WILLIAM R. FLOWERS, one of the prosperous exponents of farm industry in Short Creek Township, Harrison County, is a scion of a family whose name has been identified with Ohio annals since the pioneer period and with the history of the United States since the colonial epoch, within which representatives of the name established their residence in the historic old commonwealth of Virginia.
     Mr. Flower was born in Gallia County, Ohio, Jan. 31, 1873, and is a son of Benjamin F. and Sophia (Richey) Flowers, the former of whom was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, and the latter in Short Creek Township, Harrison County, where the father, Andrew Richey, was a pioneer farmer and a member of a family that has been one of prominence in this section of the state since the opening period of the nineteenth century.
     Benjamin Franklin Flowers was a son of Charles and Sarah (Jordan) Flowers, the former of whom was born in Loudon County, Virginia, and the latter was born near Cumberland, Guernsey County, Ohio, a daughter of Adam Jordan.  Charles Flowers died in Tennessee while serving as a gallant soldier of the Union in the Civil war in which he was a member of the Seventy-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  His eldest son, Adam, served during thee years of the Civil war was served during three years of the Civil war was captured by the enemy and was held a prisoner of war for eight months and three days.  Aaron and Jesse, the next two sons, died in childhood.  Harris died while serving in the Civil war.  Benjamin Franklin was the next in order of birth, and the other children were David, Christianna, Mary and Rachel.  Aaron Flowers, great-grandfather of the subject of this review, passed is entire life in Virginia, where he was a prosperous planter in London County.
     Benjamin F. Flowers was reared and educated in Gallia County, where he was engaged in farming until his removal to Muskingum County, and finally he went to Mason County, Virginia, where he now maintains his residence.  His wife passed away in 1903, survived by three children - William R., Elizabeth and Maude.
     The public schools of his native state afforded William R. Flowers his early education, and from his youth he has been continuously associated with the basic industries of agriculture and stock-growing.  In 1887, when fourteen years of age, he came to Short Creek Township, Harrison County, where he lived about fifteen years in the home of David Minteen, and in the spring of 1914 he purchased and established his home on his present farm, which comprises eighty-three acres and upon which he has made numerous improvements, especially in modernizing the farm buildings and the installing of an effective private electric-light plant.  He is progressive not only in his farm enterprise but also as a liberal and public-spirited citizen.  Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Harrisville.
     Nov. 27 1892, recorded the marriage of Mr. Flowers to Miss Alice C. Dickerson, who was born and reared in Harrison County.  A daughter of William and Gabriella (McCoy) Dickerson.  Mr. and Mrs. Flowers became the parents of two children - Edgar D., who remains at the paternal home, and Alice Carrie, who died at the age of four months.  Mr. Flowers passed to the life eternal on the 4th of May, 1903, she having been a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  On the 15th of August, 1906, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Flowers to Miss Carrie Keyser, daughter of John and Martha (Heaton) Keyser.  John Keyser was born and reared in Belmont County, Ohio, and finally he removed to and engaged in farming in Marshall County, West Virginia, where he remained until about the year 1894, returning then with his family to his native county, where he passed the remainder of his life.  His children were eight in number - Emma, Amos, Charles, Alvin, William, John (died at the age of three years), Carrie, and Laura.  Mr. and Mrs. Flowers have no children.
Source: History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio - Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1921 ~ Page 555