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George Finleys of Virginia

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George Finleys of Virginia

John Finley of Augusta County, Virginia died in 1791, leaving a will that named Thankful his wife and George his son (among other children). Which George has been the subject of much speculation and research.

Carmen J. Finley, Ph.D., offers the following in her paper, The George Finleys of Augusta County, Virginia:[1]

"In summary, the George Finley who originally received 179 acres in the Middle River area of Augusta Co., Va., from John and Thankful Finley, migrated first to Washington Co., Va., and finally to Logan Co., Ky. The exact dates of his migration cannot be precisely determined, but it appears that he left Augusta Co. between 1772 when he sold his 179 acres on Middle River and 1777 when he served as a Commissary to the Washington Militia. In June 1798, he purchased land in Logan Co. from Robert Ewing, and he probably moved there sometime between October 1801 and July 1805.... Now, who were his parents and when was he christened at Tinkling Spring?"[1][2]

Dr. Finley devotes the second half of her paper to that question. Her conclusion is that the George who married Jane, or Jean, and died leaving a will dated 1810 in Logan County, Kentucky was "the son of the pioneers John and Thankful Finley who migrated from Chester Co. and was most likely the one baptized on 30 Jan. 1743. He lived for a while near his parents in the Middle River area of Augusta Co. Then he and his wife, Jean or Jane, moved to Washington Co. where they remained from the mid 1770s to the early 1800s."[1]

Strong circumstantial evidence supports this conclusion, including the connection between the 1791 will, the inventory, and a land sale by George "of Washington County": On 20 December 1791, the appraisal of John's estate by David McNair, James Wilson, and John Thomas,[3] the same men who had witnessed his will, was recorded by the Augusta County Court. The inventory included the woman Hannah that John had bequeathed to his wife Thankful.[4] Also recorded by the Augusta County Court on 20 December 1791 was the sale of 35 acres by George Finley of Washington County to David McNair of Augusta County. The indenture was "Signed & delivered George Finley (seal)" in the presence of David Finley, James Willson, and John Willson.[5]

WikiTree Profiles

As of November 2021
Georges of interest not born in Virginia:
  • George Finley (1745-bef.1818) - born Pennsylvania, married (to Mary Lake) and died in Harrison County, Kentucky.
  • Finley-1336, born 1755 in Ireland, died 1830 in Ohio (married Mary Blain in 1775)
  • Finley-1900, born in 1756 in Pennsylvania, died in 1836 in Georgia (married Jemima Caroline Hersey)
Georges from this online tree, compiled by multiple Finley researchers:
  • George Finley. Born 4 January 1747/48. Died before 19 December 1817. Married Mary ("Polly") Gaines.
  • George Finley. Born 4 January 1747/48 [1]. Died 22 August 1810. Married Jean Jane (died after 5 July 1805).
  • George Charter Finley married second 23 February 1802 Elisabeth Hause.
  • George Finley (born 1723, migrated to Guilford County, NC), son of Michael Louder Finley (b 1683, Ireland) and his wife Ann O'Neill of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
  • George Finley (Finley-781), son of Robert & Sarah (Patterson) Finley.[6]

Details about WikiTree Profiles for George b Jan 1743

As of 6 November 2021, three WikiTree profiles for George Finley have his birth in January 1743: Finley-638 (this profile), Finley-336, and Fenley-76.
Finley-638
As of 5 November 2021, this profile for George Finley (Finley-638) - which appeared to have conflated several Georges - had the following information in its datafields/attached profiles of parents (no profiles attached as spouse/s, child/ren):
George Finley, born 2 January 1743 in Tinkling Springs, Augusta, Virginia was the son of John Finley and Mary Thankful (Caldwell) Finley and brother of Elizabeth (Finley) Cargill, John Caldwell Finley, William Finley, Margaret (Finley) Shields, Samuel Finley, William Finley, David Caldwell Finley, Thomas Finley, Sarah Finley [half] and William Finley [half]. He died 22 Aug 1809 in Wayne County, Kentucky, USA.
The profile for Finley-638 was detached as son of John & Mary "Thankful" (Caldwell) Finley on 6 November 2021, which detached him from the siblings also. His birth date remains (making him the George baptized 30 Jan. 1743), as does his death date, which is the date of the will left by George Finley of Logan County, Kentucky (represented by this profile). The Wayne County location was changed to Logan County. ~ Noland-165 17:15, 6 November 2021 (UTC)
Finley-336
As of 5 November 2021, the profile for George Finley (Finley-336) had the following information in its datafields/attached profiles of wife and children (no profiles attached as parents):
George Finley, born 2 January 1743 in Tinkling Springs, Augusta County, Virginia, married Mary (Gaines) Finley 29 June 1786 in Lincoln County, Virginia (now Kentucky), divorced 1809. He died after 1809 in Wayne, Kentucky, USA. His children were:
  • Obediah Gaines Finley
  • George Finley
  • Nancy (Finley) Jones
  • Mary (Finley) Denny[7]
  • Sarah (Finley) Pennebaker
It seems that Finley-336 has 1809 from the memorial stone in Tennessee, erected by his son by Mary Gaines, O.G. Finley. Court records show that George and Mary divorced in 1809.
Fenley-76 (also with January 1743 birth)
As of 5 November 2021, the profile for George Finley ("formerly Fenley") had the following information in its datafields/attached profiles (no profile attached as wife):
George Fenley/Finley, born before 30 January 1743 in Tinkling Springs, Virginia, son of John Finley, brother of William Joseph Finley and William Finley [half], died in 1831 in Wilson, Tennessee, United States. He had the following children:
  • Isaac Fenley
  • John Finley

DAR

Note: DAR records are not considered reliable sources for pre-1700 profiles, and the US Southern Colonies Project does not consider DAR an appropriate source for pre-1776 profiles. See the project's Reliable Sources page. Also note that DAR records only include children with a descendant who has joined the DAR; most colonial families were larger than indicated by DAR records.

The DAR record for John Finley (1724-1791), Patriot Ancestor #A041282, has a flag noting that the "Patriot's son George Finley married Jane X and is not George, A040796." Another flag notes: "need proof Patriot married Mary Caldwell", which applies to two children, including the son John who married Ann Miller, who appears to be DAR Patriot Ancestor #A041015. The DAR record has John Sr.'s death in Augusta County, before 20 September 1791, and lists just one wife - Thankful X (as his second wife),[8] presumably based on the 1791 will, which does name a son George.

Dr. Finley's The George Finleys of Augusta County, Virginia notes that two George Finleys were "each the son of a different John Finley, christened at Tinkling Spring Church on 20 Jan. 1743 and 4 Jan. 1748."[1] DAR records include a George Finley who married a Jean, as well as the "not" George (#A040796), and their information is incredibly similar; the records also appear to conflate information for several George Finleys. To further confuse things, both the WikiTree profiles that best match those two records - Finley-638 and Finley-336 - cite Find A Grave: Memorial #8062484.

George Finleys with Virginia service recorded by DAR,:
  • George Finley (1743-1817), DAR Patriot Ancestor #A040796, which notes that he had two sons named George (one by each of two wives). Finley-336 [9]
  • George Finley (1748-after 1835), DAR Patriot Ancestor #A040794, which lists his wife as Jean Lyle. Finley-638
George Finleys born in Virginia in DAR descendant records:
  • George Finley married Mary Chenoweth (son of George #A040796 by his first wife Ann Newland, according to DAR records)
  • George Finley married Fanny Hancock (son of George #A040796 by his second wife Mary Gaines,[10] according to DAR records)
    • DAR descendant record: George Finley (born 15 February 1789, Kentucky District, Virginia; died 3 November 1851 at Clear Creek Monroe County, Indiana. Wife Frances Hancock (born 1796 at SC, died 1875, IN), married 1 March 1812 at Laurens Dist SC.[11]
    • DAR descendant record: George Finley, born 1789, Kentucky District, Virginia; m Frances Fanny Hancock[12]
    • DAR descendant record: George Finley m Frances Fanny Hancock[13]
  • DAR descendant record: George James Finley, born 1834, Augusta County, Virginia - listed in the record of a descendant of John Grigsby, Patriot Ancestor #A048485, which has flags but the descendant record is a short form, so I can't tell if flags apply.

Wills

From George Finley (1745-bef.1818), born Cumberland, PA; died Harrison, Kentucky

Will of George Finley; Written: May 19 1818 Probate: July 1818 Volume I, page 415: Those mentioned: Wife: Polly My 2 daughters: Jane and Polly Finley

Will of George Finley of Logan County, Kentucky, dated 22 August 1810

Names daughters Rachel, Elizabeth, and Mary and their husbands James Glenn, Peter Hay, and Hugh Orr, respectively. James Glenn was witness to Washington County deed in 1799 (2:201).[1]

Will of John Finley[4]

"In the Naim of God -- Amen. The Seventeenth day of August 1791. I John Finley of the Colony of Virginia and the County of Agusta former being in a low state of health but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to god. Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men onst to die do make and ordain this my Last will and Testiment -- that is to say principaly and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that give it, and my body to the Earth, to be buried in a Christian Descent maner at the Descretion of my Executors and Unto him of such worldly estate where with it pleases God to bless me in this Life.
"I give Demise and dispose of the items in the following manner and form, first all my Lawful Debts and funeral Expences to be payed out of my real Estate, also I give and bequeth unto my dearly beloved wife Thankful, all my houshold furniture to be at her Disposal, Except one bed and furniture and my Negro woman, Hannah During her life and a good hors and sadle Likewis a good Deasent room and Deasent mantainence to be found her out of the part of my Estat I have willed to my son David.
"Item I give and bequith unto my beloved sons George, Robert and my Daughter, Marget Shields, Eatch of them five shillings Virginia Currancy to them and heirs.
"Item I give and bequith unto my beloved son James one hundred and twenty pounds Virginia Currancy with interest from this Date to him and his heirs for ever to be payd by my son David out of the part I now will to him.
"Item I give and bequith unto my beloved son John one bed and furniture at my beloved wifes Decese to him and his heirs.
"Item I give and bequith unto my beloved Daughter Jean one negro womman at my wifes death and to her son John Trimble my sadle and bridle to them and their heirs forever.
"Item I give and bequith unto my beloved son David all my lands and tenements and in every part of my Estate not herein separately willd to others to him and his heirs or asignes forever,
"Item I give and bequith unto my beloved Daughter Thankfull McCarter six shillings Virginia Currancy to her and her heirs forever, and I Likewise constitute make and ordain my son David sole Executor of this my last will and testiment.
"I Do hereby utterly Disalow revoik and Disanul all and every other former Testiments wills Legities bequests and Executors by me in aniwies before naimed willed and bequithed ratifying and confirming this and know other to be my last will and testiment in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and sail the Day and year above mentioned."
John Finley
David McNair, John Thomas, John Wilson
The will of John Finley of Augusta County, Virginia, written 17 August 1791, was proved 20 September 1791, Book 3, P. 404, Augusta County.

An article by Dr. Finley shows that John Finley of Augusta County made his 1791 will after the the death of John Finley of Montgomery County (who had purchased land in Montgomery County in 1773 that he and Mary, his wife, subsequently gave to David and Samuel Finley in exchange for life care). John of Montgomery County died before 19 August 1782.[14][15]

Families

George Finley (#A040796) - baptized 1-30-1743, Augusta Co.; died before 12-19-1817, Wilson County, Tennessee (matches O.G. inventory for George of 1818); married (1) Ann Newland, (2) Mary Gaines

Children (from DAR main record):
  • Isaac Finley, married (1) Sarah Henry - son of Ann[16]
  • Sarah Finley, married Samuel P. Pennebaker
  • George Finley, married (1) Mary Chenoweth
  • John Finley, married (1) Rachel Taylor
  • Obadiah Gaines Finley, married (1) Mary Lewis Johnson
  • George Finley, married (1) Frances Fanny Hancock

John Finley Sr. (#A041282) - patriotic service (furnished supplies) in Augusta Co., Virginia; born in Chester Co., PA on 28 Dec 1724, died before 20 September 1791, Augusta Co., VA. Married (2) Thankful X.

Notes:
  • David Finley who marr Elizabeth Mounts is not the son of this Patriot.
  • Patriot's son George Finley married Jane X and is not George, #A040796.
  • Need proof Patriot married Mary Caldwell. (Conflicts with wives.)
Children:
  • George Finley married Ann Newland Jane
  • Thomas Caldwell Finley married Elizabeth Austin problem with Mary Caldwell as mother
  • John Finley Jr married Ann Miller problem with Mary Caldwell as mother
  • David Finley married Elizabeth Mounts

Land

Following apparently from Carmen's research but source not cited, so not sure wording matches.[17]

Augusta Co.
  • 17 Nov 1767 Book 14, p. 106. John Finley d. 1791 & wife Thankful sold for 5 shillings 176 acres, part of his homeplace, to his son, George Finley.
  • 17 Mar 1772 Book 18, p. 93. George Finley and Jane sold this same land to Robert Clendenen.
  • 21 Mar 1775 Book 21, p. 20. Clendenens sold this back to John Finley & Thankful.
[For some reason Chalkley only lists these last two entries as "Part of the tract John Finley now lives on"]
  • Survey bk 2, p 195. 25 Jan 1772 George Finley, Survey 35 acres, South side of Middle river. Va State Lib. Grant C, 1780-81, reel 44, p 141-142
  • Deed Bk 27, p 268. George Finley of Washington Co. sold the above to David McNair 20 Dec 1791.
Washington Co. Va
  • George Finley appears in Court records 1777-1801. Shawnee Expedition. Battle of King's Mountain. 1792 Capt. George Finley.
  • 2 Oct 1786 patent for 370 acres adj John Finley's patent of 212 acres on headwaters of E. Fork of Wallace's Branch, waters of the N. Fork of Holston River. [This John Finley appears likely to be the guide to Daniel Boone]
  • 28 May 1785 grant 180 acres Both sides of Wallan's Branch
  • 5 July 1805 - George and Jean Findley to William Harley, the said Findley of the state of Kentucky, 180 acres on Mobley's Creek [formerly Wallace's branch] a branch of the North Fork of the Holston River (Washington Co. LR 4:165).
Logan Co.
  • 22 Aug 1810 Will of George Finley.

Location Notes

Virginia
  • Augusta County formed from Orange County, "1738-1745"[18]
    • Botetourt County formed from Augusta County, 1769[18]
    • Fincastle County formed from Botetourt County, 1772[18]
    • Kentucky County formed from Fincastle County, 1776[18]
    • Montgomery County formed from Fincastle County, 1776[18]
    • Washington County formed from Fincastle County, 1776[18]
      • Fincastle ceases to exist, 1776[18]
    • Illinois County formed from Augusta County, 1778 (Illinois discontinued in 1784)[18]
    • Rockbridge County formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties, 1778[18]
    • Rockingham County formed from Augusta County, 1778[18]
    • Shenandoah County (name changed from Dunmore County), 1778[18]
    • Kentucky County divided into Fayette, Jefferson, & Lincoln Counties, 1780[18]
      • Kentucky County ceases to exist, 1780[18]
    • Russell County formed from Washington County, 1786[18]
    • Wythe County formed from Montgomery County, 1789[18]
    • Kanawha formed from Greenbrier and Montgomery Counties, 1788[18]
    • Bath formed from Augusta, Botetourt, and Greenbrier Counties, 1790[18]
    • Logan County (Virginia) formed from Cabell, Giles, and Kanawha Counties, 1824[18]
  • In 1792, nine Counties separated as the state of Kentucky (Bourbon, Fayette, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, Mason, Mercer, Nelson, & Woodford)[18]
Kentucky
  • Logan County was formed from Lincoln County in 1792[19]
Note that Logan County still existed in Virginia. It was one of the 50 counties that became West Virginia in 1863 (this table lists the 50 counties). In 1867, Lincoln County, West Virginia, was formed.[18]

Research Notes

Related WikiTree Profiles

Two John Finleys citing 1791 will:
John Finley's profile (Finley-1486) has a passage providing information from Augusta County baptism records (1740-1749),[22] noting that children from two John Finleys are listed, without identifying the mother (it is unclear whether comments are from the baptism record or not; the last bullet is clearly not).
  • George 30 Jan 1743
  • Robert 21 Apr 1745
  • Margaret Dec 1746
  • William 30 Jan 1743
  • James 8 Mar 1747
  • James 26 mar 1749
  • George, 4 Jan 1748 (baptized by Rev Thomson, and thus believed to be from John Finley said to have married a Miss Thomson)[23]
  • Jean b. about 1751
  • Thankful 26 Dec 1752
  • David b. about 1760.
  • Son John was probably born 1739/40, before the record begins.

FindAGrave Memorials

NOTE: Leads only.
  • George Finley (1743-1808) listed as son of Mary Caldwell by Find A Grave: Memorial #82245906 for Mary Thankful Finley (no images, no sources), which has her as 2nd wife of John Finley (1724-1791) & also mother of Thomas Caldwell Finley (1757-1843) & David Samuel Finley (6/1/1754-4/19/1848). A memorial for son William (1751-1815) is attached to her memorial. David, Samuel, & Thomas are the known sons of John of Montgomery County who died before 1782.[14]
  • Margaret (Finley) Shields (1746-1808) - sister of George, son of John with the 1791 will (her profile is attached to Finley-625, text says father is Finley-102).
Find A Grave: Memorial #8062484 for George Finley
  • Son of John & Mary
  • Born 2 Jan 1743, Augusta County
  • Spouse Mary
  • Son George
  • Died 22 August 1809, Wayne County, Kentucky
  • Buried Cedar Grove Cemetery, Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee

Find A Grave Memorial

Following is apparently from a FindAGrave memorial (and also appears to conflate information):[24]
George Finley, born 2 January 1743 in Augusta County, Virginia; died 22 August 1809 in Wayne County, Kentucky, was a Revolutionary War Soldier. He was born Tinkling Springs, Virginia and baptised on January 30, 1743 in Augusta Co, Virginia. Another source says year of death was 1810 in Wayne County, Kentucky.
He was married to Mary Gaines Finley on 29 June 1786 in Lincoln, Kentucky.
They had 8 children: Lucinda W., Obediah Gaines, George, Jr., Mary, Sarah, Ann, Catherine Bruce, and Nancy.
Parents:
  • John Finley (1724 - 1791)
  • Mary Caldwell Finley (1728 - ____)
Spouses:
  • Mary Gaines Finley (1765 - 1830)*
  • Mary Polly Gaines Finley (1765 - 1830)*
Children:
  • George Finley (1789 - 1851)*
  • Nancy Gaines Finley Jones (1791 - 1854)*
  • Sarah Finley Wiseman (1799 - 1877)*
Siblings:
  • John Finley (1742 - 1818)*
  • George Finley (1743 - 1809)
  • David Finley (1754 - 1848)**
  • Thomas Caldwell Finley (1757 - 1831)*
*Calculated relationship
**Half-sibling
Burial: Cedar Grove Cemetery, Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee, USA

Leads

  • Not sure where this was from: Will of George Finley; Written: May 19 1818 Probate: July 1818 Volume I, page 415: Those mentioned: Wife: Polly My 2 daughters: Jane and Polly Finley
  • Binns files - Robert Finley-1484, William and John are on this one:
    • April 10, 1790 — Augusta County, Virginia.[25]
  • WikiTree image of memorial stone for "Immigrants to this Valley", listing the names are those who were assessed 12 shillings per family "for building the first Tinkling Spring Meeting House". Names are organized under three "Quarters" - John Christian's Quarter, William Wright's Quarter, and John Finley's Quarter. Under John Finley's Quarter were the following names: Andrew McClure, Robert Turk, Samuel Gay, Robert Finley, William Finley, John Finley, John McCullock, James Gillespie, David Edmondson, James McClure, James Campbell, Archibald Stuart, William Patterson, William Kerr, Joseph Teas, Samuel Steel, Isaac White, John McClure [Daniel Dennison, Treas] (that last may have been for all three Quarters). Remember: Memorial stones are only as reliable as the information at the time they were erected.
  • Clifton W. Bransford, "The Finleys of Virginia" (Federal Writers' Project of the Work Projects Administration for the State of Florida : 16 December 1937), posted by the University of Florida: https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00055106/00001 (accessed 13 May 2021).
    • George Finley (born in Augusta County, "baptized by Rev. John Craig, Jan. 30, 1743. He died in Wayne Co., Ky. in 1809.... [mention of 17 Nov. 1767 land sale]... married for his first wife, Dec. 18, 1761, Ann, daughter of Isaac Newland, who died in 1782, at the age of 36 years... [served under Captain Andrew Lewis in the battle of Point Pleasant, 10 Oct. 1774; was a Lieutenant of Militia in Battle of King's Mountain, 7 Oct. 1780...] Elder in Sinking Spring Church in 1782 [Washington County] - paraprhasing: moved to Kentucky in 1785 & married (2) Mary "Polly" Gaines in Lincoln County, Ky. on 29 June 1786, "daughter of Williams [sic] and Sarah (Strother) Gaines,[26] who had moved in 1783 from Albemarle Co., Va.,..." (p 17). George of Wayne County, Ky., put in trust with William Gaines for his wife Mary on 4 March 1809 ("for love and affection I have for my wife"). "Wts. Samuel C. Pulliam, Wm. McDowell, Oct. 3, 1809". (p18). By first wife: Isaac (b 1762), John (1764), George (1765), Ann (b 1769, Augusta) - see p 18 for details - by second wife: Obadiah Gaines Finley "only son", born in Bourbon County, Kentucky 24 May 1787. Sarah Finley, born in Lincoln Co., Ky., 12 Jan. 1799 (m Samuel Pennebaker). Ann Finley, b Lincoln Co., 1801 - married Major Robert Green 15 Jan. 1829. 3rd-6th daughters... Kittie Bruce Finley (b 1803), Mary Finley (b1804), Lucinda Finley (b1806). O.G. Finley moved to Lebanon, Tenn. after his father died in 1809. Bransford makes no mention of a divorce.
  • Record of Baptisms, 1740-1749, from The Tinkling Spring, by Howard McKnight Wilson, 1954, p. 470. Children from two John Finleys are listed, without identifying the mother. George 30 Jan 1743, Robert 21 Apr 1745 and Margaret Dec 1746 are marked as believed to be from John & Thankful, the others are uncertain. They include a William 30 Jan 1743, James 8 Mar 1747 and James 26 mar 1749, and another George, 4 Jan 1748, bt by Rev Thomson, and thus believed to be from John Finley said to have m. a Miss Thomson, and 2nd Mary Caldwell. Of the other known children of John & Thankful, I see Jean (Trimble) b. about 1751, Thankful (McCarter) b. 26 Dec 1752, David b. about 1760. Son John probably born 1739/40, before the record begins. One Robert Finley b. 1726, or earlier, m. Martha Henderson. 1750 deed records suggest he is associated with the John Finley (Thompson, Caldwell) family, but in any event his birthdate does not fit with the ages of the children of John Finley & Thankful Doak.
  • John, 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.
  • ...The other John Finley in Augusta Co., born 1706 was mixed up with John who married Thankful Doak, by Stout, and that John is likely the son of James Finley and Elizabeth Patterson.

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Finley, Carmen J. Finley, Ph.D. The George Finleys of Augusta County, Virginia (published in The American Genealogist, Vol. 64, No. 4, October 1989, pp. 216-225), available online courtesy of USGenWeb (accessed 6 November 2021).
  2. ↑ The reference to the Middle River land on the profile for John Finley has "17 Nov 1767 Book 14, p. 106. John Finley d. 1791 & wife Thankful sold for 5 shillings 176 acres, part of his homeplace, to his son, George Finley". Dr. Finley's notes - John and George Finley, Property Descriptions, Middle River, Augusta County, VA, 1740-1791 - has "17 November 1767, John Finley to son, George - DB 14:104, 176 (179?) acres a part of John Finley's land he now lives on" (accessed 7 November 2021).
  3. ↑ John Finley Inventory, 20 December 1791, Augusta County, VA WB 7:431 (accessed 7 November 2021).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 The transcription of John's will reflects the spelling of the original (images of the original shared by Carmen Finley).
  5. ↑ George Finley of Washington County to David McNair, 20 December 1791, 35 acres, Augusta County DB27:268 (accessed 7 November 2021).
    • The land "being a grant made to the said George Finley under the sail [seal] of the Commonwealth and dated the first day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty one lying and being in the County of Augusta on a small branch of the South side of the Middle River of Shanadore and bounded as followeth..."
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Descendants of James Finley and Elizabeth Warrender: Robert Finley. Born 9 May 1681. Died c.1740 [8]. Married Sarah Patterson [8].
    Text marked [8] was collated by Bob D Woolley.
    The maroon italic text was collated by Donald McBride who lists relevant genealogy at Finley Family Entry was in maroon text, but capture of site from December 2006 does not include Robert and Sarah (Patterson) Finley.
    George, son of Robert & Sarah, was probably born in Ireland about 1700 (based on father's birth & information about his uncles' immigration to America (in 1730s).
  7. ↑ DAR descendant record for Joseph, son of Robert Denny (DAR Patriot Ancestor #A031935), married Mary Polly Finley.
  8. ↑ John Finley, Jr. (1724-1791), DAR Patriot Ancestor #A041282 (accessed 5 November 2021). See the record for details on multiple flags on the record.
  9. ↑ DAR records that listed O.G. as a son of George included this record, for a descendant of son Obediah [Gaines/George] Finley who married Mary Lewis Johnson, which had George's baptism as 30 January 1743. Elizabeth (gr-gr-gr-grandmother of Noland-165) and Mary were sisters.
  10. ↑ Mary, daughter of William Gaines, Patriot Ancestor #A043095 (m Ann Strother).
  11. ↑ Frances Hancock, descendant of DAR Patriot Ancestor James Henderson #A054685.
  12. ↑ Fanny, daughter of William Hancock, DAR Patriot Ancestor #A132400
  13. ↑ Frances Fanny Hancock, daughter of William and Martha (Henderson) Finley, granddaughter of William's father Clement Hancock, DAR Patriot Ancestor #A133211.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Carmen J. Finley, David Finley (1754-1848): Correcting the Record (published in National Genealogical Society, Vol. 76, No.2, October 1988, pp 112-120), online courtesy of Sonoma County CaGenWeb (accessed 7 November 2021).
  15. ↑ See also the FamilySearch catalog entry for Dr. Finley's John and Mary Finley of Montgomery and Wythe County, Virginia (1990), which includes in its notes for the book that John "...married Mary Caldwell sometime prior to the year 1755. They lived in Virginia and were the parents of three known children." Dr. Finley's article about David Finley names those children as David, Samuel, and Thomas.
  16. ↑ DAR records for a descendant of George Finley show that his son Isaac was the son Ann Nowland and the father of Anne Finley (1786-1861) who married James Boston.
    • DAR descendant record for Anne (Finley) Boston, granddaughter of George Finley, DAR Patriot Ancestor #A040796 (accessed 9 November 2021). As of 9 November 2021, the WikiTree profile representing that George Finley is Finley-336; a duplicate profile (Fenley-76) has a profile attached for a son Isaac (Fenley-75).
  17. ↑ Dr. Finley's notes about land transactions include John and George Finley, Property Descriptions, Middle River, Augusta County, VA, 1740-1791.
  18. ↑ 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 18.11 18.12 18.13 18.14 18.15 18.16 18.17 18.18 18.19 https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~george/countyformations/virginiaformationmaps.html
  19. ↑ http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~george/countyformations/kentuckyformationmaps.html
  20. ↑ Lyman Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1965): abstract on page 191 in volume 3.
  21. ↑ https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:John_Trimble_(14)
  22. ↑ Record of Baptisms, 1740-1749, from The Tinkling Spring, by Howard McKnight Wilson (1954), p. 470.
  23. ↑ I believe the George baptized in 1748 is the George Finley portrayed by the Finley-336 profile. This George (Finley-638) is of the Middle River family and his mother is Thankful; a brother James is named in the 1791 will (probably the James baptized in 1747). I do not think that the John Finley of Montgomery (who married Mary Caldwell and died before 1782) is the father of George Finley-336 (baptized 1748), as that John Finley is not known to have lived in Augusta County. Carmen Finley's conclusions based on her research about John and Mary (Caldwell) Finley of Montgomery County do not place him in Augusta County or connect him to either of the two John Finleys of Tinkling Springs, although a passage from the profile of Thankful Doak-3 (a copy/paste, but I can't tell from where) does, saying that after the Elder John removed to Prince Edward County and from there to Montgomery County (Carmen's research has John and Mary moving from Prince Edward to Montgomery about 1773, when they bought land in Montgomery County). Also from the unidentified copy/paste: "Between 1740 and 1749, the only years for which Tinkling Spring baptismal records are available, John and his wife had at least four, and possibly five, children; Elisabeth, William, James, George, and possibly another James (christened 26 March 1749). These are the children listed by Wilson as belonging to one of the two John Finley families in the area (the other being the John Finley family on Middle River)."
    That passage is for the John Finley who died 1782, and follows a copy/paste about John Finley and Thankful Doak. They are introduced with a warning (ellipses are replacing "below" references):
    Note: two John Finleys are referred to.... John Finley and Thankful Doak is different from John Finley, elder of Tinkling Springs.... They were mixed together by Stout and early researchers, and Stout made John who married Mary Caldwell as son of John and Thankful Doak. I don't think he knew anything about the 1791 will of John Finley who married Thankful Doak.
    So we have two John Finleys in Tinkling Springs: John of Middle River (died 1791, named wife Thankful in his will) and John Finley, named elder of Tinkling Springs in 1748. The third John Finley - with wife Mary in Montgomery County by 1773 (where he died, 1782) - is said in the cut/paste information to have been the same John as the Tinkling Springs Elder, but Carmen's research into John & Mary does not make that connection. Several profiles for John have similar information, including Finley-102, which has his death as 1773 in Augusta County, with profiles for children George and William attached.
    This webpage shares a 1987 letter from Carmen Finley responding to a question about the father of William Joseph Finley and addressing the supposition that the John Finley who was the Tinkling Springs Elder moved to Prince Edward County after 1764, saying, in part: "There is another possible explanation. There is no doubt that STOUT's William Joseph (4-02-16) is the William who accompanied a John FINLEY first to Prince Edward County in 1765 and then on to Montgomery/Wythe County. The other explanation is, of course, that STOUT is correct in placing this William as son of John FINLEY Sr., elder of Tinkling Springs of Augusta and that John Sr. moved out of Augusta in 1765 to Prince Edward County and then on to Montgomery/Wythe in 1773. If this is true, then John FINLEY Sr., the elder of Tinkling Springs, did not die in Augusta County in 1773 as STOUT claims; rather he died in Wythe County in late 1782. There are a number of compelling reasons to believe this may be true, but no actual proof, as yet." She then discusses land transactions, including John Finley buying "327 acres on Reed Creek, a branch of New River in Montgomery/Wythe county in November 1773. William is not far behind, as is George FINLEY who also bought and sold property on Vaughan's Creek in the same general time period.... Place this in the context of the times in Augusta County and especially Tinkling Springs. From the early 1740s, John FINLEY had been a staunch supporter of the Church and prominent member of the new community developing at Beverly Manor. (See "The Tinkling Springs: Headwaters of Freedom," by Howard McKnight WILSON.) ... [B]y 1764, the congregation of Tinkling Springs was so weakened that their minister, John CRAIG, could not be supported.... Both WILSON and KEGLEY (in Early Adventurers on the Western Waters) document the movement of Beverly Manor families to the Southwest in the immediate area of Reed Creek, a branch of New River. David DOAK, brother to Thankful DOAK, settled there. George and Ann (DOAK) BRECKINRIDGE settled there (Ann and Thankful were sisters). What could be more natural than for John FINLEY Sr., the elder from Tinkling Springs, also to settle there in his later years?"
  24. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #8062484 for George Finley (conflating more than one George). Maintained by: EllieKB, Originally Created by: kimshockey (reb), Record added: Nov 05, 2003. (Note: moved "(bio by: Kim Parker)" following "They had 8 children..." para from text to this footnote.)
  25. ↑ Augusta County Tax Roles for 1790; Whites 16+: 1; Blacks 16+: 1; Blacks 12+: 1; Horses: 10. Adjacent to lines for William and John Finley.
  26. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 15 May 2021), "Record of William Gaines", Ancestor # A043095.
See also:
See alsos from Space: Virginia Finleys:
See also G2G threads:

(Larry and Kathy Hall) All right you have me thoroughly confused on the Finleys. My ancestor is George Finley who removed to Logan Co KY. Had daughter Elizabeth who married Peter Hay. This is the son of th John Finley/Thankful Doak who lived on Middle River and had 8 children. So the Elder at Tinkling Springs is the South River John Finley . So the confusion comes from both John Finley having children baptized at Tinkling Springs and the proximity of the residences. I have a conglomeration of records I believe. ...

[from Kathy Hall]

note - Kathy's ancestors are under "duplicates" - A relative? George Finley-2136 married Elizabeth Hawes before 1818; named in the 1819 will of her father, Peter Hawes, which was recorded in Jefferson County, Kentucky.

also... (12) (22) George3 FINLEY, (Thankful2 DOAK, James1) was christened Jan 4, 1747/1748 at Tinkling Spring, Augusta Co, Va, married about 1769 at Prince Edward Co, Va (97) Jane FULTON. George died in 1831 at Wilson Co(?), Tn. (Two seperate records)

He also married on Jun 29, 1786, (98) Polly GAINES. George3 FINLEY, (Thankful2 DOAK, James1) was christened Jan 30, 1742/1743 at Augusta Co, Va. George died after Aug 22, 1810 at Logan Co, Ky.

!Deeded 179 acres by John and Thankful, "a part of John Finleys land he now lives on," for 5 shillings, 17 November 1767 (Augusta County DB 14:104).

George and wife, Jane, deed this property to Robert Clendenen in 1772 (Augusta Co. DB 18:92). Obtains grant for 35 acres on Middle River (same area - see DB 27:268). In Washington County prior to 22 October 1785 when John Finley patents 312 acres on Wallaces branch of Holston River; deed references George Finley (Washington Co. DB 1:305). Buys and sells property between 1788 and 1801; wife always named Jean or Jane (Washington Co. DB 1:140, 1:407, 1:408, 1:409, 2:201, 2:467). Final deed dated 5 July 1805 shows George and Jane Findley living in KY (Washington Co. DB 4:165). George wrote his will

22 August 1810 in Logan County, KY. Names daughters Rachel, Elizabeth and Mary and husbands James Glenn, Peter Hay, Hugh Orr respectively. James Glenn was witness to Washington County deed in 1799 (2:201). See Carmen J. Finley, "The George Finleys of Augusta County, VA," The American Genealogist, 64 (October 1989):216-225.

...

In addition, there was a John Finley living adjacent to George Finley, proven son of John and Thankful, in Washington County, VA from about 1776 to 1792 (Lewis Preston Summers, "Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800," Baltimore: Genealogical PUblishing, 1970, pp. 957, 974, 1110, 1112, 1169, 1216, 1346; tax list of 1782 and 1786). This John Finley sold his 312 acres on Wallace's Branch, adjacent to George Finley on 31 October 1792 and was referred to as "of Knox County, Territory of United States Southwest of River Ohio" at that time (Washington County DB 1:305). See Carmen J. Finley, "The George Finleys of Augusta County, VA," The American Genealogist, 64 (October 1989):216-225. Carmen J. Finley, "The John Finleys of Knox County, Tennessee," Tennessee Ancestors, 9 (April 1993): 33-43.

from Carmen to Jacqueli (aka Joe):

Could never find a trace of him that was backed up by primary records. What I did find was a John Finley living adjacent to George Finley (proven son of John and Thankful) in Washington County, VA. The son, John, went on to Knox County, TN and I wrote a paper on this search that was published in Tennessee Ancestors, vol. 9, no. 1, April 1993, p. 33. Did I send you a copy of that? I haven't kept track.

The upshot is that John and Thankful did have a son John (named in will), and I believe with about 95% certainty he is the John Finley who ended up in Knox County in 1792.... -->






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[Living Smith]
The kittybrewster link goes to a gambling site now.

This page is great, I found the link on someones ancestry.com tree. Thanks for all the work.

posted by [Living Smith]
Noland-165 Liz (Noland) Shifflett
Thanks & thanks :D

I replaced the kittybrewster link with its Wayback Machine capture.

Cheers, Liz

posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett

Categories: US Southern Colonies Family Studies