Typed by: Jan Shelfer
FINLEY, ROBERT RILEY
Robert Riley Finley, b. July 26, 1870 in Alabama, d. April 1, 1950 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Falls County, Texas-was a son of Amanuel Alexander and Nancy Catherine (Johnson) Finley. On October 21, 1894, he married at Viesca (known as the second Viesca and now called Cedar Springs), Falls County, Texas to Jessie Bell Jinks, b. February 18, 1876, d. May 15, 1966 and buried next to her husband-a daughter of Willis J. and Harriett (Slack) Jinks of Virginia. Jessie's mother died in January 1877 and was buried in Little Texas Camp Ground in Macon County, Alabama. In 1882 Willis J. Jinks moved to Cameron, Texas with his daughter, Jessie, where he farmed, and later moved to Viesca (Cedar Springs). Robert Riley (called "Riley") and Jessie Bell (Jinks) Finley were the parents of six children:
Robert Slack Finley, b. September 9, 1895 at Viesca, d. August 22, 1897 and buried in Powers Chapel Cemetery in Falls County.
Oscar Willis, b. March 2, 1897 at Viesca, d. September 19, 1900 and buried in Powers Chapel Cemetery.
Ollie Alexander Finley, b. January 6, 1900 at Viesca, resides in Marlin, Texas-married November 21, 1931 to Elmerine Bayless, b. August 18, 1912 at Mena, Arkansas and they have four children: Jo Ann Finley, b. July 28, 1933, who married Frank Bessemer, b. November 14, 1924, d. March 15, 1982 and they had three sons, Martin, b. January 30, 1956, Michael, b. November 15, 1957 and Timothy, b. September 1, 1961; Fay Nell Finley, b. June 21, 1939-never married; Robert Louis, b. May 1, 1947-never married. He served in U.S. Navy in Vietnam, and Janet Lee Finley, b. March 25, 1951-never married. Ollie did sheetmetal work for his father and became a partner in his father's plumbing business in 1945 and sole owner in 1950.
Buford Finley, b. November 29, 1901 at Golinda, Falls County, Texas, d. May 19, 1969 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Texas. On December 8, 1929 Buford married Lois Eugenia McKinney, b. April 10, 1908 and they had three children: Alma Eugenia Finley, b. April 3, 1931 who married Wayland Brooks, b. September 5, 1923 and they had two children: Infant Finley Brooks, b. and d. July 4, 1955 and Jeff Brooks, b. February 25, 1959; Buford Wayne Finley, b. December 31, 1932 who married May 27, 1961 to Mary Ann Terry, b. February 9, 1935 and they have two children: Robert W., b. June 17, 1962 and Diane Finley-resides in Giddings, Texas where he is a Methodist minister and his widowed mother resides with him; and Charles David Finley, b. December 16, 1947 who married Mary McCumber, and they have one daughter and reside in New Mexico.
Thelma Elaine Finley, b. November 11, 1904 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas, married July 2, 1929 to Pope Valentine Sealy, b. March 21, 1900 and have two children: Pope Clayton Sealy, b. December 24, 1930 who married and had two children: Jeffery Clay, b. July 21, 1958 and Bradley John, b. April 1, 1962; and Mary Candace Sealy, b. December 24, 1930. Thelma and Pope own and operate a business in Sebastapol, California.
Alama Belle Finley, b. August 18, 1909 in Waco, McLennan County, Texas-married September 5, 1933 to Fred John Matthys, b. February 25, 1907, d. January 7, 1983 in Wharton, Texas, where he was a contractor. They had eight children: (1) Dorothy Louise, b. May 12, 1934 who married December 22, 1955 to Archie G. Malcom and they have four children: Michael Otis, b. October 25, 1956, John Fred, b. July 9, 1958, Kimberly Michelle, b. December 25, 1961, and Scott Foster, b. January 28, 1964, (2) Donald Lanier, b. February 5, 1936 who married August 30, 1958 to Dorothy L. Hone and they have four children: Patrick Gary, b. March 13, 1959, Blaine Lee, B. February 15, 1961, Sherrie Lynn, b. August 6, 1963 and Hollie Marie, b. December 25, 1966; (3) Weldon Everett, b. August 17, 1937 who married June 13, 1959 to Betty M. Johnson and they have four children: Derek Allen, b. October 29, 1960; Bryan Cole, b. December 5, 1961 and he married April 17, 1982 to Alice Reynolds; Valerie Jean, b. January 14, 1963, and Suzette Marie, b. April 7, 1966; (4) Carol Lynn, b. March 12, 1940 who married March 1, 1959 to Gary Gene Koenig and they have three children: Christopher David, b. February 10, 1962 and d. August 31, 1979, Ronald Charles, b. August 19, 1967, and Greg Anthony, b. January 18, 1969; (5) Sherman Wayne, b. October 27, 1941 who married April 19, 1968 to Betty Martenson and they have two children: Russell Ward, b. October 28, 1973 and Wade Dean, b. June 15, 1975; (6) William Arnold, b. December 2, 1946 who married August 25, 1967 to Pamela Yenawine and they have two children: Douglas Wade, b. March 12, 1975 and Amanda Elaine, b. October 26, 1979; (7) Larry Warren, b. November 15, 1961 who married June 16, 1973 to Roxanne Joy Peterson and they have two children: Jeremie Todd, b. August 10, 1976 and Adam Warren, b. July 11, 1979; and (8) Fred John, Jr., b. May 12, 1934 twin to Dorothy Louise, d. May 13, 1934.
By profession, Robert Riley Finley was a blacksmith and later became a plumber. In 1900 after the death of two of his children, he moved from Viesca (Cedar Springs) to Golinda, and returned to the blacksmith business. In 1903 he moved to Marlin and worked for Schimming and Eddins as a plumber. He relocated in Waco in 1909 where he remained several years-returning to Marlin once again where he worked for the Oscar Finley and Company business. In 1915 he and Harry Dupuy became partners in the plumbing business called "RRF and Company:-located where the present City Hall of Harlin is located. Riley became a partner with T. J. Kelley in 1917 under the name of "Kelley and Finley" and in 1920 when B. Carter Segrest bought into the company the name changed to "Segrest and Finley." The business was located where B. K. Auto Supply is located on Coleman Street in Marlin; but in 1928 Riley moved his plumbing business to Commerce Street where his son, Ollie, became his partner in 1945.
The family on Potomac Street in Marlin was purchased in 1922 and is now unoccupied.
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 152, column 1.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission
