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'''William Peyton Florence, Sr. (June 17, 1872 &ndash; November 24, 1944),<ref name=ancestry>{{cite web|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60525&h=97883091&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=fML116&_phstart=successSource|title=WilliamPeyton Florence|publisher=Ancestry.com|accessdate=February 13, 2019}}</ref> was among the first three [[cotton]] growers in the Llano Estacado of West [[Texas]]. He was also an [[educator]], an author, and the first superintendent of public schools in Slaton,a small communityin [[Lubbock|Lubbock County]].<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=https://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20190126/caprock-chronicles-william-p-florence-south-plains-pioneer|title=CaprockChronicles: William P. Florence, South Plains pioneer|publisher=''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|date=January 25, 2019|author=Rob King|accessdate=February 13, 2019}}</ref>|

'''William Peyton Florence (June 17, 1872 &ndash; November 24, 1944),<ref name=ancestry>{{cite web|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60525&h=97883091&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=fML116&_phstart=successSource|title=WilliamPeyton Florence|publisher=Ancestry.com|accessdate=February 13, 2019}}</ref> was among the first three [[cotton]] growers in the Llano Estacado of West [[Texas]]. He was also an [[educator]], an author, and the first superintendent of public schools in Slaton,a small communityin [[Lubbock|Lubbock County]].<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=https://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20190126/caprock-chronicles-william-p-florence-south-plains-pioneer|title=CaprockChronicles: William P. Florence, South Plains pioneer|publisher=''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|date=January 25, 2019|author=Rob King|accessdate=February 13, 2019}}</ref>|

A native of Smith County, Texas, which includes the city of Tyler, Florence was a land promoter in the Lubbock areas. His land promotions were printed  a decade after the founding of Lubbock in 1891. The other cotton pioneers were George Oliver "Boss"  Graves(1856-1932), who planted several acres in 1896 that failed because of frost, and Squire R. Rush (1857-1935), a native of Darke County, [[Ohio]], who planted ten acres in 1900, but lost a half bale to stray [[cattle]]. Florence picked two full bales of cotton, which he[[Cotton gin|ginned]] at Big Spring in Howard County, Texas.<ref name=bio/>

Florence was born in Smith County, Texas, which includes the city of Tyler, to Samuel Thomas and the former Levina Anne Ashley. When he arrived in Lubbock County, he was a land promoter in the Lubbock areas. His land promotions were printed  a decade after the founding of Lubbock in 1891. The other cotton pioneers were George Oliver "Boss"  Graves(1856-1932), who planted several acres in 1896 that failed because of frost, and Squire R. Rush (1857-1935), a native of Darke County, [[Ohio]], who planted ten acres in 1900, but lost a half bale to stray [[cattle]]. Florence picked two full bales of cotton, which he [[Cotton gin|ginned]] at Big Spring in Howard County, Texas.<ref name=bio/>

Florence's memoir of ninety-two pages, ''Hopeful Visions on Higher Ground,'' was published in 1936. In this work, Florence indicated that he attended school when he could, specifically Farmers' Alliance High School in Lingleville, Texas. When unable to attend school, he studied at home. By the age of twenty-three, he had earned a first-grade teacher’s certificate and began teaching in small country schools in Eastland, Comanche and Hamilton counties in central Texas. The ''Lynn County News'' stated in a 1906 article that Florence taught a class on physical [[geography]] with Mae Murphee in Tahoka in Lynn County. That same year he wrote a poem, "Troubles of a Homesteader", published in the ''Lubbock Avalanche''.<ref name=bio/>

Florence's memoir of ninety-two pages, ''Hopeful Visions on Higher Ground,'' was published in 1936. In this work, Florence recalled that he attended school when he could, specifically Farmers' Alliance High School in Lingleville, Texas. When unable to attend school, he studied at home. By the age of twenty-three, he had earned a first-grade teacher’s certificate and began teaching in small country schools in Eastland, Comanche and Hamilton counties in central Texas. The ''Lynn County News'' stated in a 1906 article that Florence taught a class on physical [[geography]] with Mae Murphee in Tahoka in Lynn County. That same year he wrote a poem, "Troubles of a Homesteader", published in the ''Lubbock Avalanche''.<ref name=bio/>

He came to Slaton to become the first superintendent of school and continued to grow cotton. In 1923, it was reported that Florence sought assistance with his large crop of cane, from which he made molasses. ''The Slaton Slatonite''confirms that he sold hisribbon cane syrup from a yield of five hundred gallons from six acres. He also raised hogs and farmed turnips, plum trees, grapes, onions, and melons. In 1914, he opened Rose Hill Dairy. In 1917, he joined the Slaton office of the Federal Farm and Loan Board.<refname=bio/>

He came to Slaton to become the first superintendent of school and continued to grow cotton. In 1923, it was reported that Florence sought assistance with his large crop of cane, from which he made molasses. ''The Slaton Slatonite'' confirms that he sold ribbon cane syrup from a yield of five hundred gallons from six acres. He also raised hogs and farmed turnips, plum trees, grapes, onions, and melons. In 1914, he opened Rose Hill Dairy. In 1917, he joined the Slaton office of the Federal Farm and Loan Board.<refname=bio/>

His involvement with the community came from his efforts in the schools, the local [[Baptist]] , at which  he led the music, and his various business interactions.He frequently donated the medals given out at the at the high school award ceremony. He was an outspoken opponent of the [[Ku Klux Klan]], which was temporarily revived in Texas during the 1920s. One of his melons was stolen in 1921 and delivered to the porch of the editor of  ''The Slatonite'', with the carved-out inscription “K.K. Klan."<ref name=bio/>

His involvement with the community came from his efforts in the schools, the local [[Baptist]] , at which  he led the music, and his various business interactions.He frequently donated the medals given out at the at the high school award ceremony. He was an outspoken opponent of the [[Ku Klux Klan]], which was temporarily revived in Texas during the 1920s. One of his melons was stolen in 1921 and delivered to the porch of the editor of  ''The Slatonite'', with the carved-out inscription “K.K. Klan."<ref name=bio/>