W. F. FLORENCE

W. F. FLORENCE, one of the prosperous agriculturists of this county, is of Virginia stock, both his grandfathers, who had served with bravery in the Revolutionary War, having settled in Georgia the early part of this century.

His father, William Florence, was born in VVashington County, Aug. 11, 1805, and his mother, Millie A. (Arnett) Florence, was born in Virginia, Jan. 2, 1808. In 1838 their son, W. F. Florence, was born in Wilkes County, and the next year the family moved to Meriwether County, which became their permanent home.

Mr. Florence is now occupying the house his father built for his family the years preceding the removal. In those days educational opportunities were very limited, but young Florence made the best of such as fell to his lot.

In 1861 he enlisted in the army, enlisting in Company B, Second Georgia Regiment, under Capt. W. T. Harris. He took part in a number of the most important engagements of the War, Manassas, seven days before Richmond, Fredericksburg, Harpers Ferry, Hagerstown and Gettysburg. He buried Col. Harris, who was killed at Gettysburg; he himself was wounded at the battle of Seven Pines and was carried bleeding off the field; at Shepherdstown he received a wound in the arm—in fact was wounded at four different times during the war; in the battle of Chickamauga his arm was badly shattered, but he heroically held out to the end of the war in 1865, and returned home to begin life for himself, and with no money.

By energy and industry Mr. Florence soon began to win his way and accumulate money, buying his first land in 1867, to which he had been able to add since, so that he now owns a large and productive farm and is comfortably established, possessing also the true respect of all who know him; has been for some time bailiff of his district.

Oct. 30, 1873, he married Miss Mary Russell, whose parents, John and Mary A. (Cappleman) Russell, natives of South Carolina, were among the early settlers of the state. Mrs. Florence was born in this county in December, 1846. She is a worthy member of the Baptist Church, while her husband is a Presbyterian. He also belongs to the Masonic fraternity. Mr. and Mrs. Florence have five children: Lottie, Hugh, Lena, James and Dosia.

Source: Memoirs of Georgia, Containing historical accounts of the states civil, military, industrial and professional interests and personal sketches of many of it’s people, Volume II, The Southern Historical Association, Atlanta, Georgia, 1895

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