Samuel Finley (1752 - 1829)

Born 13 Apr 1752 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Brown) Finley — married 5 May 1789 in Newville, Bucks, Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1829 at age 76 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Karen Brown [send private message] and Jamie Lambing [send private message]

Biography

Major Samuel Finley served with 1st Virginia Regiment (1781), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Samuel Finley is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A041149.

• Samuel was born in 1752. He died in 1829 at the age of 76.

• Served in the Virginia cavalry during the American Revolution. Lieutenant of Sheppard's Rifle Company, 7/9/1776. Captain in the 11th Virginia, 12/20/1776. Promoted to Major of Posey's Virginia Riflemen. He served to the close of the war. He was also an officer in the War of 1812. 2 brothers were officers in the Revolution: First Lieut. Andrew Finley of the 8th Pennsylvania and Capt. John Finley of the 8th, 5th, and 2nd PA Regiments.

• Parents: John Finley 1713 - 1757 and Martha (Berkley) Finley 1720 - 1762. They were married in 1734 in Warwick, Bucks, Pennsylvania. John Findagrave #69073158. He served in the American Revolution. He was killed by Indians. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/256274/?offset=0#page=1&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=

• Spouse: Mary (Brown) Finley 1768 - 1838. They were married 5/5/1789 at Big Spring Presbyterian Church in Newville, Cumberland, Pennsylvania. Per Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Church Records.

• Children:

1. John K. Finley 3/30/1790 - 7/13/1791 (twin to James)

• Died as a baby

2. James G. Finley 3/30/1790 - 7/13/1791 (twin to John)

• Died as a baby

3. Martha A. (Finley) McCalla 1792 - 1881

• Married William Latta McCalla 1788 - 1859
• Findagrave #15437191

4. Dr. James Brown Finley 1795 - 1851

• Married Mary T. Brown -
• Married Mary E. Moore - 1888
• Findagrave #113725948

5. Brig. General Clement Alexander Finley 1797 - 1879 (Civil War)

• Married Elisabeth Moore 1812 - 1896
• Married Elizabeth Moore 1817 - 1899
• Findagrave #20197 (pic. on page & bio., the 2 spouses are linked)
• Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. Served as a Surgeon in the Pre-Civil War U.S. Army and as Surgeon General of the Army when the Civil War broke out in 1861. He continued in that capacity until his retirement in 1862, when other officers dealt with and improved Civil War methods of medicine. He was nonetheless brevetted Brigadier General, US Regular Army for "long and faithful services in the Army"

6. Samuel Berkley Finley 1800 - 1877

• Died in Nile, Berrien, MI. No Findagrave found.

7. Dr. John Knox Finley 1806 - 1885

• Married Margaret Williamson (Nevin) 1808 - 1862
• Findagrave #58586485 (bio on page)

8. Colemans Finley 1810 - 1885

Research Notes

• Do not confuse this Samuel Finley with his namesake Uncle, born in 1715 or his cousin born in 1748. This Major Samuel Finley was a personal friend of U.S. President George Washington and a Revolutionary War Veteran. He was the first land Agent in Ohio and one of the first United States Senators from that State.

• Appleton's Cyclopedia indicates highest rank Major.

• Clan Finley indicates highest rank, General.

• Be attentive to mixing indicated namesakes (including uncle and cousin)

• Children listed in DAR record:
• Samuel B. Finley married Ruhamah McLaughlin
• James Brown Finley married Maria Theresa Brown
• John Knox Finley married Margaret Nevin

• Children listed in Matthew Brown, Ancestry and Descendants:
• John Knox, who was a professor in Dickinson College
• Colmans, M.D. The late Surgeon General of the U.S. Army
• Son, name unknown
• Martha who married the Rev. William L. McCalla, a Presbyterian minister

Sources

• DAR Record: https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A041149

• Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography confirms hid birth and death dates & locations.

• Matthew Brown, Ancestry and Descendants. Compiled by Robert Hannon. Brooklyn, New York. 1900. Page 40.

• Samuel is buried at the Bedford Cemetery in Bedford, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, USA. His page has a bio. about his life. It also lists and has links to 2 children. Please link the others if you find them. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45004064/samuel-finley#add-to-vc

• Inscription his headstone: "In Memory of Gen'l Samuel Finley of Chillicothe, Ohio: An officer in the wars of the Revolution and of 1812 and during a great part of his life devout professor and faithful officer in the Church of Christ in the 77th year of his age on a visit to his son in law W. L McCalla xxxx of the 8th Presbyterian Church.

• Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777 - 2012. Samuel Finley. Army. War of 1812. Bedford County Memorial Park in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Death Certificates Index, 1803 - 1915. Samuel Finley, male. Birth date: 1751. Death date/place: 4/3/1829 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Age at death: 78. FHL Number: 1905516.

• U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704 - 1930. General Samuel Finley. Death date/place: 4/2/1829 in Philadelphia. Newspaper: New York Evening Post, published 4/4/1829 in New York, USA. Call Number: 83432.

• U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889 - 1970. Samuel Finley. SAR Membership #4319. Ancestor. Application date: 8/12/1892. Father: John Finley. Mother: Martha Berkley. Spouse: Mary Brown. Children: Clement A. Finley.

• General Samuel Finley: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=78404621&pid=78 ***3/2/22 Bad Link.

• http://revwarapps.org/w10026.pdf Transcribed Pension Application W10026]

Acknowledgements

• Finley-1206 was created by Jamie Lambing through the import of Painter_Finley Family Tree.ged on Mar 19, 2015.