Clifton Bransford: Finleys of Virginia

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Contents 1 Appendix II: Bransford: Biography of John son of James 1.1 To: John 1.2 1736 The Burden Grant 1.3 Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church 1.4 John Finley, Jr

Appendix II: Bransford: Biography of John son of James

To: John

^[1]

James Finley had eight sons as follows: Thomas, John, Robert, William Goerge, Alexander, James and Andrew. ^[1]

Of these sons, John, Robert and William Finley moved from Pennsylvania to Virginia in 1736-1737, and became the progenitors of the Virginia branch of the family. ^[1]

1736 The Burden Grant

Early in the Spring of 1736, Benjamin Burden, an agent for Lord Fairfax, who held, under a patent from King James II, of England, all that part of Virginia known as the Northern Neck, came over, and after remaining a short time in Williamsburg, accepted an invitation to visit John Lewis, then living west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, wherehe had settled in 1732. Returning shortly after to Williams burg, Burden presented a fine buffalo calf he had captured to governor Gooch, which so much gratified that functionary, taht heforthwith directe a warrant to be made out, authorizing Burden, the agent, to locate 500,000 acres of land on Shenandoah, or jame River, west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The grnt required thqat Burden shouds settle one hunded families upon said land within ten years, Cite error 3; Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many The first settlers of this grant to Burden were Ephraim McDowell and James GreenLee. And in their wakew followed that sturdy Scotch-Irish race form Pennsylvania, represented by the families of Finley, Caldwell, Matthews, Crawford, Stuart, Lyle, Tilford, Paxton, Moore, Doak, Brown, Wilson, Caruthers, Patterson, Ramsey, Grigsby and others. ^[1]

Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church

The first church to be built was Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church, of which John Finley, Sr., was an elder in 1740. In compliance with the petition of John Finley, Sr, and John Caldwell, the synod of Philadelphia in 1738, addressed a letter to Governor Gooch soliciting his favor in behalf of such persons as should remove to Western Virginia in allowing them the free enjoyment of their civil and rerligious liberties, and the Governor gave a favorable response. ^[1]

The early settlers in this portion of virfginia had to contend with titles obtained by individuals and ocmpanies for large tracts of land, and such grantees were usually faovirtes of the king, or the king's counsillers. On the 6th of September, 1736, William Gooch, Liewutenant-Governor of Virginia, issued a patent for the "Manor of Bevereley", covering one hunded and eighteen thousand and ninety-one acres of land lying in the county of Orange between the great mountains and on the River Sherando, and on September 7, 1736t, William Bewvewerly, of Essex County, Virginia, became the owner of the entire grant. This patent covered most of the fine lands in the Valley of Virginia near Staunton and waynesboro, and it was from this grant that Augusta County was carfved out of the "Palatinate" of Orange in 1738, although the county was not organizewd until 1745. The grant to Benjamin Burden of five hundsred thousand acres was situated south of "Beverly Manor" and on the waters of the James and Shenanddoah Riverfs. ^[2]

In studying the nationality of the early sewttlers of southwest Virginia, it mus be kept in minds thatthere was a great difference between the people inhabviting the estern shores of Virrginia and the early ssettlers in the mountains of Wesetern Virginia. They differed both in their ancestrry and in their religion. The early settlers of Eastern Virginia were English by birth and Episcopalians in religion; while the early settlers of Southwest Virginia were Scxotch-Irish by birth and Presbyterian in religious belief. The people thus inviteds to settle the garden spot of Virginia were the sons of the men who followed Cromwell. They were men who regarded themselves accoding to Macaulay, "as kings by the right of an earlier creation and priests by the interposition of an Almighty hand". King James I, when speaking of a Scxotch Presbytgery, said, Presbytery agreath as well with monarchy as Gold and the devil." ^[3]

Paragraph, p5

John Finley, Robert Filnley and William Finley, sons of James and Elizabeth Finlewy of Cumberland County, Pa, who moved to Virginia in 1736-1737, received a grant of 311432 acres of land out of the "Beverly Manor" tract, lying on South river in Augusta County. ^[4]

Of Robert Finley ittle is known. He doubtless never married. He served in Captain David Sruart's company of Augustga County militia in 1757, and was dead prior to October 17654, as John Finley acknowledges receipt from his father, James Finley, of certain notes and bonds "as his full part of his uncle, Robert Finley"s estate." ^[5]

Also on 20th of May, 1766, James Finley of Staunton conveyed to Sampson and George Matthews certain land "described ina lease from James Brown to the said Robert Finley 16th Jan. 1754, for the term of 57 years; all which land was conveyed to Robert finley, late of Augusta County, deceased, and descended to James Finley as his brother and heir at law. ^[6]

William Finley received 500 acres of the "Beverly Manor" tract. He served in the Augusta County militia in Captain Preston's company under Major Andrew Lewis, in the Sandy Creek expedition, 1756-57, against the Shawnees on the Ohio River, also in the French and Indian Wars. He married Mary Wallace, daughter of Rev. Caleb Wallace. Shedied prior to 1781, ankd he died in 1789. ILn his will, dated July 28, 1781, he left his old cutlas and gun to his son William. His descendants live in Ohio. ^[7]

I. John Finley, Sr., second son of James and Elizabeth Finley of Cumberland County, Pa, was born in Ireland in 1702. He married in Pennsylvania in 1723 Thankful Doak, sistere of three brothers, Robert, Samuel and David Doak, who had come from the north of Ireland and settled in Chester County, Penn. in 1720. John Finley with his family mvoed to Augusta County, Va, in 1737, and was thew progenitor of the Finleys of Lincoln County, Ky. and Wilson County, Tenn. ^[8]

On December 1, 1740, Governor Blair of Virginia, patented to John Finley Sr, 183 acresof land in Augusta County, and he took up his residence on the tract. In 1742 he is listed as a member of Capt. John Smith's company of Augusta County Militia. Although the act providing for Augusta County to be cared out of Orange County was passed by the Virginia Housseof Delegats in 1738, the county ws not organized until 1748. The first Justife CXourt assembled at Staunton, the county seat, on December 9, 1745, and John Filnley, Sr, as a member of this court. On the 19th day of Novembewr 1747 William Thompson and wife deeded to John Finley, Sr, and others, "Commissioners and Trustees of the Presbyteriasn congregation of Tinkling Spring 100 acres called Tinkling Spring in Beverly Manor." ^[8]

It was on this lands that the noted Tinkling Spring church was built and John Finley, Sr, was active as an elder in the organization for many years. In 1749 John Finley, Sr, onveyed the 183 acres of land patented to him by Gov. Blair, to Alexander Gardner, and in the deewd the land is describeed as being on "Finleys Branch of Cathey's River", and took up 297 acres on South River in "Beverly Manor": adsjoining th land of Wm. Finley, presumably his brother, to whom he sold the tract for 150 pouds on the 18th of March, 1765. (In the deed both John and William Finley are described as "gentlemen"). This was part of the original "tract of 892 acres on Shannandsore surveyed for John Finley, Jr." ^[9]

John Findley Sr., served in Captain Wm. Preston's company of Augusta County Militia, underMajor AndrewLewis. In the Sandy Creek expedition against the Shawnee on the Ohio in 1756, and iln the French and Indian WArs in 1757. ^[10]

The time and place of his death is not known. He was living on South River as alte as 1771. ^[9]

The children of John and Thankful (Doak) Finley were: ^[9]

1. John Finley, Jr., born in Pennsylvania in 1724; died in Augusta County, Va in 1791, of whom later;l
2. Herbert Finley, born 1725
3. James Finley, born 1728
4. Margaret Finley, born 1730
5. Samuel Finley, born 1732
6. Andrew Finley, born 1736
7. Alexander Finley, born 1738
8. Thankful Finley, born 1739
9. Elizabeth Finley, born 1741
10. William Finley, born 1743
11. Georege Finley born about 1745

II. John Finley, Jr., eldeste son of John and Thankful (Doak) Finley, was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1724, and mvoed with his father John Finley, Sr, to what was later Augusta County, Virginia, in 1737. (He was the lineal ancestor of the Kentucky and Tennessee Finleys.) ^[11]

On the 13tgh day of May, 1748, he bought of George Robinson for "100 pounds-current money Virginia, 892 acres, parft of Beverly Manor, and granted by Beverly to George 21st Feb 1739 on Shannandore River". ^[12]

In 1755 he was a member of Capt. Thomas Armstrong's Company of Augusta Militia. ^[13] and in 1757 served with his father, John Finley, Sr., in the French and Indian Wars. ^[14] under Captain William Preston; was county surveyor in 1758 and again 1769; appointed May 18, 1768, one of the commissioners to build a meewting hosue; John Filnley and John Finley, Jr, added to tithables Aug 18, 1762. ^[15]

John Finley as commisary of the Washington Co. Militia, gave a voucher to hugh Barclay for corn for Wm Lylew's brigade on the Cherokee Expedition ^[16]

In March 1768, John Brown and Margaret, his wife, deeded to John Finley and otherfs as trustees, the "stone-meeting-house by a branch of the Meadow River, a branch of Middle River of Shenandore". The fee book of Augusta County locates John Finlewy, Jr., on Middle River in 1765, and again in 1774, and John Filnley, Sr., on South Rover iln 1771. ^[17]

Middle River is a small stream running tghrough the cewntral portion of Washington County, Virginia, which was cut out of Augusta County, midway between the north and south forks of Holston River.

John Finley was married by the Rev. John Crfag on April 22, 1741 to Mary Thankful Caldwell, daughter of David and Mary Caldwell of Prince Edward Couty, Virginia, cousin of Martha Caldwell, who married Patrick Calhoun and becamew the mother of the great statemen, John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina.

John Finley, Jr

John Finley, Jr, died in 1791; his will datged April 17th, was prfovede in Augusta Couty, VA Sept 20, 1791. By his wife, Mary Thankful Caldwell, he ahd eight children, five sons ands threee daughters, as follows: ^[18]

1. John C. Finley, eldest son of John and Mary (Caldwell) Finley, was born in Augusta County, Virginia Jan 11, 1742, and died in Gaston Co, N. C. wherehe moved iln 1762. His old home on tghe South Fork of the Catawba River was not far from the famous battlefield of King's Mountain. He enlosed on June 7, 1766 ^[19] iln Capt. Adam Alexander's company of militia against the Cherokees;l served under Capt. EWven Shelby in the battle of Point Pleasant, Oct 10, 1774, and with the Lincoln County men, under Lieut. Edmondson in Capt. Evan Shelby's company, at the battle of King';s Mountain< October 76, 1780. His old sword and flint gun is now in the possession of his great-great-grandson, Herebert Wallace Finley. John C. Finely married Ann, daughter of David Millter of GAston County, N> C. They had ewight childsren:
   1. Their eldest daughter, Mary Finley, married Joseph Swevier, son of Col. John Sevier, one of the heroes of King's Mountain and Governor of Tennessee 1803-1819. ^[18]
   2. Their eldest son, William Finley, married Jean Kennedy, and were the parents of Kary Finley, wife of the pioneer soldier and politician, David Crockett, one of the heroes of the Alamao. ^[20]
2. George Finley, second son of John and Mary (Caldwell) Finley
3. Robert Osborn Finley, third son of John and Mary (Caldwell) Finley, was born in Augusta Co, Va March 21, 1745, and baptized by Rev. John Craig, Ap;ril 21, 1745. He moved iln early life to Lincoln Co, N. C. where he enlisted June 7, 1766, at the age of 21 years, in the N. C. militia, under Captain Adam Alexander; was a sergeant in Captain Pauling's copany at the battle of Point Pleasant, October 10 1774 ^[21] L:ieutenant in Washington Co, Va. Regiment in 1780; took up land near his brother John in Lincoln Co, NC. No record of his marraige, but in the census of 1785-90 he is listed in that county with three sons over 16 yearfs, two under 16 years and one daughter. ^[22]
4. David Finley, fourth son of John and Mary (Caldwell) Finley was born in Augusta Co, Va, and ws baptized Jan 20, 1748 by Rev. John Thompson. He grew up on his father's farm and at his death inherited it. He served as Lieutenant in Captain Kirk's company in the Revolution. ^[23] and on ?April 5, 1781 was granted 1000 acres of land on Dix River in Lincoln Co, Ky, presumably on account of his service in the war. ^[24] His old homestead was known as "Camp Dick Robinson", to which he moved about 1783. He singed a petition May 21st 1783, as a cietizen of Lincoln County, to the General Assembly of Virginia, to pass a law authorizing ":some civil power to soewmnize the rites of matrimony". ^[25] Before he moved to Kentucky he married Elizabeth Mounts, and by hewr had a large family of children. He subsequently sold his farm in Kewntucky and moved to Orange County, Ind. Little is known of his descendants. he died in 1843, aged 95t years. ^[26]
5. Thomas Finley, fifth son of John and Mary (Caldwell) Finley, was born in Augusta Co, Va., Feb 26, 1749, and baptized in April, 1749 by Rev. John Thompson. He moved to North Carolina at an early age and settled in Mecklenberg County, June 7, 1766. ^[27] Later in life he moved to South Carolina and settled on a plantation in the Ninety-Six or Abbeville District. Thomas Finley, with one son 16 years ands one son under 16 years and wife reported in the Ninety-Six District, S. C. in the 1790 census of the United States. He was granted several large tracts of lands according to the records of the Land office at Columbia. Two of his nieces, Ann and Catherine Finley, came to live with him on the dath of their father and his brother, George Ginley, 1809. Ann married Major Roberft Green of the Abbeville District, and nad one daughter, Mary Gaines Green, who married P. H Earle, a bankewr of Birmingham, Ala. ^[26]
6. Jean Finley, first daughter of John and Mary (Caldwell) Finley, was born in Augusta Co, Va, Feb 16, 1744, and baptized April 21, 1`744 by Rev. John Craig. Shew married in 1764, John Trimble, son of Willam Timble, of Washington Co, Va. They had four sons, all of whom became distinguished citizens. Robert Trimble was chief justice of the Supreme Court of Kentucky in 1826, and John Timble was a Brigadier Geneal in the Confederate Army.^[26]
7. Margaret Finley, second daughter of John and Mry (Caldwell) Finley, was born in Augusta Co, Va, March 2nd, 1746, and baptized by REv. John Craig, Dec, 1746. She married June 26, 1768 John Sheilds, who dsied 1802, son of James Shields, who had emigrated to America in 1737 and settled in Rockingham Co, Va. John Shields moved to Nelson Co, Va. ^[28]
8. Thankful Finley, third daughter of John and Mary (Caldwell) Finley, was bornb May 3, 1751, and married McKarter. She was living as a widow with her father at the time of his death in 1791. No further record. ^[28]