February 13th: Margaret Dolan Flesch

 

Margaret Ellen [Dolan] Flesch (1896-1990)

Margaret Dolan Flesch was born February 13, 1896.  She is my mother-in-law's paternal Grandmother.

Birth records have Margaret born in Clear Lake, Illinois, a small unincorporated area just northeast of Springfield, IL.  Subsequent census and city directory records list the house as a Bissell address.  When giving birth to her last of ten children, Maggie Dolan had been widowed for almost six months.  Michael Dolan had died the previous August.  Maggie Dolan, would at some point move into Springfield to a house at 444 W. Chenery, just south of downtown. 

It was here that Margaret would attend St. Agnes School, and graduate in one of its first classes.  She can be seen in the picture above just left of center in the back row (behind the nun's right shoulder), holding a small flag.  St. Agnes would play an important role in her life, and was the alma mater of her children, and number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and is currently attended by two of her great-great grandchildren.  Her grand-daughter Pam would make a career as a teacher there as well.

October 20, 1921, Margaret would marry Edward August Flesch, in a ceremony conducted by her older brother Fr. Patrick Dolan, Prefect of Discipline at Notre Dame.  While the marriage record lists only Sacred Heart church, family lore, and a small newspaper article recognizing their 25th anniversary, say the wedding took place at the Log Chapel on the Notre Dame campus.

Margaret and Edward would raise three children in the shadow of the Illinois State Capitol, on the 200 block of  West Jackson Street, in Springfield. The block has been paved over as part of a state capitol complex parking lot for close 50 years, as has St. Agnes church.  The photo below, taken in the back yard with their soon to be daughter-in-law Barb, shows just how close the house stood to the capital.

Margaret is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Springfield along with her husband. Find a Grave