John Finley (1713 - 1757)

Born 3 May 1713 in Mullaghabrac, County Armagh, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Martha (Barclay) Finley — married 1734 in Warwick Township, Bucks, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 20 Jul 1757 at age 44 in Cumberland County, Province of Pennsylvania

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Biography

1713 Birth and Parents

John Finley was born 1713 in Mullaghbrack Parish, County Armagh, Ireland, ^[1]

John Finley was born 3 May 1713 in Armagh, Ireland. ^[2]

John Finley was born 3 May 1713 in county Armagh, Ireland. ^[3]

John Finley was born in 1713 in Mullaghbrack Parish, County Armagh, Ireland.^[1]

1724 Arrival

1734 Arrived in Philadelphia. ^[2]

In 1724 John came to America with his parents, Michael Finley and Ann O'Neill, landing in Philadelphia. They then moved to Chester Co., Pennsylvania. ^[1]

1734 Marraige to Martha Berkeley

In 1734 John Finley married Martha Berkeley. Martha Berkeley was born in 1720. ^[3]

She was the daughter of John Barclay 1692 - and Catherine (Melville) Barclay 1702 - . They were married 6/25/1754 in Ceres, Fife, Scotland ^{[citation needed]}

Spouse: John Finley 1713 - 1757 (death date not certain). They were married in 1734 in Warwick, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

In 1734 in Warwick, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, he married Martha, born 1720, daughter of John Barclay 1692 - and Catherine (Melville) Barclay 1702 - . They were married 6/25/1714 in Ceres, Fife, Scotland. ^[1]

She died in 1762. ^[1]

It is not clear

• whether the surname of her parents was Barkley or Berkeley.
• whether she married in Ireland or Pennsylvania in 1734

1734 Chester County, Pennsylvania

In 1734 they moved to Chester County, Pennsylvania ^[3]

1744 Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

Some time before 1744, John relocated to Lurgan Twp., Cumberland Co.,PA. ^[1]

In 1744 they moved to Lurgan Township, Cumberland County, where John was a Farmer at Shippensburg. ^[3]

Church and Court

In 1749 he was an elder at the Middle Springs Presbyertian Chgurch. ^[3]

He was ordained an Elder in the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church on June 25,1744. He was later appointed Justice of the Peace for Cumberland Co. on March 10,1749. ^[1]

Residence

Lived in Shippensburg, Pa. ^[2]

Farmer. ^[2]

1757 Death and Burial

Sadly, he was killed by Indians in Joseph Steenson's field (near Shippensburg) on July 20,1757. ^[1]

He was killed by Indians in the harvest field in Cumberland (now Franklin). ^[4]

The Middle Sp;ring Presbyterian Church History ^[5] comments, "Few of the devout pioneers sleep in marked graves, the oldest slab bearing the date 1770. The oldest yard was used as a burial place from the earliest history of the church, and within its bosom is the dust of thousands, while in the four yards, Lower,Upper,Hanna's and the Cemetery, it is estimated there have been seven thousand persons laid to rest..." Since John Finley's grave is unmarked, due to age, we suspect that he rests in the old yard where the old Middle Spring Presbyterian Church resided, in Cumberland Co., PA.

Children

Children:

1. Clements 1735-1775 ^[2]
2. William ^[2]
3. Mary, died 1806 ^[2]
4. Samuel 1752-1828 ^[2]
5. Andrew ^[2]
6. John ^[2]
7. Michael, removewd to Kentucky ^[2]
8. James, went to South Carolina ^[2]

They had nine children: ^[1]

1. Clemont married Elizabeth Carnahan ^[1] Clement F. Finley 1735 - 1775. Married Elizabeth Carnahan 1738 - 1789. Clements (1735-1775) ^[3]
2. William Berkeley Finley 1736 - Married Unk. (Unk.) 1770 -
3. Mary married (1)John Thompson and (2)James Leonard ^[1] Mary Barclay (Finley) Thompson 1737 - 1806 Married John Thompson 1735 - 1766. Mary (1737-1806) ^[3]
4. James married Jean McQuistan ^[1] James Finley 1740 - 1775. Married Jean McQuiston 1745 - 1830. James (1740-1775) ^[3]
5. Michael married Sarah Thompson ^[1]. Michael (1742-1812) ^[3]
6. Ann married Thomas Johnson ^[1] Ann 1745 married Thomas Johnson. ^[3]
7. Elizabeth married (1)Wm. Peebles (2)Wm. McCracken (3)Wm. Rippey ^[1] Elizabeth "Betsy" (Finley) Peebles, McCracken, Rippey 1742 - 1832 Married Captain William Peebles 1745 - 1776; Married William McCracken 1753 - 1803 Married Captain William Rippey 1741 - 1819^[6] Elizabeth (1747-1832) ^[3]
8. Ann Berkeley (Finley) Johnston 1745 - Married Thomas Johnston 1735 -
9. John married Hannah Duncan ^[1] Major John Finley 1748 - 1837 (Rev. War). Married Hannah Duncan 1766 - 1840 ^[7] John (1748-1837 ^[3]
10. Andrew married Jane Jack ^[1] Captain Andrew Finley 1750 - 1829 Married Jennetta Jack 1753 - 1847. Andrew (1750-1829) ^[3]
11. Samuel married Mary Brown ^[1] Samuel Finley 1752 -. Samuel (1752-1829) ^[3]

Research Notes

Who were John Finley's Parents?

Michael Finley and Ann O'Neill

Find-a-Grave reports that in 1724 John came to America with his parents, Michael Finley and Ann O'Neill, landing in Philadelphia. They then moved to Chester Co., Pennsylvania. ^[1]

Stout assures us that John Finley's father was #XIIh, Michael Finley (1683-1747) and Ann O'Neill, and that this John Finley was the only child of these parents named John.. ^[3]

He was the son of Michael Louder Finley, born 10 February 1683, baptized 7 May 1683, Mullaghabrac Parish, Co Armagh, Ireland. ^[8]

Stout, however, has Michael Finley born 7 May 1685 in Armagh, Irfeland. ^[9]

He married in Mullaghabrac, County Armagh, Ireland, 12 July 1712 Ann O'Neill (born 1691, died 1758), daughter of Samuel O'Neill. ^[8]

On 12 July 1712 Michael Finley married Ann O'Neill of Armagh, Ireland. ^[9]

Arrival in 1734

Alternatively, his parents Michael and Ann emigrated to America, arriving at Philadelphia 28 September 1734. ^[9]

They emigrated from Mullaghabrac, County Armagh, Ireland, to Neshaminy Creek, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1734. He was a farmer in Sadsbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, where he was taxed as late as 1747. Many of their children attained prominence. Two of their sons, Andrew and George, eventually migrated to Guilford County, North Carolina. ^[8]

Michael Finley and his family, and his brother, Archibald Finley, and his family, immigrated on the Eagle Wing, arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 28 September 1734. He settled first on Neshaminy Creek in Bucks County, PA and later was in Salem Co., NJ and then was in Sadsbury Township, Chester Co., PA, where his name occurs on a tax list as late as 1747. He and Ann were staunch Presbyterians. He was a farmer and gave his seven sons, while in Ireland and America, the best education that his means could afford. ^[8]

They settled in Neshawmy Twp, Bucks Co, Pa, then went to New Jersey for a time and later to Sadsgbury Twp, Chester County, Pennsylvania, where he died. ^[9]

Siblings if John were the child of Michael and Ann

Children of Michael Finley and his wife Ann O'Neill.

1. John Finley, b. 1713. John Finley, b. 3 May 1713. It is commonly stated that John Finley, b. 1713, is the John Finley killed by Indians in 1757 in Pennsylvania. However, John killed in 1757 is the father of Capt. John Finley, and thus is not one of the sons of Michael Finley Sr, otherwise Capt. John and Capt. Joseph L. would be first cousins. ^[8] John 1713-1782 ^[9]
2. Samuel Finley, b. 1715. Rev. Samuel Finley (1715-1766), President of Princeton, ^[8] Samuel 1715-1766 ^[9]
3. William O'Neill Finley, b. 1717. William Finley (1717-1800), who moved to Virginia and was grandfather of John Finley, "the Hoosier Poet", ^[8] William 1717-1800. Twin. ^[9]
4. Andrew Finley, b. 1717. Andrew Finley (1717-1780), died in Guilford Co., NC, ^[8] Andrew 1717-1782. Twin. ^[10]
5. Michael Finley, b. 1718. Michael Finley Jr. Capt. Joseph L. Finley is the son of Michael Finley Jr. and Ann Lewis, and that Michael Finley Jr. is one of the seven sons of Michael Finley Sr. and Ann O'Neill, who migrated to Pennsylvania in 1734. Thus the guide to Daniel Boone must be a son of one of the other sons of Michael Finley and Ann O'Neill. ^[8] Michael, Jr, 1718-1785 ^[9]
6. Martha (Finley) Thompson, b. 1722 Martha, 1722- ^[9]
7. Robert Clement, 1723 - Died in Virginia ^[9]
8. George Finley, b. 1723. George Finley (1723-1800) died in Guilford Co., NC, ^[8] George, 1727-1800 ^[9]
9. James Michael Finley, b. 1725. Rev. James Finley (1725-1795) a famous frontier minister, ^[8] James, 1725-1795 ^[9]
10. Susannah (Finley) Torrence, b. 1728. Susannah, 1728-1772. ^{[10] [9]}

Robert Finley

He was the son of Robert Finley who was born 4 May 1634, in Balchristie, Scotland, the son of John Finley (1575-1670) and his wife Sarah Craigie of Dunbarnie, Scotland. ^[11]

The elder Robert Finley in 1680 removed to Mullaghbrach, Magherienton, County Aragh, Ireland, where their four sons were born. ^[11]

Was this the John Finley who was a companion to Daniel Boone?

John Finley, who accompanied Danie Boone on his trip to discovery Kentucky has several biographical facts which indicate he could not be the John Finley of Middle Spring Presbyterian Church.

Material about that John Finley has been moved to the profile of [[Finley-3216|John Finley, companion of Daniel Boone.

David Duncan Finley of Fleming Co., Ky. in a letter dated 9 Jun 1862, transmitted by Willoughby Griffith (9El4), states that his father, then Capt. John Finley, and Capt. Joseph L. Finley served in the same Company, and that they were 2nd cousins. David also mentioned John Blair Finley, son of Joseph L. Finley, who was living nearby in Lewis Co., Ky. John Blair Finley also wrote a letter to Draper, dated 10 Dec 1862, in which he states that Daniel Boone's guide was "my grandfather's brother's son. He was born in Virginia on the James River." It is undisputed that Capt. Joseph L. Finley is the son of Michael Finley Jr. and Ann Lewis, and that Michael Finley Jr. is one of the seven sons of Michael Finley Sr. and Ann O'Neill, who migrated to Pennsylvania in 1734. Thus the guide to Daniel Boone must be a son of one of the other six sons of Michael Finley and Ann O'Neill. The other six sons are Rev. James Finley (1725-1795) a famous frontier minister, George Finley (1723-1800) and Andrew Finley (1717-1780), who both died in Guilford Co., NC, Rev. Samuel Finley (1715-1766), President of Princeton, William Finley (1717-1800), who moved to Virginia and was grandfather of John Finley, "the Hoosier Poet", and John Finley, b. 3 May 1713. It is commonly stated that John Finley, b. 1713, is the John Finley killed by Indians in 1757 in Pennsylvania. However, it is undisputed that John k. in 1757 is the father of Capt. John Finley, and thus is not one of the sons of Michael Finley Sr, otherwise Capt. John and Capt. Joseph L. would be first cousins.

• IDENTITY OF JOHN FINLEY, BOONE'S COMPANION by Lee J Bain

This paper was published in two parts in Kentucky Ancestors, see Vol. 36, No. 1, Autumn 2000

• Donehoo: History of Pennsylvania, New York NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Co, 1926.

• Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer

John Mack Faragher Macmillan, Nov 15, 1993 - Biography & Autobiography - 429 pages

John Findley (Finley) was still alive in 1767 (so could not have died in 1757):

Faragher, Daniel Boone, pages 69–74. According to some versions of the story, Findley specifically sought out Boone in 1768, but Faragher believes it more likely that their second meeting was by chance. "...Boone first reached Kentucky in the fall of 1767 while on a long hunt with his brother Squire Boone, Jr. Boone's first steps in Kentucky were near present-day Elkhorn City.[20] While on the Braddock expedition years earlier, Boone had heard about the fertile land and abundant game of Kentucky from fellow wagoner John Findley, who had visited Kentucky to trade with American Indians. Boone and Findley happened to meet again, and Findley encouraged Boone with more tales of Kentucky. At the same time, news had arrived about the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, in which the Iroquois had ceded their claim to Kentucky to the British. This, as well as the unrest in North Carolina due to the Regulator Movement, likely prompted Boone to extend his exploration..."

• John Finley – Huntsburg’s ‘Man of Mystery’

Apr 18, 2012 by Ty Pilarczyk [1] "It was getting late in the year, and Daniel insisted that his friend John stay with his family that winter. Finley again told of all the hunts he had been on in far-off lands to the west. Boone grew especially obsessed by a territory Finley had visited, doing good trading with Native Americans.

In the spring, they organized a small hunting party and made out for the land the natives called “Ken-tuck-ay.”

Yes, you read that right. This old loner, living alone in a hut in Huntsburg, Ohio, was the same gentlemen that led his good friend DANIEL BOONE into the land he became known for—KENTUCKY.

And this is where the real mystery of John Finley begins.

First, how in the world did he end up in Huntsburg? There is record of his leaving Boone, allegedly to see relatives in Pennsylvania, midway through their second trip into the wilderness. But how did he get here? Why was he here? And the inquiry can even be made—was HE here?

As one begins to look a little further into John Finley’s thoroughly-undocumented life, we find that he may have had a family, and that one of his son’s names was, naturally, John. One account shows John Jr. actually separated from his wife in Indiana, and was known to roam just like his dad. However, ‘Junior’ would apparently not have been old enough to be the one here. His divorce came later. Then again, by some other accounts, ‘Senior’ would have been approaching his eighties. Not many lived that long back then, especially in the wilderness. It is even said that he enlisted with early Huntsburgers in the War of 1812…..In his eighties? This would have been a highly unlikely feat.

Making the legend even murkier is a historical marker in Kentucky–on the supposed homestead of one John Finley, saying he served in the Kentucky state legislature.

Confused? You are not the only one!

The local books say he was here, and he was the Finley that was friends with Daniel Boone. Is it truth? Is it an elaborate lie concocted by a hermit? It is hard to suppose the pioneers spun this tale all by themselves, as they tended to be fairly pious citizens. The more we dig, the more questions arise.

When our fighting boys arrived back from the War of 1812, there were more settlers, and John grew restless, feeling crowded. Sometime around 1814, he disappeared, by one account, heading to Maryland.

So we have a famous citizen, who was close friends with one of the largest figures in American history, meeting while fighting under Anthony Wayne in the Revolutionary War…or was it with Braddock fighting the natives? He left Daniel Boone as a longhunter, only to return as …a traveling salesman? He shows Boone to Kentucky, only to leave midway through their next trip for Pennsylvania….or was it? When he again surfaces in the annals of history, he is alone by the banks of a small creek in an Ohio wilderness about to be settled. At the same time he is alleged by other historians to be living on a 1,000-acre Kentucky farmstead? Then this supposed elderly man fights in a war? And almost as quickly as he re-appears, he disappears again, for good?"

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18} Find A Grave: Memorial #69073158. Memorial for John Finley
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11} Stout, Condensed Genealogy, 13. John Finley, born 1713, is Code 6.3.2.
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14} Stout, Revised Version, p. 23. John Finley is code 2-12.
4. ↑ Court docket #1, p. 25, cited by Stout, 1956
5. ↑ V. Belle McKinley H. Swope, The Graveyards in "History of the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church (1738-1900): pg. 173:
6. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #68963017 Memorial (has a bio. of her marriages/children
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #85290996
8. ↑ ^{8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10} Source "Clan Finley", p. 14; also, Rev. Samuel Finley, "The Finleys of Bucks".
9. ↑ ^{9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12} Stout, Condensed Genealogy, 10. Michael Finley, born 1683, is Code 6.2.3.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Stout states that Miss Dorothea Finley omits these but they occur in the Paul and other genealogies.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Stout, Condensed Genealogy, 8. Robert Finley, born 1634, is Code 5-1-3

Bibliography of Frequently Cited Works

• Bain, Lee. J. Identity of John Finley, Boone's Companion. Published in two parts in Kentucky Ancestors, Vo 36, No 1, Autumn 2000.
• Bransford, Clifton W, Owensboro, Kentucky.. Finleys of virginia Typed Manuscript. Federal Writers Project, Work Project Administration for State of Florida. University of Florida Digital Colletions. 26 pages. Accessed 3 July 2020 jhd
• Stout, Herald F. The Clan Finley: a Condensed Genealogy of the Finley Family At Home And Abroad (Dover: The Eagle press, 1940). Online at HathiTrust, "Ancestry Abroad" 4-1-1"]
• Stout, Herald F. The Clan Finley, Second Edition. Revised and Corrected, 1956. Volume I. Dover OH: The Eagle Press, 1956. Accessed 4 July 2022 jhd. Alternatively Stout, Herald Franklin. The Clan Finley Revised Version, 2 volumes, Volume I. Dover, Ohio: The Eagle Press, 1956. Accessed 6 July 2022 jhd

Photographed Pages

• Herald F. Stout, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, Retired (editor), The Clan Finley, Second Edition, Revised and corrected, Volume One (Dover, Ohio: The Eagle Press, 1956); image copy, Archive.org (https://archive.org/details/clanfinleycompil00stou/page/n7/mode/2up).
• Herald F. Stout, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, Retired (editor), The Clan Finley, Revised and corrected, Second Edition, Volume II (Dover, Ohio: The Eagle Press, 1957); image copy, Archive.org (https://archive.org/details/clanfinleycompil00stou/page/n199/mode/2up).
• Herald F. Stout, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy (editor), The Clan Finley, A condensed genealogy of the Finley Family at home and abroad (Dover, Ohio: The Eagle Press, 1940) p13, p136; image copy, Archive.org (https://archive.org/details/clanfinleyconden00stou/page/n11/mode/2up).

See also:

• Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania, Land Warrants and Applications, 1733-1952 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com, Record for John Finley. http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=PAWarrants&h=190728&indiv=try.

• American Genealogical - Biographical Index (AGBI). Martha Finley. Birth date/place: 1722 in Pennsylvania. Volume 54, Page 194: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=agbi&h=2754423&indiv=try

• The Clan Finley: A Condensed Genealogy of the Finley Family at Home and Abroad. Collected and Printed by Lieutenant Herald F. Stout, U.S.Navy. The Eagle Press. Dover, Ohio. 1940. 168 pages. Page 7 is the table of contents & John Finley 1713 - 1760 is listed on page 135 (with a correction, to see page 13). Page 13 lists "John Finley 1713 - 1782. Married Martha Berkeley. Was born 5/3/1713 in Armagh, Ireland. 1734 arrived in Philadelphia. Lived in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Farmer. Supposedly kidded by Indians." Lists children:
• "Clements 1735 - 1775
• William (note: omitted from some lists)
• Mary - 1806
• Samuel 1752 - 1828
• Andrew
• John
• Michael - removed to Kentucky
• James - went South to South Carolina
• Other daughters (note: one of whom married a Buckingham of Zanesville, Ohio and antoher Robert Buchanan of Cincinnati, Ohio." https://www.seekingmyroots.com/members/files/G002477.pdf

• Jordan, John W, and James Hadden. Genealogical and personal history of Fayette County, Pennsylvania. New York NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Co, 1912. V2, P324. Verifies Michael as father of: 1) John (of Cumberland Co PA, husband of Martha Berkley/Berkeley; 2) Princeton Pres Samuel; 3) William d1800 of Chester and Adams counties PA; 4) Michael mAnn Lewis, 5) Rev James; 6) possibly others.

• Notes attributed to the Donehoo History of Pennsylvania, published in 1926 indicates that the John Finley born 1713, who married Martha Barclay/Berkeley, was the son of Michael born 1683 and had 9 children including James, Clement (b. 1735), Mary, Michael, Elizabeth, Andrew, Gen. Samuel, and Capt. John Finley.

• Martha (Barclay) Finley: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LC8X-T6W Lists her parents, siblings, spouse, children, 7 sources/notes. Lists Michael as a son that is not believed to be correct.

• Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Filby, P. William, ed.. Gale Research

• Pennsylvania, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1772 - 1890. 1761: John Finley. Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Page 344. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=pacen&h=26418467&indiv=try

• Pennsylvania, U.S., Land Warrants and Applications, 1733 - 1952. Lists John Finley. Warrant date/place: 12/15/1752 in Lugan, Cumberland, Pennsylvania. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/190728:2350