aaa-0281.html
Chronology of the James Finley Family of
Goochland and Albemarle Counties, VA
1731 - In Goochland County, Samuel Spencer assisted in clearing a road from the
"fork of the ferry road" (James Findlay's ferry) near Spencer's home on the south
side of James River, near Sycamore Island Creek. (Fall, Ralph E. The Diary of
Robert Rose. p. 738)
22 September 1739 - James Fendly patents (#18) 350 acres on the Fluvanna River in
Goochland. (VA State Land Patents & Grants, 1623-1921, LDS film # 7116, part 27,
p. 448)
15 May 1744 - James ffendly appointed surveyor of road from his fferry to Thomas
Jones's. Ordered that Samuel Stephens John ffendly Thos Watts Major Lewis Hugh
Dennum John Isham Archibald Blake David Griffin James ffreeland Henry Johnson &
Charles Burk do work on the said road. (Pawlett, Goochland County Road Orders,
1728-1744. O.S. p. 388)
27 June 1745 - John Fenley is appointed surveyor; James Fenly was formerly
appointed surveyor ... same hands ordered to assist John Fenly in clearing road.
(Pawlett, Nathaniel Mason. Albemarle County Road Orders, 1744-1748. O.S., p. 24)
20 September 1745 - James Finly patents 400 acres on the South side of Slate
River Mountain on both sides of a Branch of David's Creek in Goochland. (VA
State Land Patents & Grants, 1623-1921, LDS film #7116, part 22, p. 124)
6 February 1747 - Jas. Fenley's will proved by Archibald Black March 1747 ... Jno
Fenley, heir, Margaret Fenley to admr; April 1747 she declined and David Bell to
admr. (Davis, Rev. Bailey Fulton. The Deeds of Amherst County, Virginia,
1761-1807 and Albemarle County, Virginia 1847-1763, p. 6)
14 August 1747 - Road ordered cleared from Finley's Ferry to Samuel Stephens and
male tithables of Margaret Finley, James Freeland, Robert Kile, John Finly,
Jeremiah Whitney, Thomas Thornhill, John Coleman, John Williams, Richard Burks
and Charles Burks do clear the same. William Megginson overseer. (Pawlett,
Albemarle County Road Orders, 1744-1748. O.S. p. 310)
23 May 1749 - Left Mr. Megginson at 7 a.m., crossed at Finlay's Ferry at 8 -- got
home after calling at Mrs. Higginbothom's about one pm a thunder shower this
evening. [Annotation: James Findlay (also spelled Fenly, Finley, etc. was
licensed to open an ordinary in his home south of James River, opposite William
Cabell's home Warminster. He cleared a road, and was succeeded as road surveyor
here by John Findlay who took over the operation of James Findlay's ferry to
Cabell's landing in 1748. Findlay's Mountain and Findlay's Gap in the Little
Mountains are in this region. His sources are Albemarle County Order Book
1744-48, p. 45; Evans, pp. 39, 43, 45 ff; Goochland County Order Book 5 pp. 329,
388, 491]. (Fall, Ralph E. The Diary of Robert Rose. Robert Rose was a parson
in the Albemarle-Buckingham area of VA; kept daily diary from 21 January 1746 to
13 June 1751)
13 February 1750 - Jas. Fendley & wife Mary to Wm. Megginson, 200 acres S. side
Fluvanna adj. Saml. Burks & grantor; part of 300 acres patented to Jas. Fendley,
decd; 22 September 1749, reversion by will. Margaret, mother of Jas., was to
have made title. (Davis, p. 20 - also Albemarle DB 1:264)
25 June 1750 - Margaret Fendley, widow of Jas. Fendley by will has 350 acres S.
side Fluvanna, where she lives; life estate reverts to son James Fendley - love -
150 acres to son, James, lower end. Witnesses: Wm Cabell, Sr. & Jr., Saml.
Burks, Jr. (Davis, p. 18 - also Albemarle DB 1:216)
29 June 1750 - Jas. Fendley to Saml. Burks Jr., 150 acres; patent date to Jas.
Fendley decd, 22 September 1739; wife Mary joins in deed. Witnesses: Wm Cabell,
Sr. & Jr., John Wright. (Davis, p. 18 - also Albemarle DB 1:219)
27 August 1751 - Margaret Finley will; names sons James, Charles, daughter Sarah
Finley. Executors: son, Charles; friend, Samuel Burk, Jr. Witnesses: Robert
Kyle, Wm Megginson; proved 11 February 1752. (Albemarle WB 1:29)
18 November 1751 - John Finley of Parish of St. Ann's, Albemarle County to Samuel
Burks Jr., 200 acres of the 400 acres devised by father, James, decd, to my
brother, Charles Finley and me by will; patent 20 September 1745, south side of
James River in Albemarle on north side of Slate River Mountain on both sides
David's Creek. Witnesses: Charles Finley, William Nicholls, Robert Kyle, William
Megginson. (Davis, p. 26 - also Albemarle DB 1:424)
9 May 1752 - Saml. Burk, Jr. & wife Eliz. to Chas. Finley, 200 acres; part of 400
acres left my brother, Jno Fenley, by father, James Fenley, and to Saml. Burk; N
side Slate River Mt., branch of David Creek. Witnesses: Letisha Martin, Wm.
Megginson, Jas. Spears. (Davis, p. 27 - also Albemarle DB 1:441)
18 December 1759 - Wm. Megginson to Wm. Patteson, both sides David's Creek adj.
Jas. Freeland, James Finley. Witnesses: Thos. Beard, Jno Patterson, Mace
Freeland. (Davis, p. 41)
25 August 1765 - Will of Thomas Head, probated October 10, 1765, . . . wife Margaret . . .
Children: Thomas, John, Mary, Hannah, Alexander . . . Executors: brother Alexander Read and
wife Margaret . . . Witnesses: John Finley, Matthew Read, Mary and John Barnet . . . (Annie
Walker Burns, Virginia Records, Albemarle County Abstracts)
9 April 1767 - John Armour Findley from Wm. Garrett of Louisa, 249 acres on both
sides of rounding branch. (Albemarle DB 4:358)
13 November 1773 - John Armour Findley of Bedford to John Spencer of Albemarle,
249 acres on both sides of Rounding Branch. Witnesses: William T. Lewis, Muajah
Lewis, Samuel Bocock? (Albemarle DB 6:340)
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