More, Florinda Wakefield, 1839-1890

Florinda (Flora) Wakefield was born near Colchester, Vermont on May 27, 1839 to Leonard and Rachel Wakefield. At some point, Wakefield and her parents moved to LeClair, Iowa. Wakefield taught for at least two years before marrying Thomas More on August 17, 1859. Florinda and Thomas More had two children: Charles Wesley More, born January 6, 1861 and Metta Elizabeth More (birth date unknown.) Florinda More died on August 5, 1890 in Gowrie, Iowa. Florinda More's husband, Thomas More, was born in Buffalo, New York on May 19, 1832 to John and Mary Elizabeth More. In 1849, More moved to Iowa with his parents. Although More initially planned on a career in law, he received his license to preach on June 3, 1854 and served the Upper Iowa Conference of the Methodist Church until his death in 1877. During Thomas More's tenure with the Methodist Church, the family lived in several Iowa towns, including Cascade, Elkader, Nashua and Janesville. During the Civil War, More was unable to join the Union Army as a chaplain due to a childhood injury. More died of congestive fever on September 7, 1877 at the age of forty-five.

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