Greetings,

I have been researching my Finney heritage for several years now and I have not been able to get past my Great Great Grandfather Isaac B. Finney. This man is my "Brick Wall" ancestor. He lived in Coshocton County Ohio during the 1860 and 1870 Census and moved to Gilmore, Washington Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1871 and died there in 1874. Isaac B. Finney's Civil War Muster Rolls and Pension records indicate that he was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The Death record that recorded Isaac's passing in 1874 indicates he was born in Tuscarawas County. The record also lists his age in years, months, and days and I have calculated his birth date to be on or about November 21, 1830.

I have been researching this man for about 15 years now and I have not been able to locate any records of this man prior to his marriage to Rachel Orr on September 11, 1853 in Perry Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.

During my years of researching the Finney families in Tuscarawas County I have not been able to connect Isaac to any of the branches. The Finney families in Washington Township where Isaac lived at the time of his death were of Irish origin and my Grandfather stated in his written family history notes that the Irish came into our family when Isaac, his Grandfather, married the Irish Rachel Orr in 1853.

I had also not seen a reference to a Phinney in the areas records until recently. I found a death record for a Thomas Oscar Phinney which states he was born at Dover, Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1836. This is fairly close to Isaac's birth year of 1830. Thomas was the son of Anson and Cornelia Phinney who lived in Franklin County Ohio. Anson's brother Barnabas Phinney lived nearby him in the 1850 census. I have found that these gentleman are part of "Mother Finney's" family who arrived in America in the 1600's. So I began to take a closer look at this very large family.

It appears that Isaac and Rachel named some of their children with names that were used in Mother Finney's family. Isaac's surviving oldest son was named Ozias and his oldest daughter was named Keziah and another one of his son's was named George Washington Finney and there was an Isaac Jr. Another name connection is one of my Uncles has the middle name of Loring.

I have found the names Isaac, Ozias, Keziah, George W. and Loring used in Mothers Finney line and they are in my line as well. Is this only a coincidence or was he naming his children after those that came before him as was common in those times? I also noticed that the middle initial of "B" is prominent in this line.

I would appreciate and information or suggestions that you may have on how I can find out the name of the parents of


Isaac B. Finney

Thank you.