Editing Flora, Illinois (section)

==History==
Flora was founded by Samuel White. White was born September 10, 1831, in Warren County, Ohio.  He and his family came to Clay County in 1852. During that time, he purchased {{convert|85|acres}} of land from the State of Illinois.  His first wife, Sarah Ann Wall was born in 1833.  Sarah died December 13, 1859, in Flora, and is buried in the family plot in Elmwood Cemetery. In December 1860, White married Helen M. Riggs in  Flora.

The original town of Flora was laid out, surveyed and platted in February 1854 by Ethelred Nixon, County Surveyor; John Brown, Trustee for Songer, Camp & Company; and Samuel White.  It embraced eighty-five acres of the west half of Section 25, Township 3 north Range 6 east.  Samuel White who still owned the land, deeded one-half interest in forty acres to John Brown, Trustee, with a view of securing the town and depot. An effort had already been made to establish a town one mile west called Mooresville, where over 100 lots had been sold and some buildings done. After the collapse of that village, the principal house was moved to Flora, and was then known as the "Commercial House."

Samuel White also donated land to the City of Flora for several buildings and the city park. The City Park, at that time called the Public Square, is present day Library Park where Flora Public Library is located.  White donated land for the 1st schoolhouse, the Baptist Church and parsonage. Land was also donated for streets and alleys of the original town of Flora.  The city's founder died November 15, 1912, in Sterling, Colorado, and was returned to Flora for burial in the family plot at Elmwood.

From "Flora, Illinois - Founded 1854" compiled by Flora Resident, Jeanie Briscoe.
The book also contains historic information about the B & O railroad, the history of various buildings, and obituaries of some of Flora's early citizens.
<ref name="History of Flora, Illinois">{{cite web|title=History of Flora, Illinois|url=http://www.florapubliclibrary.org/buy-items/flora-illinois-founded-1954.html/|work=Flora, Illinois - Founded 1854|publisher=Flora Public Library|access-date=21 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091121233818/http://www.florapubliclibrary.org/buy-items/flora-illinois-founded-1954.html/|archive-date=21 November 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>