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Show • • • HENRY FLORENCE Henry Florence was born in New Cotton Norwich, Norfolk, England on the 11th of April 1854 , his parents were Samuel Florence and Susan Waller. Baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, March 11, 1857 by Elder John Clark and confirmed a member of the Church by Elder William Jefferies on March 25, 1857 at Norwich. Brother Florence emigrated from Norwich, England April 8, 1859 and arrived in Salt Lake City, Sept. 27, 1859 having been on the road five months and 19 days, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the ship William Tapscott and crossing the plains in Captain Rowley's Hand Cart Company. Pulling a handcart all the way and after reaching the valley, he found friends and located in Big Cotton Wood, Salt Lake Valley and lived there for three years. It was during this time he met Miss Sarah Jane Taylor, who was born Nov. 16, 1844 and on the 13th day ofNovember 1861 they were married by his brother-in-law, Oscar 0 . Stoddard. Sarah was a daughter of Stephen King Taylor and C~e Rodgers. Sarah Jane Taylor was baptized August 6, 1855. Brother Florence was ordained an Elder in the house of the Lord, Salt Lake City, Utah by Elder Edward Stevenson, October 17, 1862 . They lost two girls that were born in Rush Valley, Harriet Emily Florence, Born Sept. 30, 1862 and died Dec. 30, 1862, and Caroline Elizabeth Florence, Born November 7, 1863 and died August 25, 1864, Shambi( Salt Lake Co. Utah and the third child was also born at the same place, Sara Ann Florence, Born May 18, 1865. Then they left ShombifRush Valley and come to Porterville, Morgan County, in the year 1866, where they resided the rest of their lives. Henry Florence and George Taggart Sr. of Morgan, and Benjamin Hibbert, Enterprise were called to take food back to meet a company of Emigrants at Fort Benton on the Platte River in 1868 and to help them to Salt Lake Valley. The Florences were the proud parent of fourteen children, six girls and eight boys. Henry Was called on a mission to England in October 1876. He was ordained a Seventy by Elder Orson Pratt Sr. He left the same day and meet his parents and Brothers and Sisters, but on account of sickness he was sent home after five months. The children born to Bro. and Sister Florence, the three girls mentioned above that were born in Rush Valley, Joseph Henry Florence was the first child born to them in Porterville, Morgan County. He was born May 9, 1867. Thomas William born July 2, 1869, Samuel was born May 8, 1871, Mary Ellen Florence was born March 10, 1873 and died in Porterville, Morgan County, April 11, 1874. James was Born January 2, 1875 . These children were born before Henry Florence went on his mission. • • • George Waller Florence was born at Porterville June 3, 1877, Margaret Bell was born April 18, 1879, Susan Letty was Born, April 6, 1881 , John Andrew was Born January 10, 1884 and died Mach 9, 1886, Fred Arthur Florence Born 1886, Harvey Kelly was born February 25, 1888. (Except for the death dates mentioned, all other children lived to adulthood.) Bro. Florence took charge oflots of the children' s dances and also the dances at night and did the calling for plain quadrilles. Henry Florence was chosen as one of the new Bishopric after the death of Bishop Thomas Brough. Samuel Carter was chosen as Bishop with Joseph Durrant first Councilor and Henry Florence was chosen as second councilor. He was ordained a High Priest on February 25, 1883 by President Willard G. Smith' s councilor, Richard Fry, and labored in the Bishopric till }887, when the two wards were put together again, and during this time he was one of the councilors to W.G. Brough, in the Sunday School of West Porterville. He was on the board of the West Porterville School District for thirty years and Sister Sarah Jane Taylor Florence, his wife was President of the Relief Society for 20 years. Henry died January 10, 1925 at Holy Cross Hospital, Salt Lake, and his wife died Dec. 17, 1908 at Porterville . Henry was a farmer and raised cattle grains, potatoes, small fruits and plums, apples, and pears. Along with his good wife and sons, he was engaged in the saw mill business, sawed lots of lumber and got lots of timber out for other people. When the new meeting house was built, after the two wards were joined he pulled the saw mill from the Chalk Creek Country and set it up where Marvin Kilbourn' s house now stands and got logs out of Hardscrabble to make the rough lumber for the meeting house. He also helped to dig and build the irrigation canal on the west side of Porterville. Sunday mornings Bro. Florence was always on hand to greet all who came to Sunday School. ........... . ......... .. . ................ Written by George W. Florence, his Son .............. . 10'1 |
