FLOREY, TEXAS. Florey, on U.S. Highway 385 twelve miles north of Andrews in northwestern Andrews County, was named for A. J. Florey, a pioneer rancher who settled in the area in 1908. The community, originally called Smackover, was first formed around 1903 by Pete Hollebeke, Willis Howell, Bob Hill, and the Jimerson families. When a post office began operation there in 1909, Lee N. Smith was postmaster. That same year the community's first school was built through donations, and Miss Edna McCorkle was appointed the first teacher. On December 15, 1938, the Florey school was incorporated into the Andrews Independent School District. A camp for the Humble Oil Company (later Exxon Company, U.S.A) was established in Florey in 1934 but was abandoned in 1956. In 1940 the community had one store and a population of fifty. In 1978 Florey consisted mainly of a county park. The community reported a population of twenty-five in 1990 and again in 2000.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Andrews County History, 1876-1978 (Andrews, Texas: Andrews County Heritage Committee, 1978).

Tracey L. Compton