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Florence was born in east Texas in Smith County, of which Tyler is the principal city, to Samuel Thomas Florence (1848-1931) and the former Levina Anne Ashley (1849-1931). 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 Groves (1856-1932), a [[Tennessee]] native<ref>{{cite web|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?viewrecord=1&r=an&db=FindAGraveUS&indiv=try&h=92736446|title=George Oliver Groves|publisher=Ancestry.com|accessdate=February 13, 2019}}</ref> who planted several acres in 1896 that failed because of frost, and Squire S. Rush (1857-1935), a native of Darke County, [[Ohio]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60525&h=48133252&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=fML123&_phstart=successSource|title=Squire S. Rush|publisher=Ancestry.com|accessdate=February 13, 2019}}</ref> who planted ten acres in 1900, but lost a half bale to stray [[cattle]]. Florence picked two full bales of cotton, which he had ginned at Big Spring in Howard County, Texas.<ref name=bio/>

Florence was born in east Texas in Smith County, of which Tyler is the principal city, to Samuel Thomas Florence (1848-1931) and the former Levina Anne Ashley (1849-1931). 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 Groves (1856-1932), a [[Tennessee]] native<ref>{{cite web|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?viewrecord=1&r=an&db=FindAGraveUS&indiv=try&h=92736446|title=George Oliver Groves|publisher=Ancestry.com|accessdate=February 13, 2019}}</ref> who planted several acres in 1896 that failed because of frost, and Squire S. Rush (1857-1935), a native of Darke County, [[Ohio]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60525&h=48133252&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=fML123&_phstart=successSource|title=Squire S. Rush|publisher=Ancestry.com|accessdate=February 13, 2019}}</ref> who planted ten acres in 1900, but lost a half bale to stray [[cattle]]. Florence picked two full bales of cotton, which he had 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 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]] 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 in Erath County, 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]] 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 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.<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 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.<ref name=bio/>