In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902)
JAMES FINNEY.
James Finney is to-day one of the extensive farmers and stock-raisers of Clark county, owning and operating six hundred acres of valuable land in Green township. He was born near Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, on a farm which is now platted into town lots, his birth occurring December 19; 1820, and he is a son of Elijah and Nancy (Stewart) Finney. The grandfather, James Finney, for whom Mr. Finney of this review is named, located at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and subsequently came to Ohio, floating down the Ohio river on a flat-boat, about 1810 or 1811, before the steamboat had been practically used. There were at that time twelve children in the family, and one was added after their arrival. Elijah Finney, the father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, while the mother was born in one of the eastern states. Both removed to Ohio, the mother to. Butler county and the father to Hamilton county. After their marriage they resided in Hamilton county, spending the remainder of their lives there.
On the farm in Hamilton county James Finney was reared to manhood, his boyhood and youth being there passed. He received but limited educational privileges, as his services were required in the work of field and meadow during the summer months, and he was able to attend the district school’ but thirty to forty days out of the year. He early became accustomed to the work of the farm and turned the furrows of the soil when he could barely reach the plow handles.
On the 22nd of December, 1847, he was united in marriage to Miss Eleanor S. Anderson, and six children have been born of this union: Elijah Stewart Finney married Lizzie Bonner, and is a resident of Pawnee county, Nebraska, and is a mechanic at that place. He has eight children. Isabelle F. married Alexander P. Clark, and the latter died on October 16, 1900. Agnes S. married Charles E. Oldham and died in Springfield in December, 1900, leaving three children. Anderson T. is a farmer of Green township. Charles T. married Mary J]. Ramsey and resides in Greene county. They have five daughters. James P. is at home with his parents.
For some years after his marriage Mr. Finney resided in Green township, but in March, 1848, he removed to Clark county on a farm of one hundred acres, which had come to him through his mother, who in turn had inherited it from her father, Joseph Stewart, who purchased the land of the government, and it has never been out of the family possession since, Mr. Finney being the third owner. He has added to his farm from time to time until it has assumed its present large proportions, and is one of the best equipped as well as one of the most highly developed farms of Clark county. The rich fields, being well cultivated, return a rich harvest each season, regarding generously the care and labor bestowed upon them.
Mr. Finney may well be classed among the highly respected and leading citizens of Clark county, having been one of its pioneer settlers. Although he has long passed the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, he is yet an active and healthy man, being able to take his share of the responsibilities of conducting a large and well improved farm. voted for Henry Clay in 1844. On the dissolution of that party he joined the ranks of the new Republican party and voted for its first presidential candidate, John C. Eremont, in 1856, since which time he has remained firm in his advocacy of the principles of the party, although he has never desired office, preferring to devote his attention to the management of his farming interests. He and his children. are faithful members of the United Presbyterian church, of which lie is a:deacon. Mr. Finney has long been a resident of Clark county, nessed much of its growth and progress, his memory going back to the time when this portion of the country was but sparsely settled. As a pioneer settler and a progressive and influential business man of his community he is highly respected and honored.
and has wit-
As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1902. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.