Biography
Almira Greene "Mother" Prindle was an Orthodox Quaker who advocated for homeless women and children. Prindle was born to a Quaker couple in Starksboro, Vermont, was a schoolteacher prior to marriage, and was influenced by Quaker prophet, Joseph Hoag.
She gave many speeches on the suffering of the homeless, specifically women and young boys, and this earned her the nickname "Mother Prindle." She married Cyrus Prindle, a botanist and conscientious objector on February 25, 1863, the year after she had influenced and aided him in becoming a Quaker. In 1872 they separated, because Almira Prindle wished to engage in evangelistic work. She wanted her husband to join her, but he refused. They formally divorced on October 16, 1877 and Cyrus then assumed the spelling of "Pringle," claiming that he was returning to the original Scottish form of the name. He went on to become a world-famous botanist.
After her divorce, Prindle left Vermont to work in Florence Crittenton Homes throughout the Eastern United States. Her achievements as a social worker are largely unknown in Vermont, but she did forty years of mission work in Buffalo, Chicago, New York City, Boston, Columbus, Minneapolis, and Little Rock. Prindle founded the Florence Crittenton home in Newark, Ohio and was a paid employee of Crittenton Homes.Occupation
Teacher
Missionary