James D. Flanigan

For many years Mr. Flanigan worked on railroad grade work, at various times being in charge of large gangs of men. He was a born linguist and could pick up a smattering of almost any language in a short time if with men who talked it. He can converse with Bohemians, Hungarians, Poles, Russians and common dutchmen; makes a pretty fair stagger at Swede and Scandinavian and talks very fair English but his strong hold is Irish which slips off his tongue as smooth as running water. Mr. Flanigan had made plenty of money but he was not frugal and had spent most of it before he landed in Decatur county; in fact, after he had filed on his homestead and timber claim he had but little money left, and at once began a struggle for existence that never let up entirely until he was elected sheriff of this county when he got himself in shape so he has lived very comfortably since. The four years as sheriff and another four years as representative makes him one of the men longest in office in this county. Mr. Flanigan has a very comfortable home in the city and at present is engaged in farming.

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