Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Who's Who in Jefferson County, 1931 Edward G. Fligg

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Friday, July 3, 1931
Front Page

Who's Who In Jefferson County
By Herbert F. McDougal

EDWARD G. FLIGG

Because Edward G. Fligg when he was a boy was the "live" sort that any school teacher watched out of the corner of her eye all the time, he got his first c hance (sic) in business. It was back when the late Miss Nellie Jordan was the No. 9 Prepatory to H. S. teacher in the Franklin school that Mrs. C. A. Herring substituted for her one week. It didn't take Mrs. Herring's practiced eye very long to discover that the Fligg boy was one of the "key" men of the mischief contingent, and she knew just how to handle the situation. She took him into her confidence and asked his assistance. Then, because she had made an investment of interest in him, she picked him out as a candidate for a job in the Herring grocery store. He met the requirements, and soon was a grocer in the making.

That was back in 1899 when he was fifteen years old. In five years he had a working interest in the store and by 1909 owned a third. But behind that was the fact that he was ambitious and taking a long view forward and was willing to take a chance. By the time he had $1,000 saved up, he became restless and wanted to know the feel of being an owner. He even considered quitting and taking a flier in business for himself. But Mr. Herring opened the way to a partnership then and he became an owner without leaving the Herring business.

But long before that, when he was not quite nineteen, he ventured into matrimony on a salary of $25 a month. It was a successful venture in every way. It was on November 27, 1901 that he married Miss Madge Murdock and established a home of his own.

He kept making progress in business, anxious to get ahead, investigating opportunities, keeping his eye out for advancement until finally, in 1923, he bought Mr. Herrings' interest and changed the name of the business to "Edward G. Fligg, Quality and Service". In the eight years that followed, he has kept going forwar (sic), entrenching himself in the business life of the community. He has carried on the traditions of the store in regard to quality, believing that there was a demand in Fairfield for a store that held to high standards of merchandise.

Last August he moved to his present location, 104 West Burlington, having bought that building, which includes the room next to the west, and remodeled it to suit his needs. He has adopted the newest methods of merchandising and store arrangement and keeps fully abreast of the times.

Mr. Fligg is a Methodist, having joined that church when he was fifteen years old. He has long been in official positions in the denomination and is one of the pillars of the Fairfield church. He is a Rotarian, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, active in the Retail Merchants association.

The Fliggs have four children--Harold, who recently has joined the Kroger Grocery Company organization, in its Cincinnati headquarters; Keith, with General Foods at Galesburg, Ill.; Lois, a student in Parsons college; and Robert, just entering high school.