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WILLIAM FLORVILLE was born about 1860, at Cape Haytien, West India. When the revolution, in 1823-22, occurred, his god-mother took him to Baltimore, Maryland, 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 barber. He then went to New Orleans, thence to St. Louis, and went with others from St. Louis on a hunting excursion up the Mississippi, Illinois and Sangamon rivers, to New Salem, then into Sangamon county the fall of 1831. While approaching the village of Salem, he overtook a tall man wearing a red flannel shirt, and carrying an axe on his shoulder. They fell into a conversation, and walked to a little grocery store together. The tall man was Abraham Lincoln, who soon learned that the stranger was a barber out of money. Mr. Lincoln took him to his boarding house, and told the people his business and situation. That opened the way for an evening's work among the boarders. The next morning he started on his way rejoicing, and through the advice of Mr. Lincoln, he came to Springfield, Illinois. Mr. Florville was soon recognized by Dr. E. H. Merriman, with whom he was acquainted in Baltimore and St. Louis. Dr. M. enabled him to open a shop in Springfield, the first barber shop in the city. Mr. Florville spent some time in the employ of General James D. Henry. He was married to Phebe Rountree soon after his arrival in Springfield. She was born near Glasgow, Kentucky. She is living in Springfield, Illinois. At the death of her husband, in 1868, she was left a considerable property, consisting of fifteen business and tenement houses in the city of Springfield, and a farm of eighty acres in Rochester township. She is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, in Springfield. She is now in her seventy-second year, and resides on East Adams, between Tenth and Eleventh, where she owns a nice residence. She is the mother of six children, four living, viz.: Samuel H. Florville, born in the city of Springfield, Illinois, May 10, 1832. He lived here, attended school, and worked in his father's barber shop, until seventeen years of age, when he struck out for himself. He worked in Chicago and New York, one year; then worked at the barber's trade in Madison and Janesville, Wisconsin. In 1865, returned to Springfield, Illinois, where he now has a shop nicely fitted up, at his father's old stand, 602 East Adams Street.