So you made it to the Flatleys of Harrison Home Page. To clarify, we Flatleys are descendants of David and Anna Flatley (Popop and Nanna) of Harrison, New Jersey. I'm not sure where this web site will go or what it will do. It's inspiration is easy to describe. My Dad, Tom Flatley Sr. was one of fourteen children. David and Anna Flatley and with 2 sons, Uncle Mike and Uncle Dave, immigrated to the US in 1914 and settled in Forge Village, Massachusetts. Sometime later they moved to Harrison, New Jersey (I would like some of you to help fill in the details). Then the sons and daughters gave rise to a new generation. Soon, you could not walk a block in Harrison without crossing paths with one of us. The population of the Harrison Gardens nearly doubled every Sunday after church as we all squeezed into Nanna and Popop's small apartment. Keeping in touch was easy, almost required then. What a different world we have today. Minimum income required to raise fourteen kids today must be a million dollars or more. Anyway, hardly a year goes by that we don't attend a funeral for an uncle, an aunt or cousin. Each time we do, we go through a dance-like ritual of saying we'll get together, or call me, e-mail me. We write down scribbles and snippets of email addresses and such as that goes. But before you know it, we meet again at another funeral.
I talked to Daddy about doing a website to compile memories, trade contacts, pictures and other information. He liked the idea. Of course I never did it. Dad died in February. He'll not see this. So in his memory I present The Flatleys of Harrison.
As surely as the Flatleys had scattered in the Irish diaspora to the four winds, the Flatleys of Harrison have become separated and unconnected. Maybe we can close the distance somewhat. I've got some e-mail addresses (yes I kept some of those scribbles and snippets). From that we can establish a living Flatley E-Mail directory. If we do no more than that, it's a start. And if that is all we do, it's a good thing.
What I do need is feedback. Tell me what you think. Tell me what you want to see or read or hear. For instance, I've got some photos from the American Legion taken after Dad's funeral. It was the first time in a long time that all of my sister's and brothers were together. I'll share them here.
For a quick overview of the site click on the Webmaster button.
Please take a moment to sign the Flatleys of Harrison Guest Book. Let me know what you like or don't like. Let me know what else you would like to see here. Your comments won't be viewable until I read them to keep the site respectable.
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