John William Flannagan Jr. (February 20, 1885 – April 27, 1955) was an American

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

of the Democratic Party. He represented

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from 1931 - 1949. The John W Flannagan Dam is named after him.

Early life and career

Flannagan born on a farm near Trevilians, in

Louisa County, Virginia Louisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,596. The county seat is Louisa. History Prior to colonial settlement, the area comprising Louisa County was occupied by sever ...

. He earned a law degree from

Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University (Washington and Lee or W&L) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States. Established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, it is among ...

in 1907 and was admitted to the

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the same year. He practiced law for several years, before becoming the

Commonwealth's attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

for

Buchanan County, Virginia Buchanan County () is a United States county in far western Virginia, the only county in the state to border both West Virginia and Kentucky. The county is part of the Southwest Virginia region and lies in the rugged Appalachian Plateau por ...

in 1916 and 1917. After that, Flannagan continued the practice of law, but also engaged in banking from 1917 to 1930.

Politics and later life

Flannagan was subsequently elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the

72nd Congress The 72nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1931 ...

and to the eight succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1949). He was the chairman of Committee on Agriculture (Seventy-eighth and Seventy-ninth Congresses), and the congressional adviser to the first session of the

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, , translates t ...

at Quebec in 1945. Flannagan was not a candidate for renomination in 1948, and he resumed the practice of law in

Bristol, Virginia Bristol is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the Twin cities (geographical proxi ...

until his death there April 27, 1955. He is interred in Mountain View Cemetery.

References

1885 births 1955 deaths Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia People from Louisa County, Virginia People from Buchanan County, Virginia People from Bristol, Virginia Washington and Lee University alumni County and city commonwealth's attorneys in Virginia 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives {{Virginia-Representative-stub