Born in Wisconsin, USA on June 30, 1863, Florence Julia Levis was called Fannie, pronounced by some in the family as "Fawny". Her father was Mahlon Levis of Bucks, Pennsylvania and mother was Maria Elizabeth Olden of Ontario, Canada (England.) Florence Julia Levis was one of 12 children. She is found in the Census of 1880 in two places; attending school in Pennsylvania while living with a John Levis and other family members in the household. She is also listed living in Fresno, California living with her father Mahlon Levis. Both census list her as 17 years old. It was common after the railroads expanded the country that older children would travel back east for schooling, and would live with relatives still residing there. Family records show she did get her schooling in Pennsylvania.
On December 9, 1880, at the age of 17, she married Jonathan A. King of Perry County, Illinois. They married at Fresno County, California and made their home at Selma, California.
*Note: In the "Great Record" Florence is listed as Lewis instead of Levis; this is a typo error from a later transcription. Jonathan's parents, his sister, her husband and family came west and settled in Sanger, California, and the families spread out their farms and their acquaintances. Jonathan involved himself in local politics. Fanny and Jonathan had their only child, a boy, Alvin Solomon, born December 7, 1883 at Selma, California,in Fresno County.
Fanny divorced Jonathan King in a long drawn out and bitter divorce that took nearly 10 years, complete with newspaper reports of the divorce trial at Selma. Perhaps enjoying the public spectacle, Judge Reynolds and the Court Commissioner don't grant the divorce until 1893. Meanwhile, Jonathan had moved to Sanger to live with his sister Abbie and her husband and children, and he never remarries - that we know of. Fannie continued to live in Selma with her large family and her supporters. She owned a candy store there and had other interests and work as well. She raised Alvin who worked the ranch and helped out around the Levis place.
SECOND FAMILY-
Fanny married Nicholas Cabell Carrington, (b.1846-1913), who was born in Virginia. He had a daughter from his first marriage, to Emma (nee Stone) Carrington of Missouri (b.1859-1892) who had died leaving him to raise Nadine Carrington, born January 1888. There were two other children born to Nicholas and Emma but they had both died in infancy. In the Census of 1900, Florence J. Carrington states: married 3 years to Nicholas C. Carrington, "Children born to this woman: 1 . That would be Alvin, born 1883.
Fannie and Nicholas raised Nadine and Alvin together in Selma, California. These two children were 5 years apart in age. Fannie was very involved with her community and enjoyed her many family members. Nadine married Henry Stevens at Selma, California on September 3, 1911 and they made their home in Fresno. Fannie's son Alvin S. married Eva W. "Bertie" Sweezey and they made their home in Selma. Fannie's step daughter Nadine was well educated and worked as a book keeper and then accountant. Alvin worked on several family properties and bought his own ranch. He farmed in the Selma, Kingsburg, and Fowler areas. Nadine became the Fresno County Auditor in the Assessor's office and held that position for many years. In the mid 30's, Alvin was elected Constable of Selma. He is responsible for cleaning up the opium dens along Front Street with raids on the establishments there. Fannie's husband Nicholas died in 1913 at the age of 64. Fannie lived in Selma until her death in 1956.
**Note for Geneologists: Many of the Levis family are buried in Floral Memorial Park in Selma, Fresno County, California, and the others are in West Selma Cemetery and North Selma Cemetery, same town.