History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, 1887



William Finney Biography


William C. Finney, dealer in coal and lumber, Chambersburg, was born in St. Thomas Township, Franklin Co., Penn., July 14, 1835, eldest son of William C. and Margaret (Spahr) Finney. When our subject was an infant his father died and he became an inmate of the family of William Bratten of St. Thomas Township.

He was reared a farmer, and his opportunities for obtaining an education were confined to the common schools of his neighborhood. At the age of eighteen years he commenced learning the carpenter and joiner trade, and after finishing his apprenticeship worked for others until 1866, when he commenced business in connection with a Mr. McCoy, under the firm title of McCoy & Finney, contractors and builders.

Subsequently he carried on the business himself, and in the spring of 1877 the firm of Lortz & Finney, dealers in lumber and coal, was formed. Since then the firm changed several times and our subject is now alone conducting the business, which is in a flourishing condition. In 1857 Mr. Finney was married to Louisa Hoover, and to them have been born three children, two now living: William Edgar, a citizen of Chambersburg, and David Howard, now assisting his father in the business.

The family attend Zion's Reformed Church. In politics our subject is a Democrat.


Source: Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania : containing genealogical records of representative families, including many of the early settlers, and biographical sketches of prominent citizens; Chicago. Genealogical Pub. Co. 1905. Notes: Prepared in part by George O. Seilhamer.















Finney Genealogy Resources



Finney Ancestry Resources