Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

(I) John Finney, "the Pilgrim," re-
ceived grants of land in Plymouth in
1639-40-41 ; was made freeman in 1644
from 1646 to 1648 served as exciseman;
was a member of several juries. In 1670,
with his son John, "he was made a freeman
of Barnstable, and he was at one time a
resident of Scituate, Massachusetts, in
1680 joining the company which settled
Bristol, Rhode Island. In 1682 he sold
his interest in the Mount Hope lands, in
Bristol, to his son Jonathan, and after that
year there is no record of him until 1702,
when he seems to have removed to Swan-
sea, Massachusetts. He probably died
not long after, as about that time he exe-
cuted a deed which he signed with a mark,
thus indicating his advanced age or serious
illness. He married (first) Christiana,
or Christian , who died in Plymouth,
September 9, 1649. He married
(second) June 10, 1650, Abigail Coggin,
who died May 6, 1653, daughter of
Thomas Bishop, and widow of Henry
Coggin. He married (third) June 26,
1654, Elizabeth Bailey, who was buried in
Bristol, February 9, 1684.
(II) Jeremiah Finney, son of John and
Elizabeth (Bailey) Finney, was born August
15, 1662, in Barnstable, Massachu-
setts. He was a shipmaster, and in 1680
was made, with his father, freeman of
Bristol. He married, January 7, 1684,
Esther Lewis, born in 1664, daughter of
Thomas and Mary Lewis, of Bristol.
Jeremiah Finney died in that town, Feb-
ruary 18, 1748, his wife having passed
away April 11, 1743, in the same place.
(III) John (2) Finney, son of Jeremiah
and Esther (Lewis) Finney, was born
April 13, 1696. He was a cordwainer, or
shoemaker. About 1717 he removed to
Norton, Massachusetts, where he pur-
chased land. About 1766 he migrated to
Easton. He married Mary Campbell,
daughter of Sylvanus and Mary Camp-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
60
bell, of Norton. The death of John Fin-
ney occurred October 11, 1787, probably
in Kingston, Massachusetts.
(IV) Solomon Finney, son of John
(2) and Mary (Campbell) Finney, was
born August 21, 1724. He lived in Stam-
ford and later in Greenwich, Connecticut,
his house occupying the site now covered
by the plant of the Mianus Manufacturing
Company. He married Tamar June,
born May 6, 1739, daughter of Thomas
and Tamar June. Records show that the
June family was resident in Stamford in
the latter part of the seventeenth century.
Daniel Finney, a brother of Solomon
Finney, was born November 22, 1733,
married Phoebe Fisher, of Norton, Massachusetts,
and settled in Norwalk, Connecticut,
where he has descendants now
living.
(V) Solomon (2) Finney, son of Solomon
(1) and Tamar (June) Finney, was
born in 1781, in Greenwich, Connecticut.
He enjoyed for his day exceptional educational
advantages. In his early manhood
he was for some years a schoolmaster,
but eventually abandoned that calling and
became a farmer. He married, in or before
1805, Mary Betts (see Betts VI), and
their children were : John A., Finnetta,
Hannah Maria, Mary Ann, Lavinia,
Charles, Elizabeth, George, Abijah, and
Lorenzo, mentioned below. Solomon
Finney died in 1839.
(VI) Lorenzo Finney, son of Solomon
(2) and Mary (Betts) Finney, was born
March 22, 1827, in Mianus, Connecticut.
He learned the trade of finisher in the old
Greenwich Iron Works, commonly re-
ferred to as "the rolling mills." At the
beginning of the Civil War he formed a
partnership with John Hughes and they
made a contract with the owner of the
mill to produce spike iron on a per ton
basis. After a short time the partnership
was dissolved and Mr. Finnev continued