My Genealogy Hound

HENRY FINEGAN, a farmer and fruit-grower residing in St. Joseph, was born on the old homestead of his father in this city, March 16, 1842. His father, Patrick, was born in Dublin, Ireland, while his mother, whose maiden name was Margaret Sage, was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland. Both emigrated to the United States when quite young, and, coming to Michigan, were united in marriage at St. Joseph. Afterward they commenced housekeeping on a twenty-acre tract purchased by Mr. Finegan. In addition to his farming pursuits, he followed the trade of a wagon-maker, doing a fair business in the neighborhood. He built the first pile-driver used on the St. Joseph Docks, on the opposite side of the river.

From the time he came to Michigan (1836) until the date of his demise (1889), Mr. Finegan, Sr., continued actively engaged as a farmer, fruit-grower and wagon-maker. He was a man of positive convictions and was an enthusiastic supporter of the principles advocated by the Democratic party. In his religious belief he adhered to the faith of his forefathers and was a faithful member of the Catholic Church. Industrious and energetic, while he never gained great wealth, he acquired a competence and surrounded his family with all the comforts of life. He was a widower for many years prior to his demise, his wife having died in 1851.

The subject of this sketch was the third in a family of four children. He received his education in the schools of St. Joseph, and in his youth assisted his father both in the wagon shop and on the farm. Upon attaining his majority, he became a sailor on the Lakes, on boats running between Chicago and Buffalo, and continued his seafaring life for a period of eight years. At the time of the great fire in Chicago, in October, 1871, he joined the Governor’s Guard at Springfield, Ill. The company boarded the train on Monday at Springfield and made a fast run to Chicago, where the company was placed under the command of Gen. Sheridan. Mr. Finegan and his company were stationed on the North Side, and remained on duty six days. He then returned to St. Joseph, where for eight years he followed the trade of a painter. Being of an economical disposition, he saved his earnings and invested them in eighty acres of land, located seven and one-half miles south of the city of St. Joseph, in Royalton Township. It is choice land and in a high state of cultivation, well adapted to raising fine grades of fruits. He still owns the old homestead of twenty acres, a part of which he platted and laid out in town lots, selling at a fair profit, but reserving enough to make a comfortable homestead.

In 1889 Mr. Finegan married Mrs. Martha J. Griffith, the widow of Henry Griffith. She was the daughter of James and Deborah (Colwell) Hall, natives respectively of Connecticut and New York State. Her parents were married in Otsego County, and later removed to Michigan and settled in Hillsdale County, where both died, the father in 1843, and the mother in 1886. Mrs. Finegan by her first marriage had three children: William, Alma and Flora. In his political belief Mr. Finegan is a Republican and takes an active interest in local elections, always working with hearty enthusiasm on behalf of the candidates of his chosen party.