Wyandotte County Biographies
"Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas--Historical and Biographical"
Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890
J. A. Fligor, carpenter, Edwardsville, Kas. With the rapid and
steady advance of Edwardsville, with the continual increase in her
building operations, the profession of an architect is one of primary
importance, and is one on which the first step of progress is dependent. Among those who are prominent in this calling is Mr. J. A. Fligor, who owes his nativity to Pennsylvania, his birth occurring on
September 26, 1829. He is a son of William and Sarah (Keslar) Fligor, and the grandson of John Fligor, who was born in Germany, and
who came to America when a boy. The latter' a wife, Elizabeth Fitzhugh, was born in London, England, and came to America in early-girlhood. They were married in Philadelphia, Penn. There, in Westmoreland County, of that State, the Fligor family lived, and there
their children were born and reared, inheriting a strong love for their
native soil. William and Sarah (Keslar) Fligor were both natives of
Westmoreland County, and were married there in 1822, he at the age
of twenty-two, and she when twenty years of age. Her parents were
reared in Philadelphia. Mr. and Mrs. Fligor became the parents of
ten children - six sons and four daughters - three sons and three daughters now living - the three daughters now living in Westmoreland
County, and are named as follows: Nancy, Esther and Sarah. Of the
sons, Peter is in the grocery business in Arkansas, and Isaiah is a
farmer in Ohio. The parents of these children are deceased, the
father dying in December, 1863, and the mother in March, 1888. J. A.
Fligor was reared on a farm, and left home equipped with a common-school education. He began working at the carpenter' s trade, fearless
of the future, confident in his own power to make his own way in life,
and drifted into the northern part of Ohio, or wherever his fancy led
him. He was in Cleveland, Sandusky, Springfield and many other
places, Fremont being the last place. In 1857, in company with Maj.
Downs and Canfield, he left Ohio for Wyandotte, Kas., and after
arriving here built one of the first store-houses in the city, just north
of what is now Dunning's Hall. He remained here until 1859, and
then went to Leavenworth, then down to Johnson County, but later settled
in Edwardsville, and is one of the oldest residents. His first advent
here was to run the post office, and since that time he has made his
headquarters at this place. He has worked at his trade all over the
adjoining country, and many evidences of his ability and skill may be
seen in every direction. He was married September 2, 1872, to Miss
M. E. Fray, who was born February 10, 1855, a daughter of Benjamin
and Eliza Fray. Mr. and Mrs. Fray, who were natives of Pennsylvania, removed to Doniphan County, Kas., in 1854, Benjamin Fray
dying in April, 1855. His wife, Eliza Fray, died in the spring of
1861. The union of Mr. Fligor and Miss Fray, resulted in the birth
of three children � two daughters and a son: Sarah E. (born March 22,
1873), Margaret E. (born March 29, 1876), and John F. (born April 18,
1890, and died July 31, 1890). Mr. Fligor is an Odd Fellow, being a
charter member of Lodge No. 3, the first organized in the county, and in
which lodge he was the first noble grand. He also helped organize the
state Lodge. He is a Republican in politics, being one of the old Free-soil men, and was here through the early trouble on the border. He
was a delegate to the convention that nominated S. C. Cobb for Congress. Mr. Fligor has accumulated a fair competency, and is pretty
well satisfied with the world as revealed in Kansas.
James E. Fisher one of the old settlers of Wyandotte County, a man
esteemed and respected for his many good qualities of mind and heart,
has been a resident of Rosedale since 1872. He was born in Geauga
County, Ohio, February 19, 1835. When only seven years of age, his
parents gave up farming, and moved to the thriving little manufacturing village of Chagrin Falls, Cuyahoga County, distant about sixteen
miles from Cleveland, Ohio, the county seat, where he entered into the
manufacturing of doors, sash and blinds, which gave J. E. ample opportunity to learn habits of industry, and the use of tools and machinery, which he has never had reason to regret. He attended the schools
of the village, and there grew to manhood. In 1856 he went to California via Nicaragua, and remained in that State nine years, engaged
in mining most of the time, but his trip was not a success financially,
and he then returned to Ohio. In 1865 he came to Kansas City, Mo.,
where he operated with his brother Abel, a saw-mill at the foot of
Fifth Street in the bottoms, where the Linseed Oil Works now stand.
They cut timber from the bottoms � mostly cottonwood and sycamore,
though the main dependence was to raft the logs from the Missouri
River lands, as far up as Leavenworth, and on the Platte River as far
up as Platte City (in Platte County, Mo.). Having sold his mill interests in 1872,
he bought fifty-four acres of land overlooking and
joining Rosedale, and turned his attention to fruit-growing. He improved by building and otherwise, until he had a fine property. This
he sold in 1886, and moved to Rosedale, where he has interests, and
has made it his home since. He, with others who were interested in
public schools, organized District No. 39, in 1873. He held the office
of director until he moved out of the district, with credit to himself
and satisfaction to the people of the district. On coming here he was
unanimously elected director of schools. He was elected a member of
the city council in April, 1890. Mr. Fisher is the son of Abel and
Ruth (Green) Fisher, his father a native of Massachusetts, and his
mother of New York State. They immigrated to the Connecticut
Western Reserve of Ohio in 1818. The father was a farmer by occupation, and also followed the carpenter and joiner's trade in his younger
years. His death occurred in Ohio, in October, 1869, at the age of sixty nine years. The mother still living, and makes her home with our subject, and although nearly eighty years of age, enjoys good health. Their
family consisted of seven children, and James E. was the third in order of birth. Abel, the eldest of the family, was an old settler of Kansas City, Mo., and Wyandotte County. He was a Union soldier, and
was captured, but only retained a short time. James E. was married
January 12, 1870, to Miss Annie Taylor, only daughter of John and
Sarah A. Taylor, old settlers of Kansas City, Mo., and natives of Eng-
land. To Mr. and Mrs. Fisher were born five children, all living:
Kate, Jessie, Allan, Charles and John. Mr. Fisher is a Republican in
his political views, but prefers for office an honest man, to a corrupt
scheming politician, of whatever party or profession.
Frank A. Forsberg. The popular grocery store belonging to this
gentleman was established in the month of April, 1884, and is one of
the many line houses of this city which appeals strongly to public favor. Mr. Forsberg was born in Nye Jonkoping Lan, Sweden, August
20, 1858, the name of his parents being Anders Johnson and Mary
Stina Johnson, their marriage taking place about 1840, which resulted
in time in the birth of seven children: Jonas August, Anders John,
Lena Christina, Mary Louisa, Peter Alfred, Frank Anderson and
Charles Edward. All the sons came to America and now reside in the
United States. Jonas August and Anders John crossed the ocean in
1869, and the former now resides in Scandia, Kas., and the latter in
Kansas City, Mo. Peter Alfred came to America in 1871, and also
resides in Scandia, Kas. The two youngest sons, Frank Anderson
and Charles Edward, came to America in May, 1880, and both now
reside in this city. The two daughters still reside in Sweden, the
parents both living there also. The father is a farmer by occupation,
and is considered one of the leading citizens in the community in
which he resides. The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood
in his native land and between the ages of eight and sixteen he attended school, obtaining a good practical education. In early life,
when not in school, he worked upon his father's farm, and at the age of
twenty- one years, he served one year in the Government military service. When he came to the United States, he lacked a few months of
being twenty -two years old. He and his brother Charles left Gothenburg on April 16, 1880, and sailed to Hull, England, thence by rail to
Liverpool, where, on April 21, they embarked on the steamer "Republic," which reached New York
on May 1. They came at once to Kansas City, Kas., which place they reached on May 8, and here have resided ever since. During the first three and a half years of his residence he was in the employ of the Armour Packing Company, and for
the five succeeding months he acted as bartender for his brother John.
Since the month of April, 1884, he has been in business for himself
and his grocery establishment was first located at No. 171 North James
Street. He has devoted his whole attention to his business since that
time, and now has one of the finest and most complete establishments of
the kind in the city. Since April 1, 1889, he has been established at
No. 66 North James Street. He has always been very courteous to his
customers, and as he has always been a gentleman of keen business ability, and keeping but the best of goods, his trade has rapidly increased.
His business for the year of 1889, amounted to over $19,000. In November, 1889, he purchased a grocery store at No. 429, Osage Avenue,
Armourdale, and has since conducted it also. He was married on August 16, 1886, to Miss Matilda Louisa Johnson, who was also born in
Sweden, on May 22, 1864. Her father's name was John Peterson,
and he with her mother, still resides in Sweden. She came to America in 1883, and has borne her husband one child, Matilda Christena,
born on November 15, 1888. Mr. Forsberg is a member of the Scandinavian Society, and in politics is a Republican. He is one of the
honorable business men of the city, and is in every respect worthy the
success he has attained.
James Fitzgerald is a well-known market-gardener of this county,
and makes a specialty of raising potatoes, from thirty to thirty-five acres
being annually devoted to this crop. He does general farming also,
and owns about forty acres of land, upon which are a good residence
and barn. He was born in the "Emerald Isle," in the month of
April, 1828, and, after remaining there until he attained to man's
estate, he determined to seek a home in the New World, and accordingly came to the United States, March 1, 1849, and spent two years
in the State of Massachusetts. He then removed to Illinois, where he
was engaged in farming, until 1859; then went to Kansas, where he
has been ever since. He has always been public spirited and enterprising, and has done his full share in the improvement of this section
of the country, and has always been ranked among its honest and
trustworthy citizens. The country was almost a wilderness when he
first came here, and the land on which the present town of Kansas
City is located belonged to an Indian. Mr. Fitzgerald lived in Kansas
City, Kas., for seven years, and in 1866 made the purchase of his
present property, it being then heavily covered with timber and with
no road leading to it. In 1867 Mr. Fitzgerald was married to Miss
Ellen O'Connell, of Ireland, their union taking place in Tazewell
County, Ill., and to them a family of ten children were born: Mary
(wife of John Gittons), Honora, Thomas, James, John, Patrick, Morris, Michael, Edward and Joseph. Mr. Fitzgerald is independent in
politics, and in local politics votes for the man irrespective of party.
He has been a member of the school board for seven years; has held
the office of supervisor, and he and his family are members of the
Roman Catholic Church.
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