Descendants of Mr. Finch

 

 

Generation No. 1

 

1.  FINCH1 was born in Virginia.  He married MRS. FINCH.  She was born in Virginia.

       

Child of FINCH and MRS. FINCH is:

2.                i.    AMOS STEVEN2 FINCH, b. 1821, Tennessee; d. 1881, Possibly Tennessee.

 

 

Generation No. 2

 

2.  AMOS STEVEN2 FINCH (FINCH1)1 was born 1821 in Tennessee, and died 1881 in Possibly Tennessee.  He married SUSAN AUGUSTA PIERCE2, daughter of PIERCE and MRS. PIERCE.  She was born 14 Apr 1819 in Tennessee, and died 26 Feb 1895 in Probably Tennessee.

 

Notes for AMOS STEVEN FINCH:

According to Webster's Dictionary the terms Democrat and Republican are referred to one another and used together in the context of being opposed to the Federalists.  "Favoring a strict interpretation of the constitution to restrict the powers of federal government and emphasizing states rights."

 

Democrat: "favoring social equality; disregarding or overcoming class distinctions; favoring a political system in which the supreme power is held and exercised by the people."

 

Republican: "relating to or constituting one of the two major political parties in the U.S. evolved in the mid-19th century from the Whigs, Free-Soilers, and Democrats primarily for the purpose of opposing the extension of slavery and becoming usually associated with business, financial, and some agricultural interests and with favoring a restricted governmental role in social and economic life."

 

On some notes I made in 1972, I wrote that Nanny stated that the Finches were Democrats.

 

On the copy of the finch family crest that I have it states:

"I choose to live in the open"

The Latin was translated to me by my grandmother, Gladys Meshew Finch.

 

Amos Steven Finch; nickname: "Kit"

Susan Augusta Pierce, wife

 

December 1994, Aunt Laverne (Susan Laverne Finch Herriman) sent me a group photo of her relatives--Amos & Susan's children:

Top row: 1st person believed to beTennie Finch (or Tennessee Finch Miles); Uncle Tom Finch; Sam Finch (Aunt Laverne's father); & Billy Hopper"

Botton row: Lizzie Finch (John's wife); John Finch; Betty Finch Hopper

"Tom was a Sunday School Superintendent; Sam a Farmer; John a Sheriff"

 

 

Billie Lynn Fazakerly Harrison

1996

 

Update May 2006

1880 Census, June 14, Civil District 11, Obion Co., Tennessee

306/324

Home: Masons Hall/Boyetts Store, Obion, Tennessee

Amos Finch, 58, b. abt. 1822, Farmer, b. TN, father b. Virginia, mother b. Virginia

Susan Finch, 62, wife, b. TN, father b. North Carolina, Mother b. Virginia

Thomas, son, 22, b. TN, works on farm

Samuel, son, 20, b. TN, works on farm

Ann Pierce, 50, sister in law, b. TN, father b. North Carolina, mother b. Virginia

Joseph Morgan, 22, farm laborer, single, b. TN

 

Next door:

305/323 Relatives???

William Finch, 26, Farmer, b. TN, father b. NC, mother b. TN

Frances, 18, wife, b. TN, parents b. TN

Elihn??, son, 11/12 b. TN

 

Nearby:

298/316 Relatives???

John Finch, 30, Farmer, b. TN, parents b. TN

Eliza J., wife, 24, b. TN, parents b. TN

Thomas, son, 6, b. TN

William, son, 1, b. TN

 

More About AMOS STEVEN FINCH:

Cause of Death: Age at death: 602

Fact 1 (2) 1: Nickname was "Kit".

Fact 1 (2) 2: Gramp's Grandfather (Samuel Clayborne Finch)

Fact 3 (2): Hunted & Fished. (I have a note stating that he may have been a "Daniel Boone" or "Davy Crocket" type of person.

Fact 4 (2): Farm near Kenton, Tennessee. (Possibly Obion County)

Fact 5 (2): Kenton, Tennessee on the border of Obion & Gibson Counties.

Fact 6 (2): Aunt Laverne Finch Herriman said that Kenton, TN had a post office & train station

Fact 7 (2): Possibly Methodist

Occupation: Farmer

 

Notes for SUSAN AUGUSTA PIERCE:

[FINCHM.FTW]

 

The Finch home seemed to hold many people at any given time.  There was Kit (Amos' nickname) and Susan and her sister, Lisa.  Then the children: John, Tom, Sam, Betty, and Tennie.

(The 1880 census listed Susan, 62, b. TN, father b. NC, mother b. VA

This census also listed was Ann Pierce, 50, b. TN, father b. NC, mother b. VA, sister in law, to Amos Finch.)

 

On one list of names I received from Nanny years ago--and I believe she got this from Aunt Olah--Tennie Finch Miles was listed as a sister to John, Tom, Sam, and Betty.  In a recent letter Aunt Laverne said that she thought Betty was the only sister and that she thought Tennie or Tenny might be an Aunt on her father, Sam's, side of the family--but she wasn't sure about this.

1880 census confirms Tennessee Finch (aka Tennie), b. abt. 1850, was the dau. of Amos & Susan Finch. 

 

In 1863, a slave named Mary ran away and deserted her son, Pillor.  According to some notes I have from Nanny (who got the information from Aunt Olah) says that Pillor was nursed and raised along with Sam.  Many slaves used the name of the family they lived with and he was known as Pillor finch.  Aunt Laverne remembers calling him Uncle Pillor.

 

Sam continued to live in the family home and when he married, his wife, Della, brought her blind grandmother West to live with them.

 

Sam and Della then raised Olah, Augusta, Hesta, Clayborne, Velma, and Laverne.  They also adopted Elmer Baldwin and there was a cousin Billy (W.F.) living there also.  Aunt Laverne remembers this cousin Billy.  She says " he had a room to himself upstairs--sorta away from the rest.  Had a stove for winter time and he helped with jobs around the place."  She stated that he made the garden in the summer. She also says that he was "fairly nice looking; slim; probably 5'11" tall and dark headed."  She believed he had a mustache.  She said he could make fishnets.

 

Aunt Laverne says she does not know where all these people slept.  She also remembers a black woman, Mary, (maybe the cook or other type of hired help and Aunt Laverne believes they lived there) who had a daughter named Ida. Aunt Laverne remembers Ida getting her head cut when as children they were looking over into the well and pulled the bucket up too fast.  Another story Aunt Laverne thinks Gramps told her was about how he played a trick on Grandma West when he was young.  She was blind and he tried to lose her in the yard.

 

What a progressively large household!

Billie Lynn Fazakerly Harrison

 

 

More About SUSAN AUGUSTA PIERCE:

Cause of Death: Age at death: 75 years 10 months 12 days2

Fact 1 (2) 1: Her son Sam (Pappy) lived with his mother & Aunt Lisa as long as they lived.

Fact 1 (2) 2: Her sister, Aunt Lisa, lived with Susan & Amos (Kit) Finch.

Fact 3 (2): Susan Finch also raised a young man slave child that had been abandoned by his mother. Pillor was nursed and raised with Susan's son, Sam.

Fact 4 (2): Possibly Methodist.

Occupation: Housewife

       

Children of AMOS FINCH and SUSAN PIERCE are:

3.                i.    JOHN AMOS3 FINCH, b. 19 Nov 1848.

4.               ii.    THOMAS FINCH, b. Abt. Jun 1857, Tennessee.

                 iii.    BETTY FINCH2, m. HOPPER2.

 

More About BETTY FINCH:

Fact 1 (2) 1: She also remembers "Aunt Betty shouting in church.  She was Methodist."

Fact 1 (2) 2: "They had what they called protracted meetings, might last a week or so." (Church meetings?)

Fact 3 (2): Aunt Laverne remembers that "Aunt Betty was a big woman."

Fact 4 (2): Husband's name may have been Billy Hopper. There is a picture of Billy Hopper in the family group picture & he is standing behind Betty.

Occupation: Housewife

 

                 iv.    TENNESSEE FINCH2, b. Abt. 1850, Tennessee; m. MILES2.

 

Notes for TENNESSEE FINCH:

[FINCHM.FTW]

 

Over twenty years ago when I was collecting information from Nanny about the Finch family tree, I had listed five children for Kit and Susan Finch. Tennie Finch Miles was the fifth one on one list and it was in Nanny's handwriting.  However, this information was about "third hand" when I received it.  It had come from Aunt Olah to Nanny to me.

 

Billie Lynn Fazakerly Harrison

1996

After Aunt Laverne proofread the material, she stated that she did not know that Tennie was a Miles (had married a Miles) and that she didn't remember that much about her.

(So it isn't clear whether she is a sister of Amos' or his daughter.)

 

December 1994, Aunt Laverne sent me a group photo of her relatives (& later a picture of their house):

Top row: The first person is believed to be Tennie Finch (or Tennie Finch Miles); Uncle Tom Finch; Sam Finch (Aunt Laverne's father); & Billy Hopper"

Botton row: "Lizzie Finch (John's wife); John Finch; Betty Finch Hopper"

"Tom was a Sunday School Superintendent; Sam a farmer; John a Sheriff"

 

 

More About TENNESSEE FINCH:

Fact 1 (2) 1: Aunt Laverne (Aunt Olah's younger sister) thought Tennie was a sister of Amos Steven Finch. So Tennie's relationship to Amos Steven Finch isn't clear.

Fact 1 (2) 2: Aunt Olah' notes to my grandmother (I thought) indicated that Tennie might be a daughter of Amos Steven Finch.

Occupation: Housewife

 

5.               v.    SAMUEL BONE FINCH, b. 07 Apr 1860, Kenton, on the county line, Obion Co., Tennessee; d. 16 Feb 1937, Kenton, Obion Co., Tennessee.

 

 

Generation No. 3

 

3.  JOHN AMOS3 FINCH (AMOS STEVEN2, FINCH1)2 was born 19 Nov 1848.  He married LIZZIE3.  She was born 04 Oct 1845.

 

More About JOHN AMOS FINCH:

Fact 1 (2) 1: Location of Jail was Union City, Obion, County, Tennessee.

Fact 1 (2) 2: His son Larry & Wife, Lennie, had John, Finis, Leonard, & Ruth.

Fact 3 (2): His son Luther & wife, Mandy, had a girl, Susan Mary Finch.

Occupation: Sheriff

 

More About LIZZIE:

Fact 1 (2): One set of family notes stated she was born 1845, another stated 1855.

Occupation: Housewife

       

Children of JOHN FINCH and LIZZIE are:

                   i.    WALTER4 FINCH3.

6.               ii.    LUTHER FINCH.

7.              iii.    LARRY FINCH.

                 iv.    LIZZIE FINCH3.

 

 

4.  THOMAS3 FINCH (AMOS STEVEN2, FINCH1)4 was born Abt. Jun 1857 in Tennessee.  He married ANETTA OR LORETTA4.  She was born May 1865 in Tennessee.

 

Notes for THOMAS FINCH:

1900 Census; civil district 11, Obion, Tennessee, Enumeration dist., 106

Tom and his family lived next door to Sam B. Finch and family.

 

More About THOMAS FINCH:

Occupation: Superintendent of Sunday School

 

More About ANETTA OR LORETTA:

Fact 1 (2): According to Aunt Laverne, "She sorta held away from everyone."

Occupation: Housewife

       

Children of THOMAS FINCH and ANETTA LORETTA are:

                   i.    JESSIE4 FINCH4, b. Jul 1888, Tennessee.

                  ii.    MARIE B. FINCH4, b. Nov 1891, Tennessee.

 

 

5.  SAMUEL BONE3 FINCH (AMOS STEVEN2, FINCH1)5 was born 07 Apr 1860 in Kenton, on the county line, Obion Co., Tennessee, and died 16 Feb 1937 in Kenton, Obion Co., Tennessee.  He married MARGARET ADELLA TURRENTINE6 26 Feb 1882 in Kenton, Obion Co., Tennessee; Union Grove Methodist Church, daughter of J. TURRENTINE and SARAH WEST.  She was born 17 Dec 1865 in Kenton, on the county line, Gibson Co., Tennessee, and died 30 Jan 1943 in Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee.

 

Notes for SAMUEL BONE FINCH:

[FINCHM.FTW]

 

Kenton TN is on the county line: Obion Co. is on one side and Gibson Co. on the other. Sam was from Kenton on the Obion side and his wife, Della, was from Kenton on the Gibson side.

 

Years ago, about 1972, after my children were born, I started collecting information for the Finch family tree.  Nanny, my grandmother (Gladys Meshew Finch) was able to give me some information she had obtained from Gramp's sister, Olah Finch Crain.  She supplied some information from her own memories and I have added a few of my own about the people I got to know.

 

I have kept this material with me for years, hand written notes, copies of copies of information, letters, etc., and now I would like to put it all together.

 

Recently, I have been able to rely on Aunt Laverne about most of the material: and, she has been an incredible source.  I can't thank her enough for her kindness, swift responses, and amazing memory. She has helped to make this project very interesting.  She has also been infinitely patient with my continuous "pestering."

 

Other sources of information come from lists from Pappy's, Aunt Olah's, and Aunt Hesta's Bibles.

 

Years ago, I was allowed to copy two pieces of information that were in Samuel Bone Finch's Bible.  (My great grandfather) one note stated:

Samuel Bone Finch of Kenton, Tennessee and (as on record, "married D. Turrentine") who was Margaret Adella Turrentine of Kenton, Tennessee; married (as recorded in grove) on the 26th day of February, 1882; married by John Glasgow

 

Also in front of the bible was a note (from a newspaper article or something) that stated roughly: Widow of Kenton farmer (Margaret Adella Turrentine Finch) dies at daughter's home. (Mrs. W. F. Crain 848 poplar); Union Grove Cemetery. Died at age 77. Member of Union Grove Methodist church; Sister, Mrs. Joe Bradford, Kenton, Tennessee.

 

A few marriages were also listed and in the family tree section, Bobby's adoption was mentioned.

 

I believe Mama (Martha) thought that Pappy, as her grandfather was called, was rather well off. Or so it seemed to her. I also got this impression from Aunt Laverne.  I remember that mama enjoyed those times that she was at the farm.  I remember her talking about a certain mule that was there. (but I can't remember if she was telling me it was good natured or not.)  It certainly made an impression on her. Maybe Tom, Aunt Laverne's son remembers some things about Pappy and the farm, though he was young when Pappy died.

 

I remember that Nanny told me a story about one of the grandchildren of the Finch's (I think it may have been Tom Herriman, Laverne's son). Supposedly, when he was being kept as a baby by his grandmother, Della, (during his very active crawling stage), Della or Sam would set the leg of the heavy bed on the edge of his gown to keep him from crawling away. 

 

I would like to add a few additional notes from a couple of letters I recently received from Aunt Laverne. She mentioned that while her father was traveling from Nashville he passed through a town called Lavergne--and that is how Aunt Laverne got her name.  She said that Gramps, (Clayborne) her brother, spelled her name through the years as Lavergne.  She also said that her father (she called them Mama and Papa) used to read novels to them while sitting in front of the fireplace.  They used coal to burn not wood.  One novel she remembers that he read to them was "Girl of the Limberlost".  Aunt Laverne said her father had a very distinctive signature but did not write much more than that.  He could do math problems in his head.  She said that he & his brother Tom were well liked in the community.  She mentioned that they had a phone and that their phone number was '2' and that they did most of their talking on the phone early in the day.  She also remembers visiting her Aunt Joe--her mother's sister--and Uncle Yank who lived about 4 miles away and each family would come and stay and spend the night with each other occasionally.

 

I believe Chris Fazakerly, my brother, looks a lot like great grandfather Sam Finch--going by the picture I was given years ago by Nanny and one I recently received from Aunt Laverne that belonged to Aunt Hesta.  He appeared to be a large, attractive man, even in old age.   I wish I had written down more of the stories I heard from Mama about her grandparents.

 

Billie Lynn Fazakerly Harrison

1996

Addendum: According to my grandmother, Mr. Finch died of pneumonia as a complication of "Jake's Paralysis"--ill for 5 years--which was caused from drinikng some bad liquor. 

Nanny, who was a fabulous cook, wasn't too pleased with her in-laws standards and methods of cooking. They certainly didn't equal her standards.

 

Updates: May 2006

1900 Census taken in June; Civil District 11, Obion, Tennessee, Enumeration District, 106.

122/399/423

Sam B. Finch, Head of Household, born Apr 1860, age 40, married 19 years, Farmer, b. TN, parents b. TN

Della, wife, Nov. 1866, age 33, married 19 years, 4 children, 4 living, b. TN, parents b. TN.

Olah Mae, b. Nov. 1885, age 14, b. TN

Augusta, Apr 1889, age 11, b. TN

Alberta, Aug. 1891?, age 9?, b. TN

Samuel C., May 1895, age 5, b. TN

Ann Pierce, Aunt, married, born 1814, age 86, b. TN, parents b. TN

*Ann West, Grandmother, married, born 1825, age 75, b. TN, parents b. TN

W. H. Finch, Cousin, Invalid, single, born Nov.? 1848, age 52, b. TN, parents b. TN

Elmer Baldwin, orphan, single, born Nov. 1882, 17, Farm Hand, b. TN, parents b. TN

 

*"Ann West" may be an error. Sarah J. West is the name I have in the family records. 

Next door was the Tom Finch Family

123/400/424

Tom Finch, Head, June? 1857, 42, Farmer, married 17 years, b. TN, parents b. TN

Anetta or Anette, (Loretta?) Wife, May 1865, 35, married 17 years, 4 children, 2 living, b. TN, parents b. TN

Jesse, son, July 1888, 11, b. TN

Mona? Morie? Marie? B., daughter, Nov. 1891, b. TN

 

1910 Census, June?; Dist. 11, Obion County, TN, enumeration dist. 125

37/37

Sam B. Finch, 50, b. 1860, married 28 years, b. TN, parents b. TN, Farmer

Della M., wife, 43, married 28 years, 6 children, 6 living, b. TN, parents b. TN 

Hester (Alberta Hesta), 18, b. TN

Clayborne S., 14, b. TN

Velma Louise, 6, b. TN

S. Laverne, 1, b. TN

W. H. Finch, cousin, 59, single, labourer, Farm. b. TN, parents b. TN

Winsett, Major, 25, single, hired man, b. TN, father b. NC, mother b. TN

 

1920 Census, Jan. 21?; Dist. 11, Obion, Obion Co., TN

Fm 9/9

Sam Finch, head, 59, owns home, Farmer, b. TN, parents b. TN

Della, wife, 55, b. TN, parents b. TN

Laverne, dau., 11, b. TN

Billy Finch, cousin, 69, widow?, occ., none, b. TN, parents b. TN

Bryant Pullen, Farm Hand, 22, single, b. TN

Nearby:

FM 1/1

T. P. Finch (Tom), head of household, 62, Farmer, b. TN, parents b. TN

Laretta or Loretta, wife, 53, b. TN, parents b. TN

Marie, daughter, 28, single, Teacher, b. TN

 

1930 Census, April, Dist. 11, Obion, TN

133/134

Sam "Finck", Head, Owns property, 70, married age 21, Farmer, b. TN, parents b. TN, Veteran (no)

Della, wife, 65, married age 16, b. TN, parents b. TN.

 

More About SAMUEL BONE FINCH:

Cause of Death: 6

Fact 1 (2) 1: The farm was bought by Maurice Finch, son of Walter, son of John (Brother of Sam).

Fact 1 (2) 2: Aunt Laverne "Found a professional picture of Uncle John, Tom, & Papa"

Fact 3 (2): Aunt Laverne said "they were three good looking men."

Fact 4 (2): His middle name came from a friend, Dr. Bone. Had a very distinctive signature.

Fact 5 (2): He put almost all of his children through college. "Read & kissed his Bible daily".

Fact 6 (2): Methodist. Married at the Union Grove Methodist Church & buried there.

Fact 7 (2): According to notes from Aunt Olah, Sam lived with his mother until she died.

Fact 8 (2): He also lived in his mother's house until all his children were born.

Fact 9 (2): Cotton was the main cash crop. No tractors then, just wagons & mules. Had a phone.

Fact 10 (2): About the time Aunt Olah got married, he  bought about 100 acres of land. He was well liked.

Fact 11 (2): Aunt Hesta & Uncle Herbert "helped" with expenses toward the end and charged 6% interest. (Aunt Laverne didn't seem to be too happy about the amount of interest charged.)

Fact 12 (2): Also grew corn, wheat (mainly for the animals), Sugar cane & popcorn. Had orchards. (My mother, Martha Louise Finch, was prone to eating the apples before they were ripe. bfh)

Medical Information: 6

Occupation: Farmer

 

Notes for MARGARET ADELLA TURRENTINE:

[FINCHM.FTW]

 

Margaret Adella Turrentine Finch went by the name, Della.

Kenton TN is on the county line: Obion Co. is on one side and Gibson Co. on the other. She was from the Gibson side and her husband was from the Obion side.

Margaret Adella Turrentine Finch was one of three sisters.  Her parents were:

   Sarah J. West Turrentine

   born about: 1840

   died: January 09, 1872.  She was 32 years and 13 days old.

   married: J. F. Turrentine (Frank)

   born about: 1836

   died: July 13, 1876.  He was 40 years old.  He fought in the civil war.  (probably a

   confederate but unsure.  In that awful war you had brother against brother.).

 

Sarah J. West Turrentine's mother was Ann Boyett West.  I believe this was the "blind grandmother West" that moved in with Della when she got married.  On one of the lists of family names I received from Aunt Hesta or Aunt Olah, under Sarah J. West Turrentine, there is a note that isn't clear. It is either a name "Farmerey A. West" or the note was meant to be "Formerly a West".

 

After her parents died (both at a young age) Della, Joe, and Emma went into foster homes.  Supposedly neighbors took them in.  According to Aunt Laverne,  "Aunt Joe seems to have fallen in the best hands".   It is believed that Emma died young.   Aunt Laverne's mother had to sleep on a mattress stuffed with cornhusks.  According to aunt Laverne, her mother had a "pupil pop out" from straining too hard one day.  The eye condition was never corrected.  Her diet probably was poor at the time. She had a hard life.

(In spite of all that, according to my mother, Martha Louise Finch--Della's granddaughter--Della was a "very beautiful woman" in her younger years.)

 

What a houseful of people she had to deal with.  When she got married she moved into her husband's home with his mother, and Aunt Lisa.

(I'm not sure who this is--unless it is her father's sister, the M. E. Turrentine listed on the 1860 census. Possibly Lisa's name came from M. E. or Mary Elizabeth--if that was her name?). 

Also with her was her Grandmother West (Ann Boyett West) who was blind.  Then there were all her children, Olah, Augusta, Hesta, Clayborne, Velma, and Laverne.  In addition she had Elmer Baldwin, who was "adopted", and Billy (W.F.), a cousin of Aunt Laverne's.  Also there were other people, cooks, etc. that helped out.  It must have been a rare day when things were quiet.

 

My brother Chris suggested that i include a section on "Nanny's recipes".  I will list a few; but I also wish to include a few recipes from great grandmother finch's recipes that my Great Aunt Laverne sent to me recently.  All of us have been very fortunate that we have had such wonderful cooks in the family and that we can carry on their traditions

 

Aunt Laverne's mother's recipes:

 

Mama's "lite" bread

cup sweet milk

1/2 cup sugar

lard, size of egg

irish potato. 

Cook and mash (the sugar and potato probably take place of yeast)

pinch salt make a soft dough.  Let rise, work it down, let rise, and work it down again and then put in pan to rise. Cook in slow fire.

 

Yeast Rolls recipe:

1 f. Yeast cake (fleischman's)

2 cups water (lukewarm)

3 to 4 tablespoons  of sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons of shortening (melted) if homos (homoginized ?) Double your

shortening

 tesapoon salt

7 (about) cups plain flour

Put yeast cake in 1/4 cup lukewarm water to dissolve.Warm the shortening, sugar, water, & salt.  Pour the yeast mixture in and stir in the flour a cup at a time until you can put mixture on a floured board and keep working with the hands until mixture won't take up any more flour.  Then put in a large greased bowl and pat grease on top of it.  Cover until it doubles in bulk. Work air out. (pat it out). Make into tiny rolls.  Put in well greased pans, pat melted shortening on top of them, cover and let rise till double in size.  (oven about 450)  bake and smear butter over the tops before serving.

 

    Chess pie

    3 eggs well beaten

    1 teaspoon vinegar

    vanilla

    1 stick oleo

    1 and 1/2 cup sugar

 

    Lemon pie

    3/4 cup of sugar

    3/4 cup boiling water

    one tablespoon of cornstarch or flour   

    2 egg yolks

    3 tablespoons lemon juice

    1 teaspoon butter

    Mix cornstarch and sugar.  Add boiling water, stirring constantly.  Cook three

    minutes. Add egg yolks and juice of one lemon and pour in pie pan and bake.

 

Years ago mama (Martha Louise Finch) tried to tell me about making bread using, I thought she said, the water you boiled potatoes in and the potatoes.  I do know that when we lived in Vidalia, Georgia. There was a doughnut shop that made their doughnuts with potato flour.  They were incredibly good.  People came from all over to get this man's doughnuts and recipe.  There was no secret he said--just use potato flour.

I'm very happy to have some recipes in great grandmother's finch's handwriting.

 

One picture of "Della" that I have shows that she was a very attractive and pretty woman.  Standing next to her husband she appears very tiny and petite.  I wonder why men as they get older seem to keep their looks--good health or bad, even with some loss of hair--they still manage to look attractive and sometimes distinguished looking as they age. (like Great Grandfather Sam Finch did). As we women age, we tend to lose our looks--good health or not.  What a shame.

 

I want to thank my Great Aunt Laverne (and her sisters, my other great aunts, Aunt Olah & Aunt Hesta) for all their help in making it possible to put this material together for the finch family tree.

 

 

Billie Lynn Fazakerly Harrison

1996

 

May, 2006

1900 census, taken in June, stated her birth date was Nov. 1866 and that she was 33 at the time. Our family records stated that she was born Dec. 17, 1865.

 

More About MARGARET ADELLA TURRENTINE:

Cause of Death: Cancer: Age at death: 776

Fact 1 (2) 1: Known as Della or Mammie. Aunt Laverne said she was a shy person.

Fact 1 (2) 2: My mother, Martha Finch Fazakerly, said her grandmother, Della, was a beautiful woman when she was young.

Fact 3 (2): Della lived the latter part of her life with her daughter, Olah, in Memphis.

Fact 4 (2): Methodist.  Married at the union grove Methodist church and buried there.

Fact 5 (2): Aunt Laverne's notes stated that when Della married she brought Grandmother West (blind) to live with them. (Della's mother, Sarah J. West Turrentine, died at age 32 in 1872, so this was probably her grandmother (Sarah's mother), Ann Boyett West)

Fact 6 (2): Aunt Laverne sent me a few of her recipes in her mother's handwriting. See notes

Fact 7 (2): Della, 43, was pregnant with Laverne the same time Olah, Della's oldest daughter, was pregnant with Mary.

Fact 8 (2): Aunt Laverne said they were all born near Mason Hall, about 6 miles west of Kenton.

Fact 9 (2): Said there was a bathroom with tub; had trouble with running water so it was not used

Fact 10 (2): Aunt Laverne remembers a pan on the stove was used for washing dishes.

Fact 11 (2): Aunt Laverne is about 3 mos. older than her niece, Mary

Medical Information: Colostomy; Died at the home of her daughter, Olah Finch Crain, 848 Poplar (Memphis, Tennessee); Burial, Union Grove Methodist Cemetery, Kenton, Tennessee6

Occupation: Housewife

 

More About SAMUEL FINCH and MARGARET TURRENTINE:

Marriage date: 26 Feb 18826

Marriage: 26 Feb 1882, Kenton, Obion Co., Tennessee; Union Grove Methodist Church

Marriage Fact: 26 Feb 1882, Married at the Union Grove Methodist Church.  Married by John Glasgow.6

       

Children of SAMUEL FINCH and MARGARET TURRENTINE are:

8.                i.    OLAH MAY4 FINCH, b. 04 Nov 1885, Mason Hall, near Kenton, Obion Co., Tennessee; d. 08 Oct 1978, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee.

                  ii.    AUGUSTA FINCH6, b. 06 Apr 1889, Mason Hall near Kenton, Obion Co., Tennessee; d. 18 Dec 1918, France7; m. (1) MAIZE HOLLOMAN8, 13 Jan 1907; m. (2) J. BARRETT MELTON8, 1918.

 

More About AUGUSTA FINCH:

Cause of Death: Age at death: 29 years 8 months 12 days8

Fact 1 (2) 1: Grew up near Kenton, Tennessee

Fact 1 (2) 2: Attended the Union Grove Methodist Church.

Fact 3 (2): Went to & graduated from Mason Hall High School..

Fact 4 (2): Do not know where she went to college.

Fact 5 (2): Married twice. First husband's name was Maize (Mayse?) Holloman, married Jan. 13, 1907.

Fact 6 (2): Picture of her shows that she was very attractive.

Fact 7 (2): Her second husband was J. Barrett Melton, a lawyer.

Fact 8 (2): She married Mr. Melton in 1918 and died the same year. She was in France when she died.

Fact 9 (2): No children.

Medical Information: Died in France

Occupation: Housewife; Teacher

 

More About MAIZE HOLLOMAN and AUGUSTA