Finney

   The origin of the surname "Finney" is Irish and/or English: a habitational name from any of several places in Cheshire called Finney or from Fenay in West Yorkshire, probably named from Old English finig (‘heap’—especially one of wood), or from Old English and Old Norse finn (‘coarse grass’ + (ge)hæg ‘enclosure’).
   The family Coat of Arms features a red shield with three black mullets on a gold chevron, between three gold martlets.
   The Finneys were first found in Galway, where they were seated from very ancient times, and where their territories were Ballyfeeney and in Roscommon.
   Our lineage can be traced back to ROBERT PHINNEY, born about 1576 and lived in Lenton parish, a part of the County of Nottingham, England. Its name was probably derived from the river Leen which flows through it, and tun or tori, which originally meant an enclosed place, like a cluster of homesteads. Robert and his wife (referred to as "Mother Feney" in most family histories, although some sources list her as Protesia or Arutesia Holdrick, b. circa 1589 in England) had the following children:

CHILDREN OF ROBERT PHINNEY AND WIFE

SARAH FINNEY, b. 1595 in Exeter, Devonshire, England. She married EDWARD POOLE. No further information.

JOYCE FINNEY was baptized 09 Apr 1599 at Lenton and buried there 05 Aug 1603.

ANNE FINNEY was baptized 14 Mar 1601/2 at Lenton and buried there 17 Feb 1602/3.

JOHN B. FINNEY was baptized 15 Mar 1603/4 at Lenton. He came to America with the Finney family. Descendants of his son, John, carried the name Phinney. 3 sons of his third wife became known as the Bristol Branch as they all settled in Bristol (then Mass) now Rhode Island. His son, Robert, was killed in the French and Indian War in 1690. Son, Josiah settled in Plymouth, Mass. Source: Finney and Phinney by Norma L. Jones. His various families listed below.

ROBERT FINNEY was baptized 16 Feb 1607/8 at Lenton (Lenton parish registers). He arrived at Plymouth colony in 1638. Robert & his brother John were mentioned often in the Plymouth colony town meeting records, most conducted by Governor William Bradford. (The brothers were referred to as Ffinney in the records.) At the Feb 1643 Town Meeting: It was agreed that 5 men including John & Robert ffinney would set wolf traps at designated spots. In Dec 1646 Robert & John Ffinney were both listed as lieutenants. On Feb 1649 Town Meeting, 7 men, including Robert Ffinney appointed to oversee & make decisions on "Poores Cattell." In Jan 1662 Townspeople of Plymouth chose Robert Ffinney & Ephriam Morton to recieve the agreed amount in building a house for the minister. In March 1662 Robert Ffinney, Nathaniel Warren & Ephriam Morton appointed by the town to run the line & to "set the bounds sett betwixt the Township of Sandwich & our township." He married Phebe Ripley (b: 1641). No further information.

CATHERINE FINNEY was born in 1610 in Exeter, Devonshire, England. She came to America with her family and married GABARIAL FALLWELL. She died at Plymouth in 1676: "Seven chh-members dyed this yeare, all sisters, one of them was aged Katherine Fallowell, the Relict of Gabriel, a very pretious Saint, fourscore yeares old, a widow indeed." (William T. Davis, ed., "Plymouth Church Records, 1620-1859," 2 vols., Boston: The Colonial Society of Massachusetts, 1920 & 1923; repr. Baltimore: GPC, 1975, vol. 2, p. 153; also George Ernest Bowman, "Plymouth First Church Records," MD 8:217).

ANNE FINNEY was baptized 04-Aug-1611 at Lenton, married, probably at Plymouth, before 1647/8, Samuel King (NEHGR 148:326), and died at Plymouth 04-May-1688 (Plymouth VRs 134).

Article Information Article Image Name: The Finney Family of Lenton, Nottinghamshire and Plymouth, Massachusetts Author: Clifford L. Stott Publisher: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 148 Date: Oct 1994 Pages: 315-327 View article (.PDF)

   Robert died during the crossing to America. He was sailing with his wife from Ispwich, England, between July 1637 and December 1638 aboard the ship "Little John," with their daughter Catherine and two sons, Robert and John landing in Plymouth, MA. John was called and known as John "The Pilgrim." 'Mother Feney' died on 22 Apr 1650 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA at about the age of 80. The record of her death reads, "Mother ffeney aged fourscore yeares and upward Died the 22cond of aprell" (Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer, eds., "Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England," 12 vols., Boston: 1855-61; repr. in 6 vols. New York: 1968, vol. 8, p. 10; also George Ernest Bowman, "Plymouth Colony Vital Records," The Mayflower Descendant, vol. 16, p. 235).
   Robert and "Mother Feney's" son, JOHN FINNEY, arrived at Plymouth colony with the rest of the Finneys in 1638. John & his brother, Robert, were mentioned often in the Plymouth colony town meeting record, most conducted by Governor William Bradford. (The brothers were referred to as Ffinney in the records.) Here are some entries:

• In July of 1642, a Town Meeting was held before Mr. Bradford & others, to disperse the stock of cattle called the "Poores Cattell." John Ffinney - recipient of a "black cowe" belonging to Joshua Pratt.
• In February of 1643, a Town Meeting was held where it was agreed that 5 men including John & Robert Ffinney would set wolf traps at designated spots.
• In April of 1643, John Ffinney recieved 2 cows for keeping 1 of 3 bulls to service the others cows. He was to receive a peck & a pottle (2 quarts) of "Indian corne."
• In December of 1646, Robert & John Ffinney were both listed as lieutenants.

   John was called "The Pilgrim." He received grants of land in Plymouth in 1639, 1640, and 1641, and was made a freeman in 1644, and exciseman (tax man) from 1646 to 1648.
   John's life was not an easy one: His first marriage was to a woman named CHRISTINA PATTEN (b: BEF 23 Nov 1608 in Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England). They were married on the 22nd of November, 1636, in Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England. They had Margaret (b: BEF 20 Jul 1637 in Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England), John, Jr. (b: 24 Dec 1638 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA).
   But Christina died on the ninth of September, 1649 in Plymouth , Plymouth co., Massachusetts. So after 1647, John married a second time to ABIGAIL BISHOP. She died, however, leaving him with five children who he couldn't care for. By 1654, only two, Abigail and John, survived. And those children were living in such poor conditions that the case was referred to Governor Pence.
   John then moved to Barnstable, Massachusetts sometime in the early 1650s. (Barnstable is the next town about 20 miles down the coast from Plymouth.) He worked there as the constable. He then married his third wife, ELIZABETH BAILEY (b. 1633), born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, on July 26, 1654 in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Between 1655 and 1665 they would have eight children, but we only have the names of two:

   John was listed as first settler of Bristol, Rhode Island, along with his son, JEREMIAH. John died between 1701-1702 in Swansea, Massachusetts. But Jeremiah was made freeman in 1680. He took the Oath of Fidelity at Bristol on May 17th, 1685; he became a sea captain.
   Jeremiah married ESTHER LEWIS (b. 1664) on January 7, 1684 in Bristol. The 1689 census of Bristol listed him with a wife and one child, but they had many more:

Campbell

   Jeremiah died on the 18th of February, 1748, in Bristol, Bristol County, Rhode Island (previously Massachusetts). He probably died intestate; because no will of inventory was given in Rounds through 1762.
   His son, JOHN FINNEY, married MARY CAMPBELL (b: 8 May 1696) on January 12th, 1714/15 in Norton, Massachusetts, according to the Genealogical Register of Plymouth Families by William T. Davis (1895). John was a cordwainer (a traditional name for a boot and shoe maker).
   About 1724, John Finney was made guardian of Caleb, Ruth and Jeremiah Cambill, who were the children of Mary's parents, SYLVANUS and MARY CAMBELL of Norton, who were deceased.
   John and Mary lived with all of them at Norton from 1717 until 1766, when he removed to Easton. Their children were...

CHILDREN OF JOHN FINNEY AND MARY CAMPBELL

MARY FINNEY b: 17 Feb 1717/18 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. No further information.

ESTHER FINNEY b: 24 Aug 1719 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. Family listed below.

LIDIA FINNEY b: 1 Oct 1722 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. Married JOHN BRIGGS. No further information.

SOLOMON FINNEY b: 21 Aug 1724 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. No further information.

JOHN FINNEY b: 14 Oct 1726 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. No further information.

MARY FINNEY b: 12 Nov 1727. No further information.

ABIJAH FINNEY b: 17 June 1729 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. No further information.

NATHANIEL FINNEY b: 4 June 1732 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. No further information.

DANIEL FINNEY b: 22 Nov 1733 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. No further information.

CHARLES FINNEY b: 6 March 1734/35 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. No further information.

SARAH FINNEY b: 25 Apr 1737 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. No further information.

HANNAH FINNEY b: 24 Jan 1739/40 in Plymouth , Plymouth, MA. No further information.

CHILDREN OF PHINEHAS BRIGGS AND ESTHER FINNEY

HANNAH BRIGGS b: 3 Sep 1740 in Norton, Bristol co., Ma. Died on 2 May 1742 in Norton, Ma. No further information.

EASTHER BRIGGS b: 25 Sep 1741 in Norton, Ma. She married Josiah Newland (b: 27 Dec 1740) on 16 Feb 1758 in Norton, Ma. No further information.

PHINEHAS BRIGGS, JR., b: 30 Sep 1743 in Norton, Ma. Died 15 June 1749.

STEPHEN BRIGGS b: 9 Apr 1745 in Norton, Ma. No further information.

HANNAH BRIGGS b: 13 Aug 1746 in Norton, Ma. No further information.

EUNICE BRIGGS b: 14 Apr 1748 in Norton, Ma. No further information.

PHINEHAS BRIGGS III, b: 15 Apr 1750 in Norton, Ma. He married RHODA WATTLES (b: 1759) of Sharon, Litchfield Co., Connecticut. Phinehas died on 10 Feb 1843 at Cold Brook Village, Herkimer, NY, USA. Rhoda died on 20 Feb 1842 in Cold Brook Village, Herkimer, NY, USA. Family listed below.

ABIGAIL BRIGGS b: 4 Feb 1751/52 in Norton, Ma. No further information.

DANIEL BRIGGS b: 15 Jan 1754 in Norton, Ma. No further information.

GENEALOGY

ROBERT FINNEY begat...

JOHN FINNEY, JR. (b. 1609), who married his third wife, ELIZABETH BAILEY (b. 1633) and begat...

JEREMIAH FINNEY (b. 1662), who married ESTHER LEWIS (b. 1664) and begat...

JOHN FINNEY (b. 1696), who married MARY CAMPBELL (b: 1696) and begat...

ESTHER FINNEY (b. 1719), who married PHINEHAS BRIGGS (1710 - 1754), and begat...

PHINEHAS BRIGGS JR. (1750 - 1835) who married SARAH or RHODA WATTLES (1759 - 1845) and begat...

LEMUEL BRIGGS (b. 1773), who married CONTENT CLINTON and begat...

POLLY BRIGGS (1811 - 1867) who married DAVID SANDERSON (1804 - 1884) and begat...

MELISSA SANDERSON (1839 - 1921) who married LABAN HAUSE (1831 - 1906) and begat...

FRANK HAUSE (1867 - 1951) who married FLADELLA RAYMOND (1869 - 1961) and begat...

CARLISLE HAUSE (1891 - 1972) who married MARJORIE MARCHANT (1892 - 1939) who begat...

CARLETON MARCHANT HAUSE, SR. (1917 - 1983) who married JEANNE BRUNNER (1918 - 2000) and begat...

CARLETON MARCHANT HAUSE, JR. (b. 1939) who married MARTHA WENK (b. 1940) and begat...

JEFF (who married LORI ANN DOTSON), KATHY (who married HAL LARSEN), ERIC (who married MARY MOONSAMMY), and MICHELE HAUSE (who married JOHN SCOTT HOUSTON).