Sunday's Obituary: Phineas Florence

Washington Post
8 October 1901

MAY BE FLORENCE'S BODY

The relatives of Phineas Florence, the young man who was drowned last week by falling from a dredge in the Potomac River near Smith's Point, left the city yesterday for Somerset Beach to view the body of a man recovered from the river Sunday.  The body is believed to be that of Florence.  Florence was known in this city, where he was employed last winter.  His sister, Mrs. Arthur McMillan, of 602 Eleventh street southwest, will take charge of the remains, provided the body recovered proves to be that of her brother, and will have them buried at the Florence home, near Minniville, Prince William County, Va.

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
7 October 1901

BODY FOUND FLOATING

Believed to Be That of Phineas Florence, Well Known Here

The officers of the steamer Harry Randall, who arrived in port yesterday evening, reported the finding of the body of a young white man in the river near Somerset Beach wharf yesterday.  The body is supposed to be that of Phineas Florence, who was employed on the dredge Pugh, now working on the river improvements at Smith's Point.

The young man was drowned in the early part of last week by the overturning of a boat.  He was known in this city, having been for a time employed here last winter, and as a sister, Mrs. Arthur McMillan, living at 602 11th Street southwest.  Relatives have gone to Somerset to identify the body.  Should they recognize it as that of the young man mentioned it will be taken, it is understood, to Minniville, Prince William county, Va., for burial.

Evening Star
2 October 1901

Knocked Overboard and Drowned

Phineas Florence, a workman, who was employed on the dredging machine Pugh off Maryland Point Monday, was accidentally knocked overboard and drowned. The accident occurred about 11 o'clock in the morning and resulted from the breaking of the winding bar.  Florence and two other men went overboard, but the others were rescued.  The body of the drowned man had not been recovered late last night.

Friend of Friends Friday: Billie and Scipio

Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, VA)
March 23, 1769

TWENTY POUNDS REWARD

RUN away from the Neabsco Ironworks, in Virginia, on or about the 10th of October last, a country born Negro man slave named BILLIE, the property of the Honourable John Tayloe, Esq; he is about 30 years of age, very black, well made, 5 feet 8 inches high, puts on a sour look when taxed with any thing amiss.  He had on and took with him, when he went away, a blue broad cloth coat, black cotton velvet jacket, and sundry other sorts of cloaths, besides shoes and stockings of various kinds.  He is by trade a ship carpenter, and is such a proficient in that business as not only to repair, but to build a sorts of small craft.  The day that he went off, he was accompanied by a dark Mulatto fellow named SCIPIO, the property of Mr. John McMillan, of Prince William county, in Virginia, of much the same age and size as  himself.  They crossed Potamack river together, in a schooner's boat, to the Maryland shore, where they left her, and have, from that time, kept themselves undiscovered.  As Billie was some time last summer brought from Carolina (to which place, under the sanction of a forged pass, he had travelled as a freeman) it is more than pos[s]able that if he is not now engaged by some ship builders to the northward, that he will endeavor to go on board some craft, bound for Charles-Town, or to some place in Carolina, where he expects to be free.

Whoever takes up the said Negro, or Mulatto, and brings one, or both, to the subscriber, or to Mr. John Calvert, manager of Col. Taylor's mine-bank in Baltimore county, or will secure them, so as they may be had again, shall receive, for each, a reward of 5 l. if taken forty miles from home, or the above reward, if at a greater distance, from the said Mr. John Calvert, or from THOMAS LAWSON.

N.B. Billie plays on the violin