Samuel Finleys in Chester County, Pennsylvania:1718 - 1758


NOTE: Chester County, PA Tax Lists, West Nottingham (Chester County Archives) - Barbara L. Weir, CGRS, says there were lots of errors in LDS list I sent (#0543395)
Samuel Finley, 1718, 1719, 1720, 1721, 1722, 1724, 1726, 1730, 1732, 1747, 1750 (clergyman), 1753 (clergyman), 1754?, 1757, 1758, 1760. Robert Finley also appeared in W. Nottingham in the 1730's. A William Finley appeared in 1753/54 and 1756.
Chester County, PA Tax Lists, West Nottingham (LDS film #0543395)
Samuel Finley, 1720/21, 1722, 1724, 1748, 1751 (clergyman), 1753 (clergyman), 1754 (clergyman), 1756A, 1756B, 1758A, 1758B. Robert Finley also appeared in W. Nottingham in the 1730's. James Finley in 1727, widow Finley in 1740.
Boundary between W. Nottingham and Cecil County, MD not settled until 1764.
1715 - Rev. Samuel Finley, D.D., born in Armagh, Ireland; to America in 1734; studied at "Log College" at Neshaminy, Bucks County; licensed to preach by Presbytery of New Brunswick, 4 August 1740; became pastor of Nottingham Church in 1744 (congregation served both Chester County and Cecil County, MD). Became President of College of New Jersey (now Princeton) in 1761. Died 16 July 1766. Samuel Finley Breese Morse, inventor of telegraph, a descendant. J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania With Genealogical and Biographical Sketches (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1881), p. 546. Lyle says he is the son of Michael and Ann (O'Neill) Finley, p. 8.
1720 - Rock Presbyterian Church organized as first church in Chester County, now known as "Stone Graveyard," in Lewisville, Elk township. second, erected by New Side in 1741 at "Sharp's Graveyard," at Fair Hill, Cecil County, MD; third in Cecil County, originally called "Elk River," until 1787, then renamed the "Rock." Futhey & Cope, p. 251.
1737 - Samuel Finley, Nottingham, inventory, Bart Anderson, Dorothy B. Lapp, Marwood Darlington, Index to Chester County, Pennsylvania Wills and Intestate Records, 1713-1850 (Danboro, PA: Richard T. and Mildred C. Williams, 1970), p. 59.
30 May 1738 - John Aldred, minor, petition regarding estate left him by Saml Finley; chooses guardian Joseph Chaplain of Prince George County, MD. Chester County Orphan's Book III:69.
10 October 1739 - Robert Finley, W. Nottingham, will, proved 24 November 1741. Wife, Sarah; children Robert, John Johnson, Mary, Wm Finley of Chestnut Level. Jacob Martin, Abstract of Wills of Chester County, Pennsylvania (Marshallton, PA: author?, 1900), p. 199. This Robert son of Robert and Margaret (Lauder) Finley according to Marie Lyle, "Robert Finley of Chester County, Pennsylvania," Your Ancestors, v. 1, n. 12, p. 7, Detroit Public Library.
29 October 1739 - Samuel Finley administrator for Robt Finley. Martin, p. 161. 30 March 1751 - Samuel Finley witness to Samuel Blair, Londonderry minister, will. Martin, p. 352.




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