Asa Finley (1788– 8 April 1853) was a local judge and then state legislator politician in Missouri during early statehood.

Early life

Finley was born in

Montgomery County, Virginia Montgomery County is a county located in the Valley and Ridge area of the U.S. state of Virginia. As population in the area increased, Montgomery County was formed in 1777 from Fincastle County, which in turn had been taken from Botetourt Coun ...

, and after marrying his first wife, Esther Gleaves in 1806, they migrated to Christian County, Kentucky and settled on land he had already surveyed for himself in 1803. Migrating to

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virgini ...

with them were Asa Finley's brothers, Dabney Finley and John Pettus Finley.John Finley of Montgomery/Wythe County, Virginia; Additional Children Identified, Virginia Genealogist 1990-1991; Pg 206, by Dr. Carmin J. Finley, C.G., Ph.D.

Further migration

In 1817-1818 Asa Finley, Esther Gleaves Finley, and their children headed for

Cooper County, Missouri Cooper County is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 17,103. Its county seat is Boonville. The county was organized December 17, 1818 and named for Sarshell Co ...

and settled near the city of

Arrow Rock, Missouri Arrow Rock is a village in Saline County, Missouri, United States, located near the Missouri River. The entire village is part of the National Historic Landmark Arrow Rock Historic District, designated by the Department of the Interior, Nationa ...

. ''The History of

Saline County, Missouri Saline County is located along the Missouri River in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 23,370. Its county seat is Marshall. The county was established November 25, 1820, and named for the region's salt spr ...

'', published in 1881, dates Asa Finley's arrival as early as 1819. However, the deed of the sale of some of their Kentucky land lists him as Asa Finley of Saline County dated September 17, 1818. Saline County, Missouri was made out of part of

in 1820. Migrating with them again was Asa Finley's brother Dabney Finley's family and some of the children of John Pettus Finley's family.

Political service

In 1822 and again in 1826 Asa Finley was elected as Representative of Saline County, Missouri to the

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

Legislature. In 1824, Asa Finley was elected as the first judge in Arrow Rock. Asa Finley and his wife, Esther Gleaves Finley, also helped found the Salt Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and took turns holding service in their home until it was built.The Churches of Cooper County, Missouri - History of Salt Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church written by Mrs. Edna McGuire in 1920

Legacy

One of Finley's grandsons, William Asa Finley, became the first president of

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degree ...

William Lovell Finley William Lovell Finley (August 9, 1876 - June 29, 1953) was an American wildlife photographer and conservationist from Northern California. The William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge was named in his honor. Family He was born on August 9, ...

(namesake for William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge) is also a descendant of Asa Finley.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Finley, Asa 1788 births 1853 deaths People from Montgomery County, Virginia American Presbyterians People from Christian County, Kentucky People from Cooper County, Missouri People from Saline County, Missouri Members of the Missouri House of Representatives 19th-century American legislators