Biographical note

Scope and contents

Box 1 Correspondence, A -- C

Box 2 Correspondence, D -- H (1985)

Box 3 Correspondence, H (1986 -- 1995) -- L (1987)

Box 4 Correspondence, L (1988 -- 1995) -- O

Box 5 Correspondence, P --S

Box 6 Correspondence, T -- Appointment books

Box 7 Appointment books -- Editorials written by Flansburg, 1981 -- 1987

Box 8 Editorials written by Flansburg, 1988 -- Subject files, C

Box 9 Subject files, C -- S

Box 10 Biographical material -- Clippings

Box 11 Clippings

Boxes 12 and 13 Columns

Oversized Material Newsprint pads of clippings

James Sherman Flansburg was born in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, on January 21, 1932, but grew up in Tiffin, the son of A.C. and Esther Flansburg. After two years at the University of Iowa, he joined the U.S. Army, and served in Korea. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University in 1957. While a student, he was City Editor of The Daily Iowan and in 1956 he married Carol Ann McCauley and they had four children.

 After graduation, he went to work as a reporter for The Des Moines Tribune, an afternoon newspaper, where he worked until 1965. In 1965, Flansburg became a reporter for The Des Moines Register and in 1966 wrote a famous series of articles on Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa. Then, in 1971, he moved into the position of Chief political writer and columnist for the Register. As a political reporter for Iowa’s largest newspaper, Flansburg gained prominence during the Iowa caucuses held in presidential election years. This was particularly true in 1976. From 1983 to 1989 he was editor of the editorial pages. In this position, he sought out new talent to write for the opinion page, including Robert Waller. In 1989, Flansburg returned to writing his “Old Reporter” column which he continued until he retired on January 21, 1997.

 The James S. Flansburg Papers, fourteen linear feet, span the years from 1962 to 1998 and cover almost his entire career at The Des Moines Register, except for his early years in the late 1950s. The papers include mostly correspondence, but also appointment books, subject files, and unsigned editorials written while editor of the editorial pages, and clippings. The correspondence consists almost entirely of letters to Flansburg or to the Register, but there are sometimes carbon copies of outgoing letters. The papers reflect Flansburg’s professional career as a reporter, editor, and columnist for the Register. Among the correspondents are many political figures and writers including Gerald Bogan, Willard L. Boyd, David W. Belin, Randall H. Balmer, Dan Bied, Gladys Black, Robert Buckmaster, John C. Culver, Lucas J. DeKoster, Jeannette H. Eyerly, David M. Elderkin, Paul Engle, Michael G. Gartner, David R. Gergen, Carl Hamilton, John M. Henry, Tom Harkin, Robert S. Jaggard, Gary H. Koerselman, Hanford MacNider, Betty McCollister, Donald E. Mitchell, Arthur Neu, Frank Nye, Herb Plambeck, Robert D. Ray, David Riesman, Robert S. Rigler, David Schoenbaum, and Robert Waller.

Correspondence, A -- C: Includes letters from Gerald Bogan, Willard L. Boyd, David W. Belin, Randall H. Balmer, Dan Bied, Gladys Black, Robert Buckmaster, and John C. Culver.

Correspondence, D -- H (1985). Includes letters from Lucas J. DeKoster, Jeannette H. Eyerly, David M. Elderkin, Paul Engle, Michael G. Gartner, David R. Gergen, Carl Hamilton, and John M. Henry.

Correspondence, H (1986 -- 1995) -- L (1987). Includes letters from Tom Harkin, Robert S. Jaggard, and Gary H. Koerselman.

Correspondence, L (1988 -- 1995) -- O. Includes letters from Hanford MacNider, Betty McCollister, Donald E. Mitchell, Art Neu, and Frank Nye.

Correspondence, P -- S. Includes letters from Herb Plambeck, Robert D. Ray, Robert S. Rigler, and David Schoenbaum.

Correspondence, T -- Z, including letters from Robert Waller.

Appointment books, 1976 -- 1978.

Appointment books, 1979 -- 1995.

Des Moines Register

Bill Bryson on the Iowa Oaks, 1969.

Editorial page content summaries, no date.

Editorial page matters, 1983 -- 1984.

Flansburg financial and legal documents, 1963 -- 1974.

Job descriptions, 1985.

“Lessons we learned from Raff,” 1993.

Memoranda, 1982 -- 1989.

Newspaper Guild, 1985.

Readership/marketing study, June 1987.

Syndicated columns, 1983 -- 1985.

Travel expense reports, 1964 -- 1977.

Editorials written by Flansburg, 1981 -- 1987.

Editorials written by Flansburg, 1988 -- 1989.

Subject files

American Political Science Association Midwestern Public Affairs Reporting Award Winners Seminar, 1963.

Clinton, Iowa, Corn Processing Company--Profile of Harold A. Bendixen, including letters from Bendixen, 1965.

Carolyn Gabrielson, 1992 -- 1995, on Davenport, Iowa, public schools.

Subject files (cont.)

Gentile-Burnham, 1993, a fraudulent practice case.

National Observer (a national Sunday weekly newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company of the Wall Street Journal) letters from Flansburg, 1961 -- 1963.

Open enrollment in Iowa schools, 1992 -- 1993.

The Parsons story, 1959 -- 1967, including letters from David Riesman.

Photographs of James Flansburg, 1974.

State of Iowa v. Rodney Darnell, 1994, a paternity action.

Biographical material.

Clippings on retirement.

Correspondence, 1996 -- March 1998.

Miscellaneous correspondence, 1976 -- 1995.

Monthly planner, 1996.

Photographs.

Speeches.

Clippings.

Clippings.

March 2006 addendum

Box 12

Columns

1971 -- 1989

Box 13

1990 -- 1999

Three newsprint pads of clippings.

Return to Inventory	Top of Page