Joseph Nelson Florea

Other Events:

• Name: Joseph Nelson Florea

Notes:

...J.N. Florea (Democrat), representative from Oregon county; born in Worth county, Missouri, November 9, 1871; educated in public schools of Misosuri and Central Normal University of Iowa, and taught in the public schools of these two states for sixteen years. He married Miss Effa Strain at Grant City, Mo., on February 27, 1898, is a farmer and resides at Alton Mo.
...Elected to the House of Representatives in 1932.
(Source: Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1933-34, p. 75, Information received from Hilda Hartling, Legislative Research Clerk, Legislative Library, Jefferson City, Mo)

Buried:

—Joseph Nelson Florea, son of Joshua Florea and Mary Susan (Patterson) Florea, was born November 8, 1871 in Worth County, Missouri.
—On February 27, 1898, in Grant City, Missouri, Joseph married Effie Frances Strain. They had six children, Ivor, who married Ruth Simpson; Ethel, who married Dee Rice; Llod, who married Helen Harliment; Noble, who died young; Ruth, who married Hallis Marlin; and Mildred, who married Murle Brewer.
—The Floreas moved to Hickory Grove neighborhood around 1900. J.N. helped to build Hickory Grove Church about 1901. He taught Bryan School in 1904. He was also a farmer and carpenter. He made many coffins. He was an original member of the board of directors of both Howell-Oregon Electric Co-op and the local Production Credit Association. He served four terms as judge of Oregon County. He was also a member of the Missouri Legislature from 1933-35.
—He and Effie were a generous, kind and dignified couple. After 74 years of married life, J.N. died February 4, 1972, at the age of 100 years, 2 months, and 21 days. J.N., Effie, and their son Noble are buried at Hickory Grove Cemetery.
—OREGON COUNTY - PRESERVE YESTERDAY - ENRICH TOMORROW, p.138
(Source: Find A Grave Memorial# 27113010)

Notes:

OBITUARY
...Joshua Florea, son of John and Elizabeth Florea, was born Feb. 29, 1844 and passed to his reward Jan. 18, 1926. He was of a family of fourteen children all of whom have passed away except two sisters, Mrs. M. Q. Turner, of New Vienna, Ohio, and Mrs. David McDermoth (McDermit) of Lawshe, Ohio.
He was born near the town then called New Port, in Adams County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. On the 18th of September 1865, he was married to Mary S.(usan) Peterson, who preceded him in death two and one-half years. They resided in Ohio until the autumn of 1868 when they came to Worth County, Mo., near Blockton, Ia., where they continued to reside until bereft of his companion, since then he made his home with the children near the old home. He was the father of ten children---six sons and four daughters—all of whom survive. Namely: Mrs. Chas. S. Cobb, Blockton; A. E. Florea, Thedford, Nebr.; J. N. Florea, Alton, Mo., Mrs. Geo. Glenn and Mrs. A. L. Goff, Irena, Mo.; L. R. Florea, Leona, Kansas; W. G. Florea, F. L. Florea, Mrs. J. L. Hall and B. A. Florea, Blockton. All with twenty-nine grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren, a great number of relatives, and a host of friends, mourn his departure.
...Early in life he became obedient to the Gospel, lived faithful to the (closing?) and died in the triumph of a living faith. He united with the church at Newport, Ohio, and when he came to Worth County, placed his membership with a congregation (located) at Isadora and afterward united with the church at Pleasant Ridge (words illegible) September, 1898, he became a charter member of the Church of Christ at Tent Chapel, was ordained an elder and continued until death. It was through his efforts the congregation was established. His home was one of hospitality and many faithful preachers have partaken of its blessings.
Thus marks the passing of another pioneer of good ripe old age, as a ripe sheaf for the garner, whose pilgrimage covered the period of 81 years, 10 months and 18 days.
...The funeral services were conducted at Tent Chapel on Wednesday, Jan. 20, by L. R. Cobb of Bedford. The pallbearers were Will, Charles, Albert, Denver, Samuel and Delbert Florea, of Nodaway County, Mo., nephews of the deceased. After the service the remains were laid to rest in the Tent Chapel cemetery to await the resurrection. Blockton News, Thursday, January 28, 1926 (p. 1) (Source: Find A Grave Memorial# 16631808)

Joshua married Mary Susan Peterson on 28 Sep 1865 in Adams County, Ohio, United States. Mary was born on 20 Aug 1845 in Adams County, Ohio, United States; died on 6 Aug 1923 in Blockton, Taylor County, Iowa, United States; was buried in Aug 1923 in Redding, Ringgold County, Iowa, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Molly Peterson

Other Events:

• Name: John Riley Florea
• Religion: Church of Christ
• Baptism: Sep 1847

John married Sarah Elizabeth Smalley on 26 Dec 1833. Sarah was born on 1 Apr 1816 in Virginia, United States; died on 11 Aug 1884 in Adams County, Ohio, United States; was buried in Aug 1884 in Lawshe, Adams County, Ohio, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Smalley
• Religion: Church of Christ

Notes:

Parents: Andrew and Elizabeth Smalley (From Pat Garrit)

Notes:

...Joshua apparently was born in Maryland and went with the family to Kentucky and Adams County, Ohio. He lived on a farm on the east side of Ohio Brush Creek about two miles south of Newport (now Lawshe). About 1833 he and his family, except the eldest son, John, moved to a farm near Rushville, Rush County, Indiana. There he died and was buried in the Barrett Cemetery near Knightstown.
...There are few, if any, descendants of Joshua now in Ohio but they are numerous in Indiana. The greatest concentration of them now, however, seems to be in the Missouri-Iowa-Nebraska area.

Moved to Rush County, Indiana 1835/1840

NEWSLETTER ARTICLE
Sheepskin Deed
...Joshua Florea was the son of Albright and Ruthy Charity. A few days prior to Joshua's marriage he bought 150 acres, according to Adams County land records. This land lay about two miles south of Lawshe (then known as Newport) on the eas bank of the Ohio Brush Creek. It was known later as the Mccoy farm. joshua kept adding land until he owned 417 acres. Some of the last part of the land grant had belonged to four soldiers, Charles Consolver, William Stanley, Thomas Puryer and William Willis, who had served in the Revolutionary War.
...They assigned their right to Joseph Watkins, to whom the patent (deed) was issued on 14 May, 1796. this was a real sheepskin deed signed by George Washington and countersigned by the Secretary of State, Timothy Pickering. The parchment also bore the signatures of James W. Henry, Secretary of War and S. K. Taylor, Junior chief Clerk of the War Departmen. Josua's son, John, received the deed when he purchased the entire 417 acres from his father. The deed then was passed to Joohn's youngest son, Jeremiah, ho left it to his eldest daughter, Daisy (Florea) Edwards (Mrs. George Edwards), who lived in Portsmouth, Ohio
"The ink was undimmed, my father (Ernest) wrote when it was rescued from the Ohio river
flood in 1936. Chicago experts, under bond, examined it and declared it to be a genuine
George Washington original."

In 1984 James Harold Florea wrote that he did not know who had the deed at this time.

Happy ending
...James Harold Florea told of clippings his parents held concerning Joshua Florea. This story was about Joshua and his sweetheart, Polly Spurgeon. It was written on an old tablet, which was undated.
..."Polly Spurgeon and Joshua were old time lovers. After a continued courtship they were engaged to marry. He decided to go east to work in the furnaces to have a little finance for a beginnning to support he and Polly after their marriage. (There were a few iron furnaces in Ohio by that date but we don't know if he went to those or to Pennsylvania JHF) Joshua bid Polly farewell and expected to return later and take Polly as hi own. Time went on, soon a year had gone. the methods of communication at this early period were limited. Hearing nothing from each other, another year passed with no trace of Joshua. Polly decided Joshua was dead. During this time a young man by the name of Davis fell in love with Polly and they were soon engaged to be married.
...One spring morning Polly went to pick greens. One of her old neighbors came picking greens also. the neighbor asked Polly if she knew that Joshua had returned. She said no. the woman informed Polly that he was home. And sure enough she was rightly informed.
...Polly and Joshua went on horseback to West Union, where they were married. When coming out of the courthouse, they met Mr. Davis at the door. He had come to prevent the marriage. He was very angry and revengeful. With all the threats, Polly and Joshua escaped unharmed. They settled on a Brush Creek farm known as the Frank Mccoy Farm. (Source: Flory, Leslie E. and Bill. "Sheepskin Deed". The Flora-Flory-Fleury Family Volume 2, Number 3 (1 July 1989): pg. 6.)

Birth:
probably

Joshua married Mary Jane Spurgeon on 3 Aug 1812 in Adams County, Ohio, United States. Mary was born on 29 Dec 1793 in Bourbon County, Kentucky, United States; died on 6 Oct 1869 in Rush County, Indiana, United States; was buried in Oct 1869 in Rush County, Indiana, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Polly Spurgeon
• Death: 6 Oct 1869, Huntington County, Indiana, United States