Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-04-22
THE LATE COL. FINLEY.

We take the following from the
Lebanon Herald, concerning the late
Col. o. o. Finley, the father OF DR..
w. NJ. Finley. He was born May "a,
l7S7, and wanted, consequently, but
two months of completing his eighty
fourth year:
His early life was spent i'm Kentucky, in
the ~neighnorhood OF Danvillc. About the
lImr he reached his minority he came la
Tenne>See. and, in ISL, settled In this
"neighDOrhOOd. lie was accustomed to say,
that ut that time the settlers in Lebanon
were building their houses of logs cut from
what Is now the public Square. lie served
rs lieutenant in the Creek war. and there
il II tradition thai on one occasion his COM
pany acted u conspicuous part in turning
the Tile of battle In favor OF the whites.
In ISL he was married TO his first wife.
IL" was subsequently married twice. His
third wife survives him. In the latter part
Of 1881, or early. part OF lS22. he profcsScd
religion lnd Joined the u yrrllnl Pres
bytcrinn Church, which Rev. George Don
mel had nut recently organized In Lebanon.
In that connection he remained an honor
ed M until his death.
For some time his health had been poor,
he had lived IN almost daily g xpecta-
tion Of death. hui without apparent dread
Of It's coming. or apprehension ns to the
future. For months before his death, md
while he was sill able to come into town
he talked freely upon the subject OF his ap-
p. coaching emit. aud frequently, in the most
touching and beautiful manner There is
scarcely anything more beautiful than
this.
=" am not expecting to he here long. |
am just clinging to the wiliows"thnt grow
u b,n the banks; the brittle branches will
break presently, and the Hood will bear me
on. | trust. up on the bosom OF my Cod
such WIS his language In u conversation
with II friend only "a short while ago.
\ few days before his death he p,camC
helpless, auiin ngrea, measure pccchle>s,
giving. no viewer, such Indications as he
could. thai all great questions to himself
were probably settled. Ills friends believe
that he died In the full faith and hope OF
tho Gospel.
Col. Finley belonged to that cl ass of men
wnO constitute the hest citizens of any
country. In quiet home, and on his well
managed farm, he lived nnd labored foI
sixty wears, n II he acquired more pro
perty than some Of his n~eighbors. II was
fro n the rnrnGst application of legitimate
means, IL" was, In the s~trictest sense, n
country gentleman of the old school. The
world needs more such men.
Although quiet anu retired, he took s
lcop interest In all public matters. III,
was for some years n prominent officer IN
the militia Of his county was one OF tn,
early m"mhcrs of the corporation Of Cum
bcrl1nd University and one OF the liberia
supporters OF his church. At last, hut not
least characteristic to he mentioned *. th,
he was "A habitunl Christian, not noisy ~
3 obtruSivc. but bold, fearless aud consistent
The loss OF such men Is like the removn
of the old landmarks like the ~sNtinguish
ing of the lights In the old light house o
soci 'ty. Those who survive will he wis,
and happy IL they receive The lesson
which such examples of industry. cconom
u"prightnrSs nnd sincere piety are so wei
calculated to teach.