Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 515 - 516 

ANDREW FLAGG, proprietor of the Globe Iron Works, Wichita, manufacturers of mining machinery, house fronts, steam engines, boilers, horse-powers, mill gearings, shaftings, etc.; all kinds of repairing promptly done; dealers in steam pipes, brass goods, iron roofing, hay and platform scales, and supplies to order. Mr. F., the founder of this important industry, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and was brought to America when only fifteen months old, so that he has been a resident of this country nearly the whole of his life. His parents were Germans. The father's name was John F., and the mother's was Mary. The latter has been dead over twenty-five years; the father was living when last heard of.

            Our subject passed his early life in the city of Buffalo, N. Y., and received an excellent education in the public schools. In 1858 he went to Auburn, N. Y., to learn the trade of iron founder, and remained there until 1873. During that time he married Miss Mary O'Brien, of that city. Their union has been blessed by the birth of three children—Julia, Eliza and Andrew D. In 1873 our subject thought that in a young and growing State, among the enterprising and energetic men of the rapidly growing West, he could more readily make his way to a fortune than in the staid, long settled, and prosperous cities of the East. Accordingly he came with his family to Wichita, which he sagaciously foresaw was one day to be an important metropolis. It was then a small town of 500 inhabitants, and the buildings in which the people lived and in which they conducted their business were principally a rude collection of shanties; Indians were still in the country. Mr. Flagg thus became an early settler of this city, and established the first grocery store in Wichita, continuing in that business until 1883. In that year he entered upon his present enterprise in the iron business on East Douglas avenue, corner of Washington avenue. In 1887 his business had so increased that he built the building he now occupies; it is a large structure, but his business is still growing, and already demands more room, and he will enlarge his factory in the spring. He has about $60,000 invested in this plant, and his machinery is worth at least $6,000, and the works are equipped with first-class tools.

            Mr. Flagg possesses remarkable mechanical skill, which is backed by energetic, persistent will-power, and in business ability he ranks among the foremost men of this community, by whom he is highly respected for his honesty and uprightness. In religion he is a Catholic; in politics he is rather conservative, usually voting, however, with the Republicans.

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