There are still several branches of my cousins’ family tree that need to be covered. Today’s family sketch begins the story of the Finney family, from Nottinghamshire, England, who eventually emigrated to Massachusetts between July 1637 and December 1638.
Jeffrey Finney is the earliest documented ancestor of the Massachusetts Finney family. He was born c1532, likely in Nottinghamshire, and married twice.
Jeffrey married (1) Katherine Jackson, 19 September 1558, Lenton, Nittinghamshire, England. There is no record of Katherine’s death, but she may have died giving birth to her first child, who, likewise, did not survive. He married (2) Ellen, probably Smedley, c1560.
Ellen’s will identified five children. However, there is a gap in years between the first and second children. Were all five children Ellen’s or could Edward, the eldest child, have been raised fro infancy by Ellen so that she considered him her own child? History is silent on the subject, so we will assume that all five of Jeffery’s children were by second wife Ellen.
Children:
- Edward, born c1561; died between 26 March 1598-11 May 1598, Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England; married Anne Warde, 29 October 1587, Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England. He called himself a laborer in his will.
- Anne, born c1566; married William Fletcher, 22 October 1587, Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England
- Robert, born c1568; died c1637/38, probably at sea en route to a new life in Massachusetts; married Unknown (MNU). His wife, called “Mother Feney,” died on 22 April 1650, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts.
- Sicilie, born c1570; buried 25 January 1643/44, Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England; unmarried
- Isabel, born c1572; married William Burrowes, 18 June 1611, Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England. She was unmarried on 8 August 1606, the date of her mother’s will and was apparently older than typical for the time when she first married.
Jeffrey was buried on 21 July 1586, Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England. Ellen long survived her husband, as she was buried on 17 August 1606, also in Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England.