Florence Sullivan
"Flurry" and Mary Margaret
Florence Sullivan was born in Ireland between 1820-1830. The masculine name Florence was quite common in Co. Cork and Kerry in the south of Ireland, especially in the Sullivan Sept. A local hero by the name was hanged for his defiance of English authorities. As a tribute to this brave man, many families named their sons Florence. The name is sometimes shortened to Flurry, and our ancestor is listed on the East Providence census of 1880 with this name. They lived in the Watchemoket section.
Florence was the son of Timothy and Julia Sullivan. He and his wife Mary Margaret, daughter of John and Catherine Sullivan, emigrated to Rhode Island in the year 1877. They came with their daughter Julia who was 17. Florence was 57 and Mary was 55. He worked as a laborer and Mary kept house.
The Sullivans were related to the Falvey family also emigrants from Ireland to East Providence. Florence had a brother, Timothy who settled in Providence, and Mary had two sisters, Joanna who married Jerimiah Falvey and Catherine who married Michael Falvey.
After the marriage of their daughter Julia to Arnold Cole, Mary and Flurry left East Providence and by 1886 they were living at 390 South Main Street in Providence. It appears they were living near other Sullivan relatives.
Florence worked as a laborer most of his life in this country. He died on July 6, 1890 at 392 South Main Street.
On December 11, 1897, Mary Margaret died at the home of her daughter, Julia Cole.
They are buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery on Douglas Ave. in Providence, RI.
There is a possiblility that my Sullivan Family came from this particular parish in Co Kerry. All the names found in the USA in Rhode Island in connection with my family are found on this census of Ireland in 1834.
Parish of Prior 1834 Census
This census was done by the Catholic Church.
All Sullivans were Roman Catholic.
There were 3385 persons, 3375 Catholic and 10 Protestants in the
Civil parish of which 592 (17.4%) were SULLIVANS.
The Protestants were attached to the Coast Guard Station.
TOWNLANDS NAME M F TOTAL
Ballinskelligs Daniel Sullivan 2 1 3
Ballinskelligs Daniel Sullivan 4 1 5
Ballinskelligs Denis Sullivan 1 2 3
Ballinskelligs Denis Sullivan 3 2 5
Ballinskelligs Ellen Sullivan 4 3 7
Ballinskelligs James Sullivan 2 4 6
Ballinskelligs James Sullivan 4 3 7
Ballinskelligs James Sullivan 5 3 8
Ballinskelligs John Sullivan 1 2 3
Ballinskelligs John Sullivan 6 3 9
Ballinskelligs Michael Sullivan 2 2 4
Ballinskelligs Michael Sullivan 2 2 4
Ballinskelligs Michael Sullivan 3 1 4
Ballinskelligs Patrick Sullevan 3 2 5
Ballinskelligs Patrick Sullivan 2 2 4
Ballinskelligs Patrick Sullivan 3 1 4
Ballinskelligs Roger Sullivan 4 2 6
Ballinskelligs Simon Sullivan 3 4 7
Ballinskelligs Timothy Sullivan 2 1 3
Ballinskelligs Timothy Sullivan 2 1 3
