Elbert Finch

As printed in 1908

ELBERT FINCH, a well known manufacturer of Springfield, Ohio, is president of The Finch Shoe Company, a concern extensively engaged in the manufacture of shoes, shipping their products to many states of the Union. He was born in New York City, April 30, 1846, and has been a resident of Spring-field since 1858.

Absalom Finch, father of Elbert, came from New York City to Springfield, Ohio, and here engaged in the shoe business until the Civil War. He enter'ed the Union Army in 1861 and served continuously until the end of the war. He went out as quartermaster of his regiment, the Sixteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and later was advanced to the rank of brigade and division quartermaster. When the war ended he obtained a position in the Custom House at New Orleans and continued thus occupied until his death, in 1869.

Elbert Finch was twelve years of age when he accompanied his parents to their new home in Ohio, and here he learned the shoe business in association with his father. He later spent two years in a shoe factory in Cincinnati, and became well grounded in the details of the business. In 1862 he enlisted in Company B, Eighty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Johns, but was subsequently transferred to the quartermaster's department, where he was a clerk under his father until the end of the war. Returning to Springfield from Cincinnati, he worked in a shoe factory until February, 1872, at which time he established a business of his own on West Main Street. This he conducted successfully during a period of ten years, when he moved to South Fountain Avenue. In 1895, in association with Mr. Charles P. Kalbfus, he established the Finch Shoe Company on West Washington Street, starting in a small way with eighteen or twenty employes. " Success attended their efforts from the first, and it became necessary to enlarge their business and increase their working force from time to time, until at the present the pay roll numbers one hundred and ten persons, the output being 700 pair of shoes daily. They ship to many of the states of the Union, the demand taxing the capacity of their factory.

Mr. Finch was first married in December, 1877, to Miss Louise Crown, who died December 17, 1878, leaving one daughter, Lizzie M., now the wife of John C. DeHart, of San Francisco. Mr. Finch formed a second union, January 18, 1905, with Miss Amelia Hoffman. Fraternally he is a memliev of the Knights of Pythias, which order he joined in 1874. He is one of the leading business men of the city, and has always given his support to measures tending toward its welfare.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.