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David Finch (1795 - 1848)

Rev. David Finch
Born in Colchester, Delaware, New Yorkmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
Brother of , , , , , , and
Husband of — married 1820 in Virginia, United Statesmap
Father of , , , , , , and
Died at age 52 in Alaiedon Township, Ingham, Michigan, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Eric Andersen-Vie private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 8 Jun 2018
This page has been accessed 209 times.

Contents

Biography

David was born in 1795 in New York. He was the son of James Finch and Mary Finney. He passed away in 1848.[1]

Four children of James and Mary - David, James W., John and Phoebe Finch -moved to Frederick County, Virginia from New York. David and James were apparently the first ones who moved by 1820 and were recorded living two dwellings away from each other in the 1820 census, with many neighbors with the surname Catlett nearby. (note by DM Finch: the 1820 Delaware, NY census noted by someone else appears to be for the wrong David).

David married Mary A. Catlett and their children were Amanda (Finch) Tweedie (1819-?), Solomon (1821-?), William Finch (1823-?), Seth Finch (1828-1857), Clarinda Finch (1828-1908), Adelaide Louisa Finch (1837-1895), Emily (Finch) Bridges (1841-1885), Emma Finch (?-1856), and Sally Ann Finch (1831-1844).

Their first 2-4 children were born in Virginia (see 1820 Frederick, VA census). David and Mary migrated to Sharon, Michigan where their daughter Adelaide Louisa was born in 1837 (source: Adelaide's obituary). They then settled on part of Section 35, Alaiedon Township, Michigan in 1840 where David was the local minister. A David Finch purchased 120 acres through the Ionia, MI office, issued 10 Nov 1841 (source: Michigan Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908).

David's brother Isaac Seeley Finch, another minister, also settled in Alaiedon about the same time (source: Edwin Ward Finch 1909) and remained until after the 1850 census before moving first to Jackson County, MI, then to Hillsdale County, MI (Jackson and Hillsdale censuses). David and Isaac were both recorded paying taxes in Alaiedon (source: History of Ingham and Eaton Counties, Michigan). Solomon Finch who was most likely David's oldest son was also recorded paying taxes in Alaiedon during the period when David was a resident.

David passed away on 22 Feb 1848 in Alaiedon Township, Ingham, Michigan (Aged: 52y, 6m, 15d) followed with burial at the Dubois Cemetery in Mason, Ingham County, Michigan

The above biographical sketch and many of the sources listed below were contributed by DM Finch. David Finch is DM Finch's 2nd great granduncle.

Sources

  1. ↑ Claude B. Thummel, "Descendants of John Finch of Connecticut"
SOURCE - Claude B. Thummel, "Descendants of John Finch of Connecticut"
self published 1965. Thummel reference via Henry numbers = 311-132-5
NOTES from Thummel -
1820 at Census Sidney, Delaware Co, N.Y. (the copy of Thummel's work shows this entry entered by hand. (Note by DM Finch: this is likely the wrong census as David Finch was in Virginia in 1820 (see 1820 Frederick, VA census.)
1850 Census Alaiedon, Ingham Co, Michigan, shows widow with three children.https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/141845?availability=Family%20History%20Library
Alaiedon Township, Ingham, Michigan
House Number 121
Household ID 123
Mary Finch, F, Age 48, born VA
Solomon Finch, M, Age 29, born VA
Louisa A Finch, F, Age 12, born MI
Emily M Finch, F, Age 9, born MI
NOTE -
1. Isaac S. Finch and his family also continue to live in this same township.
2. Mary Finch as head of the family, is age 48.
  • Citing this Record
"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch ( Familysearch image ), Solomon Finch in household of Mary Finch, Alaiedon Township, Ingham, Michigan, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
RESOURCE - Familysearch profile #LQ5H-YZG for David Finch
Referencing web page David Finch Familysearch Profile LQ5H-YZG containing data and sources including references listed below.
History of Ingham and Eaton Counties, Michigan
Original data - Durant, Samuel W.. History of Ingham and Eaton Counties, Michigan with illustrations and biographical sketches of their prominent men and pioneers.
Printed Philadelphia by D.W. Ensign & Co., 1880.
This book is available to view online at HathiTrust
- David Finch became a resident of Alaeidon, Ingham County, Michigan in 1843. His brother Isaac settled on Section 14 in 1839.
- Taxpayers in 1844 including David and Isaac S. Finch
NOTES to these citations. The person who left these citations on the Familysearch website (and referencing Ancestry dot com) seems to be summarizing the content that was found in this book. Important deviations have been noted. Among them are the following -
1. The book does not connect Isaac and David Finch as brothers.
2. While one part of the book says that David became resident of a certain section of the county in 1843, another portion shows him on a tax list in 1841.
3. Both Isaac and David Finch are mentioned multiple times, but also mentioned is Solomon Finch.

Commentary Discussion

Below is a commentary and opinion by Carl Christensen with respect to the discrepancy between the birth and death data given by Claude Thummel, and the birth and death data shown at DuBois Cemetery. Please leave a public comment below if you want to refute these ideas or can offer proof that there were two different men named David Finch discussed in this profile.

Note that the grave marker image provided by Allison Findlay (on David Finch's Findagrave memorial page) and also the DuBois Cemetery plaque show Rev. David Finch as born 1795 and died 1848 (specifically, the marker shows he died on February 22, 1848 at age 52 years, 6 months and 15 days making his birth on August 7, 1795). This conflicts with data shown by Claude B. Thummel in his 1965 work "Descendants of John Finch of Connecticut" where Thummel, without reference to a source, lists his birth as 1787 and death as in January 1847. This is clearly the same man and same family that Thummel is referring to. Census data for 1830 seems to support that he was born prior to 1795. Even the much less precise 1820 Census data is not at odds with this idea. We know that thummel tells us that wife Mary Catlett is born 1802 in Virginia (this supported by the 1850 Census). The 1830 Census correctly shows her as at least 20 and under 30. The 1820 Census shows a woman who cannot be the same person as shown in the 1830 Census for this man's family. Believe that he remarried after the 1820 Census to "Mary Catlett". (Comment by DM Finch: the 1820 Delaware, NY census is the wrong census. If one goes to Frederick, VA census, it will be seen that the woman's age matches with Mary Catlett's age. Their first few children were born in VA not NY, based on data from later censuses for the children). And if he could pass for a younger age?? Believe that the age of death discrepancy is more easily explained by the idea that Mr Thummel did much of his work via correspondence. Family bibles and old letters were very important. In this case, I believe that he discovered a notation somewhere that David was last heard from in about January 1847. Also, memories sometimes fade, and a person who may have had first hand knowledge, may have indicated that David died in "oh, about 1847, perhaps January." Anyhow, the data we have access to now far exceeds what Mr Thummel had available to him in 1965, or left over from his 1955 work, or perhaps gathered by his wife (it was she who was directly descended from the Finch family).

Contributions

Eric Andersen-Vie
Carl Christensen




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with David by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with David:

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Comments: 1

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Finch-4985 DM Finch
Hi folks, I advertised for information about David and his brother Isaac through a Michigan historical society which posted my ad in their newsletter. I received a response documenting David's and his son Seth's burial at Dubois Cemetery from a Michigander which I posted on FamilySearch (referenced in the notes above). The David in the 1820 Sidney, Delaware, NY census is no doubt the wrong David. The Frederick Co., VA 1820 census appears to have the correct David Finch who is listed 2 doors down from his brother James W. Finch. The 1820 VA census resolves the discrepancy with David's wife Mary's age. Thummel's birth dates for some of David's father James's children are a bit off or simply aren't listed like Phoebe's. It's helpful to try to line their birth dates up with respect to age ranges listed in census records for James.

Also, the 1830 Cincinati, OH census record does not line up with age dates of David's children or himself. David had two boys under 10 and two girls 10 and under in 1830 but the census reports one boy and three girls, one of which would have been born when Mary was 9-13 years old. In addition it reports that the man was over 40 and the woman was under 29 but David was only 33 at this time based on the FAG burial date combined with the VA 1820 census. To conclude, the David listed in the 1830 OH census does not appear to be the right David. And I do not believe he was married twice. The correct 1830 census and an 1840 census would be desirable to find.

It helps to evaluate David's whereabouts in the context of his wife and siblings. It's been established that David's wife Mary Catlett was born in Virginia. David is listed in the 1820 Frederick, VA census with many Catlett households near him on the record. Four children of James Finch and Mary Finney migrated from NY to VA: David, James, John and Phoebe. It appears that David and James may have arrived first by or before 1820. Next, John has an early land holding dated 1821 in VA. I haven't found a marriage or land record for David in VA but he stayed long enough to have children. His brother James owned Frederick Co land which he later sold to his brother John (my 2nd great grandfather). I listed John's land holdings in NY and VA in his wikitree profile. Sister Phoebe married John Catlett in 30 Apr 1824 in Frederick Co, VA and remained there for most of her life. Brother John is recorded in the 1830 Frederick Co census, married a 2nd time and remained in VA until near his death.

To further clarify David's whereabouts, the births of his children are somewhat helpful. Solomon was born 1821 in VA, as noted in 1850 and 1860 Alaiedon, MI censuses and Seth was born in 1828 in VA as noted in Find A Grave Memorial 47493955. Two daughters of David - Amanda (Finch) Tweedie and Clarinda (Finch) Kent - were likely also born in VA but 1950 and 1960 MI census records vary between VA and NY for Amanda and insufficient records can be found for Clarinda. A presumed daughter Sally (born 1831, died 1844 at age 13) was buried at Dubois Cemetery where Rev. David Finch and his son Rev. Seth Finch were buried but no birth state was noted in her grave record so her birth state is a toss-up between VA and MI.

The obituary for David's daughter Adelaide L. (Finch) Sayre reports she was born in Sharon, Washtenaw, Michigan in October 27, 1837. This is the first clear record of a child of David's born in Michigian. Adelaide's obituary states that she was "the daughter of Rev. David Finch, one of the early Methodist preachers in this state. When five years old, she removed to the township of Alaideon..." which is 52.1 miles north of Sharon Hollow. So David and his family arrived in Alaeidon about 1842/3 based on the obit. dates. It's possible that he already had land in Aleiadon that he was taxed for before he moved his family there.

David's last daughter, Emily (Finch) Avery was born in 1841 in MI, according to the 1850 Alaiedon census and is present with her mother Mary, sister Adelaide Louisa and brother Solomon. Her father David is absent from the census, having died in 1848. Mother Mary (age 58, birth year 1802) is last found in the 1860 Alaiedon census (post office Mason, MI) where she is living with son Solomon age 38 and daughter Emily age 18. It appears that family continued to live in Alaeidon until and after father David's death in 1848. Dubois Cemetery where David, Seth and Sally Finch are buried is in Mason, and Mason is 4.5 miles from Alaeidon. Cemeteries for Alaeidon are listed in Mason.

Another interesting tidbit: Three of James and Mary (Finney) Finch's children have been recorded as Methodist Episcopal ministers: David, Solomon Finney, and Isaac Seeley. David's son Seth was also a Methodist Episcopal preacher. David's brother John was listed as "Dr." in his son Rev. David Byron's obituary, so it is possible he was also a minister (doctor of theology), but he may also have been a medical doctor like his own son Solomon Phineus Finch or Isaac Seeley's son Edwin Ward Finch.

posted by DM Finch
edited by DM Finch

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Categories: Dubois Cemetery, Mason, Michigan