Flynn (Bugs Scuffle)

Leon County, TX

Status: Located

Year Established: 1906

Council of Governments: BVCOG

Public History: Flynn is on Farm roads 977 and 39, twelve miles southwest of Centerville in Leon County. When the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway arrived in the area around 1906, Flynn developed by the line. In 1907 the Houston and Texas Central Railway built track into the town. A post office was established in 1909. The community was first known as Conner but was renamed Flynn, after railroad official Edward J. Flynn. The town’s unofficial name was “Bugs Scuffle” after a tavern there. Until 1910, when a two-story school was built, classes were held in the local Baptist church. By 1920 Flynn had two churches and a high school, as well as a cotton gin and gristmill, a two-story hotel, a leather shop, a lumberyard, a chair factory, a phone office, a café, and an icehouse. In 1930 a new school was built, with seven classrooms, a gymnasium, an auditorium, and an agriculture and homemaking building. By 1948 Flynn had a population of 150. In 1972 the community had a population of eighty-one and at least three businesses. A 1989 map indicates three churches and one business at the site. In 2000 Flynn’s population was still reported as eighty-one, with eight businesses.

Community History: ” In the early 1900’s, when the railroad came through Leon County, there was a community at the present site of Flynn. It had been known by several names, including Jewett, Connor and some say in the early 1900’s it was known as Leon. But there was a rather rowdy saloon there by the name of “Big’s Schuffle.” So most gentlemen referred to the community as Bug’s Scuffle, because they came there to drink and otherwise cavort. Some say that later, the irate wives of the community finally set fire to “Bug’s Scuffle” one night, and Flynn as been “dry” ever since, unofficially. At any rate, when the railroads came through Bug’s Scuffle, the Boggy residents decided to move their business establishments near the railroad, so they moved to Bug’s Scuffle, and John Durst officially name it Flynn, which has been the name of the town ever since. Flynn became a booming little town in the early 1900’s. George Cozart, and his brother, T. A. Cozart, built a new store in Flynn, and moved their counters and furniture in to it. The building also housed the post office for awhile and was run by the Cozart Brothers, until a post office building was erected and Cora (Mrs. Delton) Douthitt was made postmistress. Later Virgil Reed served as postmaster until his death in 1962, and then his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Audee Parker Reed took the office, and still holds that position. Dobbs Smith was the mail carrier both to Boggy and Flynn.” https://genealogytrails.com/tex//pineywoods/leon/his_flynn.html

Cemetery: Flynn