FLORVILLE, WILLIAM, was born about 1806, at Cape Haytien, West India. When the revolution commenced, in 1821 and 22, his god-mother took him to Baltimore, Md., and kept him in St. Mary's Convent until her death, when he was bound by the orphan's court to learn the trade of a barber. He then went to New Orleans, thence to St. Louis, and with others from St. Louis, on a hunting excursion, up the Mississippi, Illinois and Sangamon rivers, to New Salem, then in Sangamon county, arriving in the fall of 1831. It was late in the evening, and as he approached the village he fell in with a tall man, wearing a red flannel shirt and carrying an axe on his shoulder, just returning from his day's labor in the woods. They fell into an easy conversation and walked to a little grocery store together. The tall man was Abraham Lincoln. who soon learned that the stranger was a barber, nearly out of money and aiming to reach Springfield. That was enough to enlist the good will of Mr. Lincoln, who took him to his boarding house, told the people his business and situation. That opened the way for an evening's work among the boarders, and the next morning he started on his way rejoicing, and reached Springfield the second day. Mr. Florville was soon recognized by Dr. E. H. Merriman--See his sketch--with whom he was acquainted in Baltimore and St. Louis. Dr. M. proved his friendship in various ways. Mr. Florville spent some time in the employ of Gen. James D. Henry. He was married soon after his arrival to Phoebe Rountree, who was born Feb. 4, 1811, near Glasgow, Ky. They had five living children, namely:

SAMUEL H., born May, 1832, in Springfield, married Oct. 26, 1874, at Waverly, to Mary Belle Greene, who was born in 1849 in Morgan county. She died Nov. 23, 1875. S. H. Florville is a barber, and lives in Springfield.

ALSEEN, born Dec., 1833, in Springfield, married in 1851 to Mahlon Chaverous. They had two living children. JULIA C., born April 28, 1852, married April 27, 1871, to Clark Duncan, who was born Oct. 5, 1850, near Russelville, Ky. They have two children, ALSEEN and OTIS B., and live in Springfield. ADDIE lives with her mother. Mrs. Chaverous married Nov., 1863, to Richard Wright. They have three children, EDWARD, MARTIN and CLIFFORD, and live in Springfield.

SINEET, born Sept., 1837, in Springfield, married Gilbert Johnson. They had three children in Springfield. PHOEBE, born in 1855, married T. Adams, has one child, MABEL, and lives in Springfield. GILBERT, born Feb., 1857, and ANNIE, born in 1859, live with their mother. Gilbert Johnson died in 1858. Mrs. Sinect Johnson married Henry Scott. They had one child, ELIZA, and Mr. Scott enlisted in the army to suppress the the rebellion, and was never heard of after. Mrs. Sineet Scott married March 1, 1865, to Jordan Richardson. They have four children, JAMES, WILLIAM, GEORGE and THOMAS. Mr. Richardson keeps a grocery store, and lives in Springfield.

VARVEEL, was born in 1839, in Springfield. In 1862 he went into the army under Maj. Gen. McClernand, was with him in all his campaigns, came home and died Oct. 2, 1864.

WILLIAM L., born March 10, 1840, in Springfield, married April 9, 1861, to Mary Jenkins. They have three living children, AQUILLA, URETTA and ELIZABETH, and live in Springfield.

William Florville died April 13, 1868, and Mrs. Phoebe Florville was married May 10, 1873, to Reuben Coleman, and resides in Springfield.