Who are the children of Robert Finney (1668 -1755) & Dorothea Finney?

Robert Finney (1668 -1755) was the son of Robert Finney (1630 -1692) and Isabelle Finney of Londonderry, Ireland. It is said the younger Robert arrived in America in or about the year 1720 residing in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is said the Finney family operated a shipping business in Londonderry, North Ireland and owned several ships. The name of the ship the Finney family traveled on the way to America is not known. Soon after his arrival Robert Finney purchased a 900 acre tract of land in Chester County, Pennsylvania and called his farm “Thunder Hill”.

You will see dates below associated with the Finney children. While there is no documentation confirming the birthdates of the Finney children I used the dates most commonly used in genealogies of Finney researchers and realize they may be in error. I used the dates only as a way to distinguish who is who as some names get duplicated in multiple generations and branches within the family and the length of this document.

Recently a Finney researcher has claimed there is more than seven children and has determined the correct number of children should be 11 and not 7. Recent DNA testing has shown there is a connection between the 11 children but we cannot determine if they all come from Robert and Dorothea’s family or from a brother, cousin, nephew of Robert Finney (1668 – 1775).

DNA testing has also revealed errors in some known and accepted documentation of Robert and Dorothea’s family. It was always thought Joseph Finney (1730 – 1800) born in Delaware was a son of Lazarus Finney (1694 – 1740) and a grandson of Robert Finney (1668 – 1775). This man is often referred to as John Joseph Finney in family genealogies and was married to Ruth Lloyd. This Joseph Finney (1730 – 1800) later moved to North Carolina and he had sons named Joseph Finney (1764 – 1876) who married Mary Polly Long and Joshua Finney (1790 – 1850) who married Juriah Collins. A male descendent from each of Joseph and Joshua’s Finney lineage completed YDNA testing and their test results did not match the YDNA of the documented descendents of Robert and Dorothea Finney. So where did this Joseph Finney come from? We know from his YDNA signature he did originate in Ireland as family lore states but he is not part of Robert and Dorothea’s family. Another Finney researcher has made claim she has discovered information that shows Joseph Finney was the son of James Finney (1694 – 1742) and Ann Arnold.

This James Finney (1694 – 1742) arrived from Ireland in 1737 as the Captain of the ship “Charming Molly” and lived in Virginia. Minnehaha Finney suspected this James Finney was nephew of Robert Finney which contradicts the new claim made by a Finney researcher I mentioned in the paragraph above.

There was another Robert Finney (1761 – 1843) who arrived in America in 1760 from Donegal Ireland who was married to Margaret Parks and YDNA testing has determined a close relationship to the male descendents of Robert and Dorothea Finney. This proves a connection between the Finney’s in Donegal and Derry in the 1700’s in North Ireland.

There are two other Finney’s; both named James, where we have not been able to locate documentation showing the name of their parents. The first James Finney (1700 – 1774) was married to Jane Harris and according to Minnehaha Finney is the son of Robert and Dorothea Finney but I cannot locate any documentation confirming this claim. The second James Finney (1726 – 1802) was married to Martha Mayes and Finney researchers are not in agreement on the father of this James Finney, some have his father listed as James Finney (1700 – 1774) and other researchers list him as the son of William Finney (1691 – 1751). DNA testing has shown that descendents of James Finney and Martha Mayes are part of Robert and Dorothea Finney’s family but we have not been able to determine which Finney was actually his father.

Listed below are the Finney children listed in two sets. The first set is what most Finney researchers think are the children of Robert and Dorothea Finney and the second set contains the four additional children a researcher claims to be the siblings of the children listed in the first set.

Below the sets you will see the Finney’s I have listed as the “Wildcards” as we are not sure exactly how they fit into Robert and Dorothea Finney’s family. I then list what family lore has told us about this Finney family and what we can confirm with documentation and DNA testing as well as conclusions I have drawn from the assembled information. I welcome dialogue with anyone researching these lineages as I would like to hear conclusions reached by other Finney researchers on their own findings as well as my conclusions listed below.

Set One

 Ann Finney (1688 – 1755) & John Mclenahan
 Dr. John Finney (1690 – 1774) & Elizabeth French
 Dr. Robert Finney (1695 – 1782) (Unmarried)
 William Finney (1691 – 1751) & Jean Stephenson
 Lazarus Finney (1694 – 1740) & Catherine Simonton
 Letitia Finney (1706 – 1742) & William McKean
 Thomas Finney (1715 – 1767) & Mary Chester


Set Two

 Alexander Finney (Unknown) & Anne Chester
 Jean Finney (1707 – Unknown) & Thomas Nisbet
 Sarah Finney (1710 – 1755) & John Taylor
 Elizabeth Finney (1720 – 1782) & Adam Hoops


The Wildcards

 James Finney (1694 – 1742) & Ann Arnold
 James Finney (1700 – 1774) & Jane Harris
 James Finney (1726 – 1802) & Martha Mayes
 Robert Finney (1761 – 1843) & Margaret Parks



Family Lore & Assumptions:

We know from family lore that Robert & Dorothea Finney moved to America from Londonderry, North Ireland with their grown children in or about the year of 1720. What we do not know is the exact number or the names of the grown children who arrived with them as I have yet to see any documentation providing this information.

The most commonly accepted theory is the children of Robert and Dorothea were thought to be seven in number and these seven are listed above in Set One. Some of the Wills of the children in Set One support the fact that John, Robert, Ann, Letitia, and Thomas were all siblings.

The Book “Finney 1720” based in part of the research of Minnehaha Finney states that there was an Archibald Finney who had married Anne Chester but I believe this is in error. The records from Christ Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania clearly states there was an Alexander Finney who married Anne Chester and they were married by the same Reverend Dobbins who married Thomas Finney and Mary Chester in the same Christ Church a couple of years earlier so I do suspect there was some type of close family connection between Thomas Finney in Set One and the Alexander Finney in Set Two.


Documentation

There is no documentation available to determine exactly what year the Finney children were born and to verify they were indeed the children of Robert and Dorothea Finney. There is documentation available in the form of court records from both sets which allows us to determine two sets of Finney siblings.


Set One


In his will Dr. John Finney left his brother Dr Robert Finney his medical equipment and books proving the connection between these two doctors as brothers.

In his will Dr. Robert Finney mentions his sibling Ann Mclenahan and he also mentions his sister in law Mary (Chester) Finney and her daughter Ann Finney. Dr Robert Finney mentions “Young Robert Finney son of Agnes Finney” in his will and this Robert Finney is the grandson of Thomas Finney and Mary Chester. He also mentions this younger Robert Finney’s brother William Finney and their sisters Ann Jean and Dorothea in his will as well. Dr Robert Finney also mentions his “Cousin” David Finney in his will and we know David Finney was the son of Dr. John Finney so with Dr Robert Finney’s will we can connect John, Robert, Thomas and Ann as siblings.

In his will Thomas Finney does not mention any family other than his children, Robert, William, Dorothea and Ann and these are the same names used in Dr Robert Finney’s will when describing his sister in laws family confirming the Mary Finney in Dr. Robert Finney’s will was Mary Chester Finney.

Lazarus Finney gets connected to his siblings with records from the Orphans Court of Chester County, Pennsylvania where his brother Dr Robert Finney petitioned the court and the court approved Dr Robert Finney and Thomas Finney as the guardians of the children of Lazarus Finney and Catherine Simonton further proving the connection between the Finney brothers of Robert, Thomas, and Lazarus.

In his will William Finney mentions a Robert Finney to be executor of the will and Robert Finney later filed papers with the court renouncing the executorship to William’s wife Jane and John Meas and John Patterson filed papers with the court stating they were present when William Finney made his will. The paperwork filed by Robert Finney was witnessed by Archibald Finney who was a son of William Finney. This is the first time the name Archibald Finney appears in any records and this was in 1751.

Letitia Finney is well documented as being a child of Robert Finney due to her famous son, Thomas McKean, who studied law with his cousin David Finney and later signed the Declaration of Independence.

The most conclusive evidence found connecting the siblings in Set One is the fact that some of the children are buried in the Finney cemetery created on land provided in the will of Dr Robert Finney. A stone wall was erected around the Finney cemetery at Thunder Hill with funds left in the will of Elijah McClenahan a grandson Dr. Robert Finney’s (1668 – 1775). Lazarus, William, Robert and Ann are all buried in the family cemetery. Letitia Finney McKean is buried in the New London Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Set Two

In his will Alexander Finney proved in Chester Co, Pennsylvania in 1766 lists the sisters Jean Nisbet, Sarah Taylor, and Elizabeth Hoops which are listed above in Set Two. The wills of Alexander’s siblings may contain more information to connect the siblings but Alexander’s will clearly state these 3 ladies were his sisters.


The Wildcards

We have some Finney’s which I have begun to refer to as the Wildcards. I have done so due to the lack of documentation available as to the origins of either of their parents. Here are the Finney’s in question.


James Finney (1694 – 1742) & Ann Arnold

James Finney arrived in the Port of Boston as Captain of the ship “Charming Molly” in 1737 and lived at the Fork of James River near Fairfield, Virginia which was located in Orange County, Virginia at the time of his residence. James Finney died in 1742 will fighting a tribe of Delaware Indians. Minnehaha Finney suspected that this James Finney was a nephew of Robert Finney (1668 – 1775) but no documentation has been located to confirm this hypothesis but many researchers do list James Finney as originating in Londonderry, Ireland where Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) originated from as well. I have seen the names of the following children for James Finney (1694 – 1742) in researcher’s genealogies.

 Elizabeth Finney (1710)
 Jane Finney (1712)
 Christopher Finney (Unknown)
 Joseph Finney (Unknown)
 Michael Finney (1725)


James Finney (1700 – 1774) & Jenet/Jean/Jane Harris

According to Minnehaha Finney James Finney (1700 – 1774) was one of the sons of Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) and Dorothea Finney but I cannot locate any documentation to confirm her assumption. Some Finney researchers think he is the father of James Finney (1726 – 1802).

James Finney (1700 – 1774) lived and died in Lancaster Co Pennsylvania. I don’t think he ever moved to Lancaster Pennsylvania but ended up in this county with county border changes. He lived in the western part of Chester Co Pennsylvania which later became Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania never moving with the county boundaries changing with time. James Finney's (1700 – 1774) was married to Jenet Harris. In his will James Finney (1700 – 1774) refers to his wife as Jane and only refers to one son Thomas Finney (1740) but this does not mean he only had one son. James wife Jane is also referred to as Jean and Jane is used in the land records between the Finney's and the Caldwell's in Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania.

In 1754 James Finney (1700 – 1774) signed a petition for a road to be made near Chesney's Ferry in Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania. One of the neighbors of James Finney (1700 – 1774) who also signed the petition was named Thomas Mayes, who I suspect, was the father of James Finney's (1726 – 1802) wife Martha Mayes. The land that James and Jane Finney purchased in 1734 in Lancaster Co Pennsylvania was purchased from a man named Alexander Swan who is related to the Margaret Swan who married James Finney’s (1726 – 1802) son Thomas Finney (1748).

James Finney (1726 – 1802) & Martha Mayes

James Finney (1726 – 1802) born some where in Pennsylvania but we do not know the exact location. He died in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Documentation cannot be located to determine who his father really was but according to DNA testing we know he is part of Robert Finney’s (1668 – 1755) family. James Finney and Martha Mayes had the following children:

 Thomas Finney (1748) married Margaret Swan
 James Finney (1750) married (1) Martha Crunkleton (2) Elizabeth Braden (3) Rebecca Reagh
 Jean Finney (1752) married Robert Smith
 William Finney (1758) married Ann Morton
 Margaret Finney (1758) married James McCutcheon
 John Finney (1760) married Mary Taylor
 Mary Finney (1762)
 Andrew Finney (1765) married Jane Howe or Howell
 Robert Finney (1767) married Mary Peden


Robert Finney (1761 – 1843) & Margaret Parks

This Robert Finney was born 1761 in Donegal, Ireland and was Presbyterian just as the Robert Finney was born 1668 in Derry, Ireland. Robert Finney (1761 – 1843) was married to Margaret Parks. They had a son named Joseph Finney (1801 – 1892) born in York County, Pennsylvania in. Joseph Finney married a Mary Wilson Mitchell and they moved to Pease Township, Belmont County, Ohio and started a very large family often referred to as the Martin Ferry's branch of the Finney family.

DNA Testing

YDNA

We have tested 40 male Finney’s for YDNA and have discovered multiple Finney lineages with no blood relation. There are 11 male Finney’s who are all related and have been placed into a lineage and most of the Finney participants who took the test have solid documentation back to Robert Finney (1668-1755). We have 3 males descended from Dr. John Finney’s (1690 – 1774) lineage and 2 males from William Finney’s (1691 – 1751) lineage.

We also have 3 participants who have documentation back to one of the Wildcards James Finney (1726 – 1802) in this lineage which confirms James Finney (1726 – 1802) is descended from Robert Finney (1668 – 1755). We have 2 male participants from Robert Finney (1767) lineage and 1 from John Finney’s (1760) lineage.

We also have 2 male Finney’s (mine and my father’s) whose documented research goes back to an Isaac B. Finney (1831 – 1874) who lived in Ohio and their YDNA matched with the Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) lineage.

We have also tested male Finney’s descended from Joseph Finney (1764 – 1876) and Joshua Finney (1790 – 1850) who were both descended from Joseph Finney (1730 – 1800) and their YDNA did not match with the documented descendents of Robert Finney (1668 – 1775) meaning these two Finney families does not share a common Finney ancestor.

We also tested a male Finney from the Wildcard list; Robert Finney (1761 – 1843) male descendent also matched YDNA with the 10 male Finney’s who matched with Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) proving a distant North Irish connection between the two Finney families of Donegal and Derry.


Family Finder Autosomal DNA

The Family Finder test sold by Family Tree DNA dot com is an excellent test for both men and women to take and we need more descendents of Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) to take this test regardless of their surname. This would assist greatly in confirming information about our families’ history. Due to the way this type of DNA is inherited via a recombination process not everyone in the family will inherit the same amount of DNA from the same ancestors. My father and two of his siblings have taken this test and they all have over 300 matches of 3rd, 4th, and 5th cousins but there are only about 30 individuals whom all three of them matched with.

It is not easy determining where your match is with the person you match with but we have been able to make the following matches with my fathers and his siblings DNA. My father and one of his siblings both have matches with two different persons who are both descended from one of Martha Crunkleton’s siblings and this is where I believe this match occurs between those two and my father and his sibling which indicates we are from the lineage of James Finney (1750) and Martha Crunkleton. I have also found a match from a participant who is related to a John Large of Hunterdon, New Jersey and this man was married to Esther Finney who was the son of Andrew Finney (1765) brother of James Finney (1750) further confirming the match to this Finney lineage.

My father and his sibling also have a third cousin match with documented descendents of a Dr Thomas D. Finney who lived in Harrison County, Ohio and later moved to Illinois. This Finney line is said to be from Thomas Finney (1715 – 1767) & Mary Chester.

One of my father’s siblings has a match with a participant who has Elizabeth Finney and Adam Hoops in their family tree. Their match is a distant 5th cousin match which means it really could be anywhere from 5th to 8th cousin so it is not a direct match but it does show there is some relation in the children listed in Set One and Set Two above.


My Personal Conclusions

I am of the opinion that James Finney (1700 – 1774) did move to the western part of Chester Co Pennsylvania on his arrival to America and did not stay with his family in the New London area. When the boundaries changed he became part of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and I would like to try to prove the parent of Martha Mayes is the same Thomas Mayes who signed the petition with James Finney (1700 – 1774) and I think James Finney (1700 – 1774) is the father of James Finney (1726 – 1802). This information combined with the land deal between the Finney’s and the Swan’s is what I have based my opinion on. I also think James Finney (1700 – 1774) may have omitted James Finney (1726 – 1802) since he moved further west and did not keep in contact with his father while Thomas Finney (1740) remained in contact. Also, if I remember correctly even though William Finney (1691 – 1751) was a Carpenter his male children were all college educated where the children of James Finney (1700 – 1774) were all Frontiersmen and Farmers blazing west exploring the wilderness which goes the same for the children of James Finney (1726 – 1802) so I think he is a better fit with James Finney (1700 – 1774) as a father.

This would increase the number of children of Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) and Dorothea Finney to 8. I do not think Alexander are children of Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) but DNA has proven a distant connection and I am of the opinion that Alexander, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Jean were nieces and nephews of Robert Finney (1668 – 1755).

I think it is possible the Thomas D. Finney (1820) who lived in Harrison County, Ohio is an older brother or first cousin of our Isaac B. Finney (1831 – 1874). I think this based on the size of the match between this participant and my father which is a 3rd cousin match and the participants daughter also took the test and matches my father as a 4th cousin match. Thomas D. Finney (1820) is listed in genealogies with the family of a Robert Finney (1814) which I believe to be incorrect.

There was a Finney family descended from Thomas Finney (1715 – 1767) & Mary Chester that lived in Harrison County, Ohio. This would be a Robert Finney (1814) descended from the Robert Finney (1779) and Agnes Finney mentioned in the wills above. I think Thomas D. Finney (1820) has been incorrectly associated to this family since he also lived in Harrison County, Ohio.

There was another Robert Finney (1777) who moved his family from Pennsylvania to Harrison County, Ohio via a flatboat on the Ohio River from Fayette County, Pennsylvania in 1802. This Robert Finney (1777) was a son of James Finney (1750) and Martha Crunkleton and was born in Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania. He later moved to Richland County Ohio where his son known as Uncle John Finney (1801) became a member of the Underground Railroad saving thousand of slave’s lives.

I am also of the opinion that James Finney (1694 – 1742) of Orange County, Virginia is also related to our Finney lineage but we have not been able to prove it. I would love to get a documented descendent from this lineage to complete an YDNA test as it would answer many questions for several researchers. I think that James Finney (1694 – 1742) is somehow related to Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) as both are recorded as being from Londonderry, North Ireland and Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) owned a shipping fleet and James Finney (1694 – 1742) was a ships captain. This in itself does not prove anything but does suggest a possible connection. If the Finney researcher can prove the claim that Joseph Finney (1730 – 1800) is indeed a son of James Finney (1694 – 1742) then this mystery would be solved.

I have been mainly focusing on our direct line since my father wants to know this information before he passes away but I have noticed some interesting matches in my fathers and siblings matches which I need to check out in more detail but it appears that some of their distant matches have families in their trees who are associated with the Finney’s in Gibson County, Indiana and these are families who have thought to be part of the Joseph Finney (1730 – 1800) linage but I am beginning to wonder if Lazarus Finney did indeed have a son named John Finney who became mixed up with Joseph Finney (1730 – 1800) and both became known as the John Joseph Finney. We previously excluded Joseph Finney (1730 – 1800) from the Robert Finney (1668 – 1755) lineage with YDNA testing but autosomal DNA testing may be revealing there are more errors in this lineage to unwind.

I have a good feeling the match with the Crunkleton’s and Large’s are solid and we are descended from James Finney (1750) and Martha Crunkleton. This makes sense since John Finney (1760) brother of James Finney (1750) lived and died in Tuscarawas County, Ohio where our Isaac B. Finney (1831 – 1874) lived and died and Isaac B. Finney (1831 – 1874) is buried about 100ft away from James Finney (1810) who was the son of John Finney (1760).

Corrections and Opinion of others welcomed.