Since my last newsletter, things have gotten better in my life. I have married Melinda BARBER, formerly of Elmira and Batavia, NY. As of June 2002, we are living in Madisonville, KY.

We have decided to continue the newsletter for now, but we cannot guarantee the frequency of issues due to a recent addition to our expanding family. At this time we would like to announce the birth of Timothy John-Findley KESSLER on January 3, 2000; he weighed 8lbs. 3oz. and he was 21 inches long.

You can contact me at my e-mail address of TMKessler@hotmail.com

We have also updated our Personal Ancestral File program to version 5.0 and the new features are amazing. It has better search capabilities and it can be directly linked to the LDS Church's website for more information. I would like to hear from others who are using this program.

I recently passed through Augusta Co, VA, on my way to Elmira, NY, for a quick trip to visit my new wife's family. Since I have always had some information on Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church, I felt I had to try to find it. Unfortunately, we were only able to visit the town of Fishersville, VA, where it is located at about 11 p.m.

However, to my delight, I was able to gain directions to the church from a convenience store clerk. We drove to the site and found a modern church located there. In the darkness, I was unable to ascertain whether the original church built in the 1700s was still standing.

More importantly, I found an adjacent cemetery. There I found a large monument to one of our FINLEY families. The monument resembles the Washington Monument. On each side there were inscriptions. Next to the monument, I found two small headstones that showed Lula FINLEY MOFFETT, 1872-1956, and Virginia Ruth FINLEY, 1880-1964.

Part of the inscriptions on the monument are as follows: George W. FINLEY, b 1 Dec 1838; d 23 Apr 1909. DD, Pastor of Tinkling Spring from Feb 1892-April 1909. Devoted husband and father, faithful minister, gallant Confederate soldier.

On another side: his family, congregation, friends and comrades erect this monument as a tribute of love and admiration.

On yet another side: Margaret Elizabeth FINLEY, wife of George W. FINLEY, b 7 Apr 1840; d 29 Mar 1909.

The final side said: "Lovely and pleasant in their lives and of their death, they were not divided."

I know we have mentioned this church and this family in past newsletters, but if anyone else has information on the family or whether the original church is still there, please let me know. It may be possible to gain information by writing directly to the current church pastor, but I have not done this yet.

Query No. 1: Jim SELLARS at Jsellars3@aol.com states that he is at a dead end in trying to find his FINLEY ancestors. He is related to the FINLEYS of Cumberland County, PA back to the 1740's. He provides us with the following information.

September 1748- Samuel SELLERS and "brother-in-law" Thomas FINLEY are mentioned in the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church Session Book. There is also a George FINLEY mentioned on the same date, but no relationship is given.

1751- Thomas FINLEY and Samuel SELLERS first appear in Hopewell Twp., Cumberland Co., PA tax records.

July 1, 1761- Wife of Samuel SELLERS was murdered in Shippensburg (was she a FINLEY? We're not sure.). She was killed by Abraham FREEHOLD and Robert BROWN.

1763- Thomas FINLEY purchases 2 town lots in Shippensburg.

1767- Thomas FINLEY sells land to Samuel SELLERS. Nathaniel SELLERS, brother to Samuel, had 2 children. Nathan, who married Sarah FINLEY, and John, who married Elizabeth FINLEY, in Lurgan Twp., Cumberland Co., PA. They are believed to be the daughters of John and Alice FINLEY of Letterkenny Twp., Cumberland Co., PA. Alice later married James Adams about 1760, after John's death. (Was he killed by Indians?) John and Alice had children named Sarah, Elizabeth, George and others.

These SELLERS and FINLEYS later moved to Bourbon County, KY. These sisters may have had a brother George, who married Polly LEMMON in 1810 in Bourbon Co., KY. Nathan SELLERS sold land to him in 1794. George was a prisoner of the Indians for 15 years. There was a George captured in Kentucky in June of 1780 and taken to Montreal. Not sure if it is the same George.

An obituary of Margaret Sellers KLINE, daughter of John SELLER and Elizabeth FINLEY, said that her grandfather was John FINLEY and he had a brother George taken prisoner as a child.

An obituary of one of George and Polly's daughters mentions that her grandfather was killed by Indians (no name) and her father was a prisoner of the Indians for 15 years.

I believe these FINLEYS are related to the large FINLEY clan. Who are well documented as living in the Cumberland County area, we just need to find the connection.

Answer: We have Samuel SELLERS but we have no information for him. We also have Nathaniel SELLERS, but no wife's name for him. But we do have his 2 sons on record and their wives as well as their children.

We do have George FINLEY. He married Mary Polly LEMMON April 24, 1810. He was b. before 1765 in KY and d. after May 19, 1818 in Harrison County, KY.

As for Margaret Sellers KLINE'S, daughter of John SELLERS and Elizabeth FINLEY, grandfather's brother, George, we don't have him in our database. If anyone can help us with this we would greatly appreciate it. Elizabeth FINLEY'S father John FINLEY Jr. was born in 1720 and died in 1768. His father, John FINLEY Sr., was born in 1691 and died in 1769. John Sr. was married February 18, 1711 to Marie MC NEOLE. It is their 2^nd son, George, that we need information on.

Query No. 2: Thelma FINDLAY at tfindla1@videon.wave.ca states:

I would like to know if you have any information on the following lineage:

Moor FINDLATER m. to Mary COWAN.

Thomas FINDLAY/FINLATER/FINDLATER b. c. 1808 Ireland (d. Dally Bay, Wigtownshire, Scotland) m. to Elizabeth MCCLURG in October 1831 Kirkcolm Parish, Wigtownshire, Scotland. Had issue 11 children that I know of, one being:

Gavin FINDLAY, b. October 31, 1854, Dally Bay, Wigtownshire, Scotland (d. 1938 in Fleming, Saskatchewan, Canada) m. to Margaret MCCOY in October 1875, Dally, Kirkcolm Parish, Wigtownshire, Scotland. Had issue 5 children, one being:

James FINDLAY, b. December 1884, Dally, Kirkcolm Parish, Wigtownshire, Scotland (d. January 1945 in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, Canada) m. Mary Elizabeth TRENAMAN in May 1919, Moosomin, Saskatchewan, Canada. Had issue 5 children, one being:

George Alvin (Al) FINDLAY, who is my late father-in-law, his son, my husband, is Gavin Douglas FINDLAY. We have 2 children: Samantha Fay and Gavin James.

Answer: Unfortunately we show none of these names in our database, and none that come close either. If anyone has any information on this line, please contact us, with the information, as soon as possible.

Query No. 3: Dana ODLE at dodle2@gw.bsu.edu asks:

I am trying to find the death location of Michael FINLEY'S wife Ann O'NEILL. They came from Ireland in 1734. In 1747 I found Michael and his son Michael on the tax records in Chester Co, PA, but after that I can find no record or any cemeteries listing their burials. They were staunch Presbyterians when they came from Ireland, so I thought maybe there was a church cemetery in that area where they were buried. I visited there this summer and could find no cemeteries with FINLEY listings. I found that unusual since there were so many FINLEYS that lived in that and surrounding areas. Also Michael Sr. had a son named George that supposedly went to North Carolina with his brother Andrew, but again, I find death records and burial for Andrew but not George. This George also had a son named George that I am looking for. After that they came to Indiana and I have at least five generations that I can pinpoint. If you can help me with any of these questions I would very much appreciate it.

My mother's maiden name is FINLEY, she is 93 years old and I would very much like to find these locations for her.

Answer: Michael FINLEY died in 1747 in Sadsbury Twp., Chester Co, PA. For his Wife Ann we only have a death date of 1758. Their son Michael Jr. died June 19, 1785 in Hamilton Bann, York Co, PA. Michael and Ann's son George died in 1802, Greensboro, Guilford Co, NC. And George's son George, who was a Captain, died January 28, 1833 in Greensboro, NC.

Unfortunately, that is the only information that we have on these individuals.

Query No. 4: James Lee at jlee3@rochester.rr.com writes:

I have a lot of information on the FINLEYs of Illinois. I am looking for William P. FINLEY, b.1858, d.1907 in Coles County, IL, I think. He marries Martha Ann SHIELDS b.1867, d.1963. Their children were John Wesley FINLEY, Ethel FINLEY, Kenneth Charles FINLEY; b. May 28, 1903, d.1986 in Mattoon, IL; and Harold P. FINLEY, b.1900, d.1970 in Avon, NY. That was my grandfather.

Answer: We have some of the names in our database but none that match exactly or even come close to what was given.

Query No. 5: L. D. Pierce at eztone@swbell.net writes:

AR, MO, TX; Descendants of John F. FINLEY.

Generation 1:

1. John F. FINLEY married Mary Fanny WRIGHT. All children except Ora and Lula were born in MO.

Notes for John F. FINLEY: Born in KY according to 1870 Hill County TX, census. He was age 45 in 1870.

Notes for Mary Fanny FINLEY: Born in VA according to 1870 census Hill County, TX.

Children of John FINLEY and Mary WRIGHT are:

1. Aqua Ora FINLEY, b. February 10, 1867, Johnson Co., TX. The 1870 Hill Co. census shows birth in Arkansas. She d. November 26, 1929, buried November 28 Hansford County Cemetery; m. Lorenzo Dow PIERCE, aft. 1884; b. January 26, 1856, Cherokee, Cherokee Co., GA; near Rome, GA; d.1923, Spearman, TX.
2. Laura Louella FINLEY, b.1858; d. June 8, 1913, Young County, TX, between Olney, TX and Newcastle True Cemetery; m. (1) James Jesse WILLIS, d.1909; m. (2)?? RAY.

Notes for Laura Louella FINLEY: A very large person and very dark in coloring. Possibly Indian or black Dutch.

3. Mary E. FINLEY, age 18 in 1870.
4. Chapel G. FINLEY.
5. Jefferson FINLEY.
6. Napoleon FINLEY.
7. Sarah FINLEY.
8. Lula FINLEY, b.1869, TX.

Answer: The only Mary WRIGHT that we found was b. October 1, 1836 in VA and d. February 25,1881. But this one is married to William FINLEY and their only child is shown as Elmer Ellsworth FINLEY. We also have numerous Lula FINLEY'S, Jefferson FINLEY'S and one Napoleon FINLEY. However none of them have the above mentioned parents.

Query No. 6: Wes FINLEY at wfinley@wkyt.com writes:

My great-great-grandfather was Richard Watson FINLEY. He and his brother Newton Webster were somewhat famous in Texas. I am hoping you could help me trace back beyond their parents, Rev. Robert S. and Mary H. (Cole) FINLEY. They lived in Lauderdale County, MS for a while then moved to Texas. This is what it says about him in the Texas Handbook online.

FINLEY, Richard Watson (1851-1937). Richard Watson FINLEY, politician and businessman, the son of Rev. Robert S. and Mary H. (Cole) FINLEY, was born on November 9, 1851, in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. His Methodist parents, who settled first in Anderson County, brought him to Texas as a small child. He was educated in Texas common schools and Marshall College, then moved to Jefferson, where he became a store clerk. He later moved to Queen City and began a successful cotton commission and warehouse business and served as a justice of the peace. In 1883 FINLEY moved to Austin, where he became a clerk in the office of the comptroller of public accounts. He worked there for eight years and eventually became chief bookkeeper.

FINLEY was a consistent Democrat and, like his brother, Newton Webster FINLEY, a friend and loyal supporter of James Stephen HOGG. When HOGG became governor in 1891 he appointed FINLEY the financial agent for the Texas penitentiaries, at the time one of the most important gubernatorial appointments. In that post FINLEY labored successfully to make the state penitentiaries self-sustaining, a stated goal of the HOGG administration. In 1894 he was nominated by the by the Democratic Party and then elected comptroller. He was re-elected in 1896 and retired at the end of that term, when he entered private business in Austin as representative of the U.S. Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Co. and as an insurance commissioner for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. He was a founder of the Southwestern Water Works Association and a director of the Austin National Bank.

FINLEY married Texana BLALOCK on July 16, 1873, and the couple had eight children. He died in Austin on December 12, 1937. He was an Elk, a Mason, an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Austin American-Statesman, December 13, 1937. Lewis E. Daniell, Personnel of the Texas State Government, with Sketches of Representative Men of Texas (Austin: City Printing, 1887; 3d ed., San Antonio: Maverick, 1892). E. H. Loughery, Texas State Government (Austin: McLeod and Jackson, 1897).

Answer: We do have many Richards and Robert FINLEYS but need more information to continue the search.

Query No. 7: Geraldine JOHNSON at gnjohn@voicenet.com writes:

I have some information that John FINLEY, I think he is Lafayette and Elisha's father, married a Hannah GOODEN or GOODIN. Do you have anything on this line?

Answer: We do have some information but not much. The only thing that we have in our records are there names and until now though we did not have Hannah's last name. Also we have no dates on either of them. But I trust Ms JOHNSON's as I know that she has done very extensive research and she has sent us everything that she had. So over the next few issues we will be including some of the things that she graciously sent us, when we have the time to look it over.

Query No. 8: Chuck FINLEY at 3finleys@intertek.net writes:

Do you have any information on Samuel FINLEY who was in the 1825 census of Clinton County, IL. He may have died around 1830 leaving orphans Fernando Cortez, Thomas, Preston, Mary Polly, and William FINLEY. I believe Fernando changed his name to Ferdinand Curtis later on.

Answer: We have only one Mary Polly FINLEY in our database with the father being Samuel FINLEY. But we have him as dying in 1842 in Tipton, Iowa. But there are no other children shown for this Samuel. I also found a Preston FINLEY who's father was also Samuel but they were from Indiana. And he was born in 1828.

Query No. 9: William R. FINLEY at AdaandBill@aol.com writes:

Perhaps you can help me out with these elusive FINLEYS. A cousin searched for 30 years for their ancestors. Allen Leeper FINLEY was my great-grandfather. All lived in Johnson County, Illinois. The relationship between the first 3 siblings is well established, the fourth sibling is questionable. Many of the associated families in Johnson County came from Henry and Benton Counties, Tennessee.

The following is a partial list that he sent us.

1. Unknown FINLEY was born in SC. William W. FINLEY says his father was born in SC, his mother in Tennessee

Unknown FINLEY had the following children:

1. Elizabeth "Betsy" FINLEY was born in North Carolina about 1812.
2. William W. FINLEY was born in Tennessee about 1818. He married Susan HODGE in Johnson County, IL July 8, 1846. William FINLEY and John S. WHITTENBURG (both Methodist ministers) established Finley Chapel about 1855.
3. Allen Leeper FINLEY was born in Tennessee, estimated 1820. Allen died before 1857. He married Rebecca Jane ________ in Johnson County, IL, May 25, 1847. Rebecca was born in Tennessee about 1817. She married David J. VAUGHN in Johnson County, IL, March 1, 1857. She married Rufus BEAN in Johnson County, IL, December 29, 1870. She Unknown PLIANT before 1845. Rebecca died September 5, 1895 in Grantsburg Township, Johnson County, IL at 78 years of age.
4. Robert A. FINLEY was born in Alabama about 1825. He married Sheba. Sheba was born in Tennessee about 1835. Unsure of relationship but he lived in the same neighborhood.

That is all the information that he was able to give us.

Answer: Unfortunately when Bill first called us we were unable to find any of these people in our database, that would match. So I suggested that he send us the information and hopefully someone who gets this will be able to help him in his search for he is at a dead end. If anyone can help please e-mail both Bill and myself the information, it would be greatly appreciated.

Query No. 10: Rev. Scott ARCHER at sarcher@davesworld.net writes:

Sarah Elizabeth FINLEY was born between 1753 and 1765 in Cumberland County, PA. She married Nathan SELLARS about 1784. They moved to Eaton, Preble County, Ohio. One of their children was Elenor (Nellie) SELLARS, my 4^th great grandmother, born in 1788. Sarah Finley SELLARS died September 16, 1838. I received her probate from the Preble County Historical Library a few weeks ago. They only had one son, John Finley SELLARS. Sarah is also mentioned in the will of Nathan SELLARS (July 28, 1824). Sarah FINLEY is also in our old family Bible.

Again, my question is about Sarah's parents and grandparents. We believe Sarah FINLEY was the daughter of John FINLEY and Alice MITCHELL. Stout incorrectly puts her as the daughter of Elizabeth FINLEY and Capt. William PEEBLES. He lists her as married to Nathan SELLARS. We also believe her grandparents to be John FINLEY (b. August 23, 1691) and Elizabeth MCNEALE (b. 1690). Stout incorrectly makes this John married to Alice MITCHELL. Do you have any evidence of Sarah FINLEY'S parentage? This is my major question.

My secondary question is about Elizabeth WARRENDER (b. 1530, m. to James FINLEY). Was her mother an ARBUTHNOTT? I've seen this in many different places. BURKE'S "Peerage and Baronetage" lists Christina ARBUTHNOTT as the daughter of Robert ARBUTHNOTT and Christian KIETH, but doesn't list the husband. I believe this Christina to be the wife of William WARRENDER. Do you know anything about this?

Rev. Archer wrote us once before and gave us his FINLEY family line were it extends from and it is as follows:

James FINLEY = Elizabeth WARRENDER (I'm also looking at this line…the KIETHS, DOUGLAS', GORDON'S, etc.)

John FINLEY = Sarah CRAIGIE

James FINLEY = Margaret MACKIE

Alexander FINLEY = Margaret JENNINGS

John FINLEY = Elizabeth MCNEALE

John FINLEY = Alice MITCHELL (name hasn't been proven, I believe)

Sarah Elizabeth FINLEY = Nathan SELLARS

Elenor SELLERS = Daniel MCCOY

John MCCOY = Isabella STEPHENSON

Capt. Henry Daniel MCCOY = Martha BRADY

Elmo MCCOY = Jessie TUCKER

Carl MCCOY = Bessie Helen BURGIN

Marion Jean MCCOY = Robert Graham ARCHER

Fr. Scott ARCHER (me)

Answer: Sarah Elizabeth FINLEY'S parents are John FINLEY Jr. and Alice MITCHELL. Her grandparents are John FINLEY Sr. and Marie MCNEOLE (the spelling may be incorrect). And in answer to your second question, Elizabeth WARRENDER'S mother was indeed Christina ARBUTHNOTT and Christina's husband was William WARRENDER. But we have no dates on Elizabeth, Christina or William and only death dates on Christina's parents.

Query No. 11: Paula at Loose100lb@aol.com writes:

I am having a rough time finding my James FINLEY that left PA and settled in Hocking County, Ohio. He was born May 11, 1811 and married Margaret WATTS in 1841 in Hocking County. They had six children: Nancy, Lydia, Richard, Robert, Mary and Theodore. In the spring of 1866 they left Hocking County with another FINLEY family (originally from Morgan County, Ohio), and they settled in Wayne County, IL. James died in 1872 and was buried in Bovee Cemetery. Somehow James FINLEY is related to Morgan County FINLEY'S, but I cannot figure out how. The Morgan County FINLEY'S are from Washington County, PA, and previously Westmoreland. Do you have any data that may help me out?

Answer: Unfortunately we were unable to find these people on the information given. More information is needed on James FINLEY in order to a further search.

Query No. 12: Alice A. LINDSEY at alindsey@up.net writes:

I am a descendant of William FINLEY b. about 1750-1760 in Baltimore, MD and d. February 17, 1815 in Sullivan County, TN and Nancy TREADWAY (his wife) b. October 5, 1773 IN Baltimore, MD; through their son, Thomas H. FINLEY b. December 21, 1792 in Buncombe County, NC. The LDS site had this William FINLEY as a son of one of the John FINLEYS of Augusta County, VA, but after reading some old copies of your newsletters sent to me by a distant cousin, Margaret FINLEY, it would seem that this information was incorrect. I was wondering if you might know where I could find any info on the FINLEYS from MD. I haven't had much luck yet trying to connect up to my William.

Answer: We do have this William FINLEY in our database but we list no parents for him at this point in time. He was b. about 1769 and d. February 17, 1815. But we have him listed as passing away in Robertson County, TN. We suggested that she start by looking in books by Stout, and checking information in her local library. If anyone else has any suggestions please contact her and us as well.

Query No. 13: Jane Hall at j_hall@optusnet.com.au writes:

I have begun research into the FINLEY family. It is a maze. I am located in Melbourne Australia. My grandfather was David Roy FINLEY, who jumped ship in Melbourne, he married my grandmother, Mary Matilda BETTS. David Roy was born in Sandhill, MO in March 1881 and dies on July 8, 1908. His father was David FINLEY born 1848 in West Virginia and die May 7, 1931. He was married to Martha Jane March b. March 30, 1845 in MO and d. May 5, 1923. David's parents I have as only James FINLEY and Susan______ (maybe STEIN). I would appreciate any information on whether you can help me at all and where I should go if you can't.

Answer: We searched our database and this is what we came up with: David Roy FINLEY b. March 1, 1881 in Sandhill, MO, d. 1923 in Australia. We had no wife and 1 child, David William FINLEY. For David Roy FINELY'S parents we have David FINLEY b. about 1849 in VA, d. May 7, 1931 in Pierce County, WV. He married Mary Jane MARCH, b. March 30, 1845 in MO and d. May 5, 1928 in Lewis County, WV, on January 27, 1870, Knox County, MO. David FINLEY'S parents were James FINLEY, b. about 1821 in VA and d. January 1, 1883, he was married to Susan FINLEY, b. about 1813.

We can go back further bit that would take a lot of space and time. But we are going to update our database with the information that she has provided us and any further information that she may send to us.

Query No. 14: Michele Morris at gl4gd@yahoo.com writes:

I am looking for info about my great grandmother, Matilda FINLEY, b. November 10, 1862 and d. October 20, 1933. She married Richard Thomas DEVALL and they had 4 children. I would like to know when and where they married. Also trying to get information on Mary Emeline 'Emily" GILMORE, who was Matilda FINLEY'S mother. I do not know her spouses' name or when they married. Richard and Matilda ended up near Baton Rouge, LA. Richard dies in 1891, he was born about 1863. I have my grandmother's sibling's names and dates of birth and death. Also have siblings for Matilda and Mary Emaline if you need them. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: Unfortunately we do not have this information in our database. We would need further information on Matilda's father to go any further.

That concludes this issue of Finley Findings. We hope that you have enjoyed it. In our next issue we plan to continue with the line of Samuel FINLEY, mainly his son, Dr. James Edwards Burr FINLEY, also from the papers sent to us from Mr. Robert D. AYRES. Also in our next issue we will be including a photo of one of the monuments from the cemetery in VA. Thank you for being so patient and loyal to Finley Findings.

© 2002 TMKessler@hotmail.com