of William W. Pierce); George F., born July 27, 1868; Jennie, born August 15, 1870; Joseph H., born December 12, 1873; Nellie, born March 21, 1876; Charles F., born May 1, 1878; and Walter B., born December 28, 1881.

Mr. Fleharty came to Buffalo county, Nebr., November 13, 1871, and took a homestead in Center township, upon which he has resided continuously ever since. He made what improvements he could the first year, but the next winter his only team died, and for several years the grasshoppers swept away his crops, but he never became discouraged, like many others, and return to whence he came. The Indians were quite numerous, and were a source of constant annoyance to the settlers on account of their habit of begging and stealing. He was elected county surveyor in the fall of 1872, and served two years, and was elected county commissioner in the fall of 1873, and served a term of three years. The county jail, Platte river bridge, and other works of internal improvement were completed during his supervision. He was the first postmaster at Buda. He is an old soldier. Enlisting in a Wisconsin regiment, in 1862, he served his country faithfully during the war of the rebellion. He is an influential member of the republican party and a man of considerable learning.