Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
Early settler William Flynn buried a wooden keg filled with $115,000 in gold and silver coins somewhere on his farm property near Fayetteville. He had been to the California goldfields and brought back a fortune when he returned. His treasure has never been recovered.
The visiting priests celebrated Mass first in the log cabin on the Flynn property and later in the Flynn home until a frame church was built at the corner of Lafayette and Willow, on a plot of land purchased by Maurice Coffey for $100 and donated to the church. Bishop Edward Fitzgerald dedicated the church in June 1878.
On January 12, 1847, Father Corry deeded over the land to Bishop Byrne for the sum of $1.00. Settlement of the land by Irish families had begun in 1846 with the arrival of the William Flynn family. The bishop made additional land purchases in 1854 and 1856, making his total holdings 630 acres, all near what is now Mission Boulevard and Crossover Road.
The first Catholic cemetery in Fayetteville is a plot on the Flynn farm not far from the log house that served as a chapel. William Flynn and his wife and two Coffey children are buried here. Later Patrick Hennessey, one of the early settlers, donated land for the cemetery on Highway 45 which is still in use.
History of Benton County
The Catholics.–St. Joseph's Catholic Church, of Fayetteville, was first organized by Father Curry, of Little Rock, about forty years ago. This generous priest bought a section of land near the site of Fayetteville, and sold it at a merely nominal rate to a company of Rhode Island Catholics, among whom were William Flynn, Patrick Hennessy, Philip McCoy, Charles Healy, Albert Byrnes, Maurice Coffey and Peter Smith, the original members of the congregation.
Y. M. C. A.–The Fayetteville Young Men's Christian Association was organized March 22, 1887, through the exertions of Mr. Ellis Duncan and Mark Dean. The original members were S. W. Barnett, R. S. Curry, W. N. and A. W. Crozier, Mark Dean, Messrs. Ellis, N. L., Garnett, Robert W. and Thomas G. Duncan, W. M. Flynn
The visiting priests celebrated Mass first in the log cabin on the Flynn property and later in the Flynn home until a frame church was built at the corner of Lafayette and Willow, on a plot of land purchased by Maurice Coffey for $100 and donated to the church. Bishop Edward Fitzgerald dedicated the church in June 1878.
On January 12, 1847, Father Corry deeded over the land to Bishop Byrne for the sum of $1.00. Settlement of the land by Irish families had begun in 1846 with the arrival of the William Flynn family. The bishop made additional land purchases in 1854 and 1856, making his total holdings 630 acres, all near what is now Mission Boulevard and Crossover Road.
The first Catholic cemetery in Fayetteville is a plot on the Flynn farm not far from the log house that served as a chapel. William Flynn and his wife and two Coffey children are buried here. Later Patrick Hennessey, one of the early settlers, donated land for the cemetery on Highway 45 which is still in use.
History of Benton County
The Catholics.–St. Joseph's Catholic Church, of Fayetteville, was first organized by Father Curry, of Little Rock, about forty years ago. This generous priest bought a section of land near the site of Fayetteville, and sold it at a merely nominal rate to a company of Rhode Island Catholics, among whom were William Flynn, Patrick Hennessy, Philip McCoy, Charles Healy, Albert Byrnes, Maurice Coffey and Peter Smith, the original members of the congregation.
Y. M. C. A.–The Fayetteville Young Men's Christian Association was organized March 22, 1887, through the exertions of Mr. Ellis Duncan and Mark Dean. The original members were S. W. Barnett, R. S. Curry, W. N. and A. W. Crozier, Mark Dean, Messrs. Ellis, N. L., Garnett, Robert W. and Thomas G. Duncan, W. M. Flynn
