Typed by: Jan Shelfer


FINLEY, AMANUEL A.

Surnames: FINLEY, OLIVER, JOHNSON, WATKINS, CHATHAM, BOONE, DAVIS, MOSELY, DUPUY, HARPER, SPENCER, THIM, SMITH, EDDINS, MOUNGER, WILCOX, HARLAN, MCMATH

Amanuel A. Finley, b. 1836 in Alabama, d. 1921 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas and buried in Calvary Cemetery-was a son of Riley Finley, b. 1793 in Georgia, d. 1871 in Alabama, and his wife, Catherine (Oliver) Finley, b. 1811, d. 1881 in Alabama.

Amanuel A. Finley was married first to Nancy Catherine Johnson, b. 1839, d. 1892, and they had eleven children:

Annette Sophronia Finley, b. December 17, 1859, d. February 13, 1914 and buried in Powers Chapel Cemetery-married Thomas Jefferson Watkins, b. June 3, 1862, d. June 9, 1929 and buried in Powers Chapel Cemetery-a son of Ruben and Mary Watkins. They had four children: Blanch Langford Watkins, b. July 13, 1882 in Alabama; Gladys Watkins, b. June 17, 1885-married James Henry Chatham, b. September 28, 1877; Nannie Mae Watkins, b. January 19, 1890-married August 12, 1909 to Neely Boone, b. 1887; and Ruben Reed Watkins, b. October 22, 1895, d. 1986-married August 29, 1915 to Vida Davis, b. November 2, 1897.

Charles Middleton Finley, b. March 22, 1858, d. February 27, 1859.

Floyd Johnson Finley, b. January 21, 1862, d. July 15, 1939, buried in Marlin, Calvary Cemetery-married Catherine Pearl Moseley, b. September 22, 1881 at Hearne, Robertson County, Texas, d. June 4, 1911 and buried in Hearne.

Catherine Alexander Finley, b. July 1, 1864, d. November 21, 1947-married Henry Guerrant Dupuy, b. June 23, 1847, d. 1917.

John Thomas Finley, b. November 14, 1866, d. September 1935-married February 6, 1898 to Mary Harper, b. February 14, 1885.

Robert Riley Finley, b. July 26, 1870, d. April 1, 1950-married October 21, 1894 to Jessie Bell Jinks, b. February 18, 1876 in Alabama and d. May 15, 1966 in Marlin, Texas.

Laura Augusta Finley, b. May 18, 1873 in Alabama, d. August 29, 1964 in Marling and buried in Calvary Cemetery-married April 9, 1889 in Marlin to Thomas Cole Spencer, b. February 28, 1860 in Virginia, d. August 18, 1943 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin.

William Oliver Finley, b. January 27, 1876, d. April 1940-married Anna Catherine Thim, b. December 9, 1887, d. July 1964.

Oscar Milton Finley, b. June 22, 1878, d. June 29, 1946-married Nellie Amanda Smith, b. September 15, 1886.

Nancy Lou Finley, b. April 29, 1881, d. September 19, 1965-married Marcus Elbert Eddins (called "Pink"), b. February 9, 1872 in Alabama, d. March 17, 1938 and buried in Marlin in Calvary Cemetery.

Marion Benjamin Finley, b. December 28, 1883, d. February 18, 1940-married Nona Mae Mounger. Their children Louise Finley Wilcox of Oklahoma, and William Finley of Oklahoma, have organized the Finley Reunions in Marlin through the years.

On November 14, 1883, Amanuel Alexander Finley brought his family to Marlin and then settled at Cedar Springs in Falls County. He had blacksmith shops in several locations, i.e., northwest of the Courthouse, at the Marlin City Hall location, and on Island Street. He was a veteran of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War-serving as a Private in Company E, 2nd Georgia Cavalry-enlisting March 19, 1862 and discharged in South Carolina at the surrender of Robert E. Lee.

After the death of Nancy Catherine, A. A. Finley was married in 1893 to Sarah E. Harlan and in 1895 he married third to S. F. McMath-having no issue.

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing these bio of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County," compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 151, column 1.

Member of Falls County Historical Commission