PROFILES

 

      The purpose of this page is twofold:   (1) We would like to honor those people whose efforts over the years have helped promote research into the  Flory/Flora/Florey/Florea/Flori line, enabling to find out more about our own family histories; and (2) We would like to provide reference material and web links to those Florys who have achieved national or international fame.

 

 

WILLIAM FLORY

     One of the most influential of all Flory researchers has been William Flory, co-founder of the Flory-Flora-Fleury Newsletter, first published in 1988 and still going strong. The Newsletter today is not only an extremely important research tool, but it is also an announcement board for the many Flory re-unions that have taken place, a chance for people to publish additions to their family line beyond what appears in the studies by Walter Bunderman and John Marcinkowski, and a compendium of interesting genealogical facts. Subscriptions are available from Bill for only $5.00 a year. You can contact him at Bill Flory for further information.

     We asked Bill to provide a few facts about himself and the newsletter for a profile, and what appears below is his response. First, though, I would like to thank him on behalf of all of us, for the great job he has done and continues to do. The Newsletter has been a great help in keeping us all together since its inception.

PROFILE OF WILLIAM FLORY

     I was born in Grandview, Washington

  • Graduated Grandview High School, 2 years Columbia Basin College - Certification in Radiation Protection.

  • Worked for G.E. on the Hanford Project for 20 years in Radiation Protection.

     My Ancestral Line:

  • Joseph Fleury 1682-1741 & Mary

  • Abraham Flory 1735-1827 & Catherine

  • Emanuel Flory 1776-1849 & Sarah Keagy

  • Abraham Flory 1807-1888 & Lavina Kinsey

  • Jacob H. Flory 1849-1904 & Manetta E. Forney

  • Jesse R. Flory 1898-1985 & Goldie Harker

  • Bill J. Flory 1928 & Patricia Flaherty

     How the Newsletter Started

     In my original genealogical search, I became acquainted with Leslie Flory.  We corresponded for some time and had some telephone conversations. During one of those conversations he said "WE" need a Flory Family Newsletter, and I am getting too old to do it. I talked it over with Pat and we decided that we could do that. So Leslie was the main contact with all those he had communicated with over the years about the family. I never visualized what the resulting correspondence would amount to, and the time it would require in responding to it.  We started out with Pat typing the newsletter, and soon graduated to the computer word processing, and I do all of it now.  My only regrets regarding the newsletter is, errors still creep in the N.L. no matter how I try to go over it prior to the final printing.

     The Number of Subscribers

     The most we have had was 143, the lowest was about 110, currently we have 135. I am sure it doesn't fit everyone's needs or expectations. Also the Internet has probably reduced its usefulness for some.

     Subscribers From Various Countries

     We have had subscribers from the following countries. Some have passed away, some have ceased their interest in genealogy:

  • England, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Hawaii.

  • From most of the States, but not each one.

     Other Flory Lines I Research

     When I started my research, I only knew my Aunts, Uncles and cousins as "Flory's" in our area. In the last few years I have made contact and worked with a Flory line that descends from the immigrant Joseph Fleury and came west through Iowa, North Dakota, Idaho, and Oregon. Although I am still trying to put them all together, I have found the ancestral line, and the descendants down to the last couple of generations. These generations have few that are interested in their ancestors to help very much.

     How I Became Interested in Genealogy

     In about 1960 I started to wonder who my ancestors were.  My grandparents died when my Dad was 7 years old. So I never knew him. Both my Mother's parents died before I was born. So the only grandparent I knew was my Dad's Mother.  She was a great lady, and I think because of that influence, I became interested. My father didn't know anything about his Dad, only that he came from Kansas, and he thought it was Lawrence, KS. As I searched, communicated with others I finally became acquainted with Leslie and others. Obtained the F.F.F. Family book by Bunderman and then also made contact with John Marcinkowski, who has been a great help in many ways including the Newsletter.

     What I Do and Did

  • Worked for General Electric Company in Radiation Protection on the Hanford Project for 20 years.

  • Owned and operated a Hardware and Appliance Store in Arizona for 8 years.

  • After the death of my Mother, returned to Grandview to care for my Father, and worked in a Nuclear Power Plant, retired in 1993.

  • Was elected to the Grandview City Council in 1992, and my last term will be up this December. I do not plan to run again, my plate is so full that I can hardly keep up and do justice as it is. Tuesday and Thursday is tied up with City and other commitments. Wednesday we work in a local Family History Center. Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays are catch-up days for the N.L. and genealogical pursuits and family. All of which suffer from time to time in the rush of it all.

THANKS BILL!

 

William Flory

   WILLIAM FLORY

 

  

 

 

 

LESLIE FLORY 1907-2002

by

Bill Flory

      Robert Flory, Leslie's son, informed us that Leslie passed away October 22, 2002 at the Medical Center at Princeton, NJ. 

      Leslie originated the Flora-Flory-Fleury Family Newsletter early in 1988. We met through frequent genealogy correspondence. We discussed information about our common ancestors, Abraham and Lavina Kinsey Flory, many times by telephone. He suggested that we needed to start a Flory Family Newsletter which would include the many spellings of the name, and someone needed to take on the project. Pat and I discussed this, and innocently volunteered to co-edit the newsletter with Leslie as the editor. The first issue was published in November 1988. It has now been published for 14 years. The number of subscribers has varied.  The Internet has probably had some impact with the many genealogy sites it offers.

      Leslie was born in Sawyer, Kansas 17 March 1907, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Barnhart Flory. Leslie married Helen Louise Kezeler on 5 April 1931. Helen passed away 25 April 1998. He received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas in 1930.  He joined RCA in Camden, NJ the same year as a student engineer.  After six months, he joined the Television Research Department under Dr. Vladimir K. Zworykin. His main effort in the early days of television was in the development of the first practical electronic camera tube, the Iconoscope.  In the late 1930's he moved on to other projects, many directed to technology for the military.  He held patents on digital impulse counters and other basic computational circuits. Most of these concepts were so early that the patents expired before the computer industry developed.

      In 1942, RCA established RCA Laboratories in Princeton, NJ, and he moved with a cadre of scientists that founded the world famous laboratory, now known as the Sarnoff Corporation. During WWII, his efforts were directed to infrared imaging systems used for night time surveillance and gun sighting.

      After the war, his work was involved with reading aids for the blind.  The first character recognition systems were developed and demonstrated under this project.  Under contract to Princeton University, his group designed and built television equipment for use with the high altitude telescope.  This was the first such application that in the future would lead to all of the television explorations of the solar system and beyond.  Camera development for Project Apollo started in this group.

      Leslie co-authored a book Television in Science and Industry.

      In 1967 RCA and Hoffman-LaRoche formed a group to explore the use of electronics in medicine.  In 1968 Leslie became director of advanced development for the Medical Electronics Division of Hoffman-LaRoche, where he remained until his retirement in 1971.

      After his retirement, he remained in Princeton with his wife, Helen.  They enjoyed many hobbies including travel, collecting and repairing clocks and music boxes.  They also had a greenhouse, devoted largely to raising orchids.

       Leslie has been a help to many in their Flory Family research.  His knowledge of Family History, support of the Family Newsletter and encouragement in genealogical research will be greatly missed. The Latin term beneath his name at the heading of the newsletter translated:         Devoted to the tradition of his ancestors

       We express our condolence to his family.

reprinted with permission from the Flory-Flora-Fleury newsletter, January 1, 2003

  

 

 

JOHN MARCINKOWSKI

     Sooner or later, most beginning researchers who are seeking to find their Flory/Flora ancestors are inevitably directed to John Marcinkowski.  John, who is not a Flory himself (his wife, Zelda, is), has what is probably the most extensive Flory data base ever compiled on all of the American Flory lines.  This data base is an outgrowth from the book he published in 1973 intended to be a supplement to Walter Bunderman's classic study on the Flory, Flora, Fleury family.  While John has no immediate plans to publish a second supplement (the first is about out of print), he uses his extensive files, which he is still compiling, to help people find where on the Flory charts they belong.  Those who email John get a prompt reply, along with his signature message, "Don't Worry, Be Happy!!"

     John's efforts to promote a family that is only his by marriage extend even further.  He and Zelda have worked tirelessly for many years as organizers of  the "Flora-Flora-Fleury" Annual Reunion, held now in East Petersburg in Lancaster County, heartland for the descendants of Joseph Flory.  Since so many of you are curious to know a little more about the man who has helped so many of us, we have asked him to write a brief sketch of himself and his Flory activities.  John has consented, and these are his words:

      "In 1951, I went to my first Flory Family Reunion, saw the family history book that was written by Walter Q. Bunderman and got interested in the family history. 

      In 1970, there were requests for a new book. There were no more 1948 history books available and a decision was made to have the 1948 history reprinted. Mr. Bunderman was approached to get his permission for the reprint and also to publish a supplement to add information to the history. Mr. Bunderman gave his permission and also gave all the addresses he had from his files. These addresses now had to be updated by going to the public library and 
checking phone books for current addresses. Letters than had to be sent to all these addresses for advances (money) and information to update the history. Mr. Bunderman also gave the printing plates to do the reprint of  the 1948 book and the 1973 supplement which saved some money on the publications. Our children helped with indexing and proofreading. 

      Since 1973, information has been collected, recorded and filed for any future reference. Many new families have been found which need to be connected to the family or fully documented. Originally records were made on manual typewriters until 1977, then on to electric typewriters and then much later on computer 3.5" diskettes. 

      In 1970, there was an election of officers for the Family Reunion for the office of secretary-treasurer. A nomination of Zelda or John was made. John said that Zelda should accept the office since she carried the family name. She held that office until 2001.  In 1971, I was elected as vice-president and served in that position until 1999. 

      The Reunion was organized in 1924 as the Eckert-Flory Family Reunion. The reunion was held for nine years and then a separation was made in 1933 and the name was changed to the Flory Family Reunion. The numbering system was changed back to the First instead of continuing. The 2001 Reunion is actually the 74th Reunion if the numbering would have been continued. No Reunions were held during the war years of 1942-3-4-5."

Thanks John!  

John and Zelda Marcinkowski

John and Zelda Marcinkowski

  

 

 

FAMOUS FLORYS

      Listed below are links to several web sites that give information about famous Florys.

(1) Paul Flory, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1974--http://www.nobel.se/chemistry/laureates/1974/flory-autobio.html

(2) Sir Howard Flory, Winner of the Nobel Prize in 1945 for his work on penicillin, http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/florey/story.htm

(3) Robert Florey, Movie Director.  The Internet Movie Web site has an interesting page on the  career of Robert Florey, who directed a number of movies and worked with Alfred Hitchcock:  http://us.imdb.com/Name?Florey,+Robert

(4) Klaus Florey, Noted Drug Researcher.  There is no site on the web devoted exclusively to Klaus Florey.  If you wish to find something out about him, you can look at the description of his book titles on Amazon.com or click on http://www.usp.org/frameset.htm?http://www.usp.org/aboutusp/standard/2000-03/12.htm

(5) David Flory (1820-1910) of Cass Co., IN and his son, Aaron Edwin Flory, both
amateur horticulturists, produced the first Winter-Banana apple (the
predecessor to the Golden Delicious apple). Unfortunately, no web site yet.  This information supplied by Ben Holt.

(6) John Florea Elton Thompson reported in a recent issue of the Flory/Flora/Fleury Newsletter of the death of John Florea at the age of 84.  Florea was a famous photographer for Life Magazine, who chronicled the greatest battles of WWII and then went on to photograph the greatest stars of Hollywood.  He next turned to television, and he directed such hit shows as Daniel Boone, Mission Impossible, Gentle Ben, The Runaways, Chips, the Dukes of Hazard, Walking Tall, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. A link for him can be found at http://us.imdb.com/Name?Florea,+John

  

 

 

FLORY/FLORA/FLOREY/FLEURY/FLOORE POLITICIANS

      The following list is that of people involved in politics who have a variation of the Flory name.  If you have any additional names to include or have more information about anyone on the list below, please get in touch.

(1) Fleury, Thomas L. of Northville, Wayne County, Michigan was an independent candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan in 1976.

(2)  Floore, Sterling Hosea served as Circuit Clerk, 8 years, Sheriff, 4 years, and Chancery Clerk 8 years of Noxubee County, Ms. His daughter, Janelle Floore Craig also served 16 years as Chancery Clerk of  Noxubee County, Ms. Chancery Clerk is the same as Probate Judge in some other states. William Hosea, Janelle's great-grandfather, along with several of his brothers, changed the original spelling of the name  from Flora to Floore for unknown reasons.

(3) (Flora) O'Malley, Donna ran for District 3 Commissioner (non-partisan) for the Town of Benson, NC in 1999 and is currently on Benson's Planning Board .

(4) Flora, John C. Socialist. He was a candidate for U.S. Representative at-Large from Illinois  1924. 

(5) Flora, ReBecca Jo of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan was a Workers World candidate for Michigan state board of education, 1994.

(6) Florea, Jacob of New York, New York County, N.Y. Democrat was an alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1940, 1944.

(7) Florey, Clifford of Veedersburg, Fountain County, Indiana, was elected as a Democrat on Nov. 5, 1963 to serve a four-year term on the town board. 

(8) Florey, Kenneth A. of Northampton, Co. Pennsylvania was the Democratic Candidate for Controller of that County in 1975. (Please note--This is not the same Kenneth Florey who maintains this site).

(9) Flory, Betsy J. of Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1980, 2000 (alternate) and a candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 3rd District, 1994, 1996. 

(10) Flory, David M. was a member of the City Council of Woodland, California and is currently a candidate for Mayor of that city.

(11) Flory, Ishmael. He was a Communist candidate for U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1974. A campaign sticker for him is included in the ephemera section of this website.  Flory is a black activist whose articles have appeared in several left-wing publications.

(12) Flory, Jan was Mayor Pro-Tem of Fullerton, California.

(13) Flory, Joseph.  He was the unsuccessful Republican candidate for Governor from the State of Missouri in 1900.  He apparently campaigned by riding on a bicycle.  One of his campaign buttons is pictured in the ephemera section of this web site. 

(14) Flory, Margaret.  She is a Republican Representative to the State House of Vermont, representing Pittsford, and is currently Chair of the House Judiciary Committee.  She has taken a leading role in the effort to ban recognition of gay marriages by the state.

(15) Flory, Michael A.  He is currently chairman of the Michigan Federation of Young Republicans.

(16) Flory, Robert D. of Albion, Boone County, Nebraska was the  Secretary of Nebraska Democratic Party, 1937.

  

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