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- LOREN FINCH, residing on section 13,
- La Prairie Township, is numbered among the pioneer settlers
of Rock County, of 1844. His parents were Alvah and Phoebe FINCH,
who were natives of Cayuga County, N.Y. His father was descended
from an old New England family, while his mother was born of
Welsh parentage, but both are now deceased, the former having
died in New York, Nov. 16, 1834, after which Mrs. FINCH, came
to Rock County, Wis., where her death occurred April 20, 1868.
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- The subject of this sketch was one of a family of eight children,
but only four are now living:
- Matilda, deceased wife of Thomas PARKER, of Janesville; Hiram,
who for many years was a leading farmer of this county, died
in 1882; our subject; Nelson who died in this county; Bethinel
was drowned in Rock River, in 1863; P. M., a carpenter, of Janesville;
Laura J., wife of Hollis HOLLY, of Dane County, Wis.; Phoebe,
widow of Lewis THOMPSON. The parents of this family were both
members of the Baptist Church. The father served his country
throughout the War of 1812, and was a man who took an active
part in public affairs.
- Our subject was born June 29, 1821, and the earlier years
of his life were spent in the Empire
- State. The death of his father occurred when he was about
twelve years of age, and the care of the family devolved upon
himself and his brother Hiram, they supporting their widowed
mother and six younger children, and managing the small farm
which had been left by the father. Nobly did Loren perform his
share of the work, remaining at home until the fall of 1844,
when he determined to cast his lot with the pioneers of the West,
and making the trip by lake landed in Rock County, Wis. For a
period of two years he rented land in Harmony Township, but in
the meantime, in connection with his brother Hiram, purchased
320 acres of land on sections 13 and 14, La Prairie Township,
for which they paid $3 per acre. But seven acres had been broken,
and the land was almost entirely in an uncultivated condition,
but immediately beginning to improve it he soon developed a fine
farm. From that time, a period of forty-two years, he has resided
on section 13, and is regarded as one of the leading men of the
township. He has extended the boundaries of his farm until it
now comprises 280 acres in the home place, besides 15 acres in
the town of Harmony. Among the beautiful and useful improvements
which he has made may be mentioned the elegant brick residence,
which he erected in 1867, at the cost of $6,000.
- May 3, 1856, Mr. FINCH was united in marriage with Nancy
J. WILCOX, a native of New
- York, and a daughter of Joseph D. WILCOX. Her father was
one of the early settlers of the county, having located in Milton
Township in 1843, where he resided until his death. During the
trying times of the rebellion Mr. FINCH served as Chairman of
the Board of Supervisors for three years, and for fourteen years
has held the office of Justice of the Peace, being the present
incumbent. In early life he supported the Whig party, but when
the Republican party sprang into existence he joined its ranks,
and has since been numbered among the earliest supporters. His
wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. FINCH
is numbered among the self-made men of the county, and has witnessed
almost its entire growth. Since his coming the wild, uncultivated
prairies have been transformed into beautiful homes and farms;
the little log cabins have given place to elegant residences,
cities and villages have sprung up, and the county has been settled
by a well contended and intelligent people.
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- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 305-306; lithographs from
same book.
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- Courtesy of Carol
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