Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

2878 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSIt was soon after Judge Florence went to Shady Dale, Jasper County, andtook charge of the village high school that the writer of this memorial becameintimately acquainted with him, and in the years that followed during thelife of the judge this friendship grew and deepened, io be terminated only bydeath. Judge Florence was much older than the writer but, notwithstanding the difference in age, a close companionship existed, the older man making a confident of the writer in many of his affairs and especially in hisadministration of the office of ordinary of Jasper County, to which officehe was elected in 1897.From intimate association of nearly twenty years with Judge Florence,the writer's memory is stored with many incidents which will be cherishedthrough life happenings of real life, made of a mixture of hardships, ofdisappointment, as well as of success and achievement; of sorrow and joy.of sadness and mirth. Judge Florence was of the old school of Southerngentlemen, famous for gallantry and bravery, coupled with urbanity of conduct. For all with whom Judge Florence came in contact he had that politeregard which was natural with him; it required neither acting nor effort onhis part to be polite to the old and to the young, and no matter how humblea person might be he always received courtesy and consideration from JudgeFlorence. He was as gentle -as the most refined of women, yet as brave asthe bravest, and he never faltered in going and doing when duty called, alikein peace and in war. No braver soldier than he ever responded to the buglecall. His love for Ms family and his friends was beautiful, as was his lovefor his country. His patriotism was unbounded. His love for the "LostCause, that Nation so short in life but so glorious in deeds of valor," was aruling passion of the midday and the evening of his life.Judge Florence cherished the memory of the Confederacy, and was adjutant of Camp Key, United Confederate Veterans, at Monticello, at the timeof his death, which occurred in January, 1911, and at West View Cemetery,Monticello, rest the remains of this noble man and honored citizen. He longmaintained his home at Monticello, was an able and successful lawyer andgave most efficient administration in the judicial office of ordinary of JasperCounty. He gave great aid and encouragement to the local chapter of theUnited Daughters of the Confederacy, and this organization reverently drapedhis coffin with a Confederate flag, which was interred with his remains,in accordance with his oft expressed wishes.Another characteristic of my departed friend was his unbounded generosity and charitableness, in relief of the poor and needy in material matters,as well as in his dealings with his fellow men. Another recital of his historywill suffice to justify the above statements. Being at Social Circle, Georgia,after receiving his wounds at the Battle of Manassas, he was summoned toAtlanta for some purpose, and on his return he found as fellow passengers asquad of Federal prisoners who had been captured. Some were wounded andhungry, and all were in a pitiable plight. Upon reaching Social Circle heinvested 85 cents all he had in ginger cakes and persimmon beer, whichwere retailed at the supper house by an old negro ex-slave. These he carriedto the car window and said -. '' Gentlemen, I lost my good right arm in fighting you in honorable battle, but I can not bear to see a prisoner hungry.Take this beer and these cakes it is all I can get." One of the prisonerswas bald and bareheaded, and to him Judge Florence gave the hat off his ownhead. Long after the war one of these men visited him and celebrated thisact with a renewal of the friendship, the two thereafter continuing in correspondence until the death of the Northern man.The various characteristics of Judge Florence are all symbolized by thememory of some deed acts that speak louder than words. At the timeof the general election in 1867 Judge Florence was a resident of Oxford,Newton County. All votes had to be cast at Covington, the county town,