[1][2][3] Born in Gardiner, Maine, Bagby attended American University and received an LLB degree from its Washington College of Law.

He married Beverley Victoria Sularz (1916–2012), and they had two daughters and a son (Floyd Almer Bagley II, nicknamed "Spud" who died in 1970).

[6][7] Bagley established a private legal practice and served part-time position as a legislature until defeated by Republican Jack Rollinson in 1985.

In 1980, he was accused of creating an additional judgeship in Prince William County in hopes that his fellow legislators would select him to fill it, as did not happen.

[8] Also, in 1982, Bagley authored a bill which the legislature passed but governor Charles Robb refused to sign as contrary to the First Amendment until its new criminal libel provision was removed.

He attempted to regain his seat as an independent but lost, and also ran but was not elected chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.