Robert3 FINLEY, (Thankful2 DOAK, James1)
was christened Apr 21, 1745 at Augusta Co, Va,
married in 1777 at Augusta/Wythe CO, Va (38) Sarah BRECKENRIDGE who was born in 1744 at Albemarle Co?, Va.
Robert died after Jan 14, 1820 at Blount Co, Tn.
Sarah died about 1821 at Blount Co, Tn.
!Received 5 shillings from father's estate. This Robert is most likely the ancestor of Alverta Brown Martin who wrote "Findley Family History; Our Grandfathers," Inglewood, CA: author, 1968, on file at Salt Lake City Mormon Library.
France and Stout say he went to Lincoln County, NC prior to 1766 with his brothers John and Thomas [James].
While a Robert did appear in the 1790 census of Lincoln County, nothing has been found to tie him to the Augusta County Finleys.
In addition, the Robert Finley found in Lincoln County died in 1791/92 leaving five minor children. He was too young to have been the son of John and Thankful.
Martin believes Robert died in Blount County, TN.
!Alverta Brown claims he was living in the vicinity of George Breckenridge, his wife's parents, when he and Sarah were married in 1777. Montgomery County records do confirm there was a Robert Finley in the area.
On 6 September 1777, both Robert Finley and George Breckenridge appeared on John Montgomery's list of persons who took the Oath of Allegiance (Kegley, "Militia of Montgomery County," p. 53).
On 8 April 1778, Robert was fined for refusing to go out to the Frontier after being called on (OB 1778-1780, p. 338). On 5 May 1779,
Robert Finley was on jury in Montgomery County (OB 2, 1774-1782, p. 197).
On 27 March 1783, Robert Finley had a survey made for 148 acres on Cove Creek, waters of Reed Creek, in Washington and Montgomery Counties; Breckinridge's line was mentioned in the description (Montgomery County Survey Book C:118).
!Alverta Brown claims Robert and his new family moved southward into the valley of the Holston River to the western border of North Carolina and then on to Blount County, Tennessee, where he first appeared on the tax records in 1800.
No records have yet been found for him between the period 1783 (last appearance in Montgomery County) and 1796 (first appearance in Blount County), with the possible exception of the militia noted below. However, by 1792 he would have been getting a bit old to serve as a private in the militia.
!Blount County was formed in 1795 from Knox County, which was formed from Greene and Hawkins in 1792. Greene was formed from Washington in 1783 and Hawkins from Sullivan in 1786; Sullivan from Washington in 1779.
During the period 1792-1794, a John and a Robert Finley appeared as privates in McGaughey's Company, Hamilton District Militia, Territory south of the Ohio (Virgil D. White, "Index to Volunteer Soldiers, 1784-1811," Waynesboro, TN:
National Historical Publishing Co., 1987, p. 218).
In Blount County Robert Finley first appeared in the records in 1796, along with John Finley, James Gillaspy and Alexander Read in a Grand inquest (LDS #888867, A-24).
In May 1801, Robert Finley appear in court along with John Trimble, James Montgomery, Jr., Alex Reid, Wm. Gillaspie, Sr., Wm. Henderson (LDS #888867, A-251).
In November 1806, Robert Finley and Hugh Hackney appeared in court (LDS #888867, B-259).
He appeared on the tax records in Blount County in 1800, 1801 and 1805.
On 22 December 1818, Robert Findley sold 271 acres on waters of Nails Creek to Alexander Shadden of Jefferson County, TN (Blount Co. DB 2:53). This is the last record in Blount County for Robert Finley up through 1834.
Children:
1. 39 + Sarah4 FINLEY
2. 40 + Margaret FINLEY
3. 41 + Ann FINLEY b.c 1778
4. 42 + Robert FINLEY b.c 1780 d.bOct 20 1843
5. 43 + Jane FINLEY b.c 1784
6. 44 + William H FINLEY b.c 1785
7. 45 + Joseph FINLEY b.c 1788
8. 46 + Thankful FINLEY b.c 1794 d.a 1856
9. 47 + James FINLEY b. Sep 1796 d. Jul 1 1874
10. 48 + John FINLEY b.c 1800 d.bJun 23 1864
https://www.geni.com/people/Robert-Finley/6000000011218310522
