Guide to the Thomas McKean Finney Papers
Open for research.
Thomas McKean Finney was born to David T. and Mary James Finney on November 13, 1817 in Holmes County, Ohio. He graduated from Washington College in Washington, Pennsylvania (now Washington and Jefferson College) in 1840 or 1841. In 1841, Thomas married Jane Reed Orr (1817-1865). He was licensed to preach on October 5, 1841 and was ordained by the Presbytery of Coshocton, Ohio, on April 9, 1844. He served as an Old School pastor in New Philadelphia, Ohio from 1843 to 1851. Reverend Finney then joined the Free Presbyterian Church, which was formed in May, 1847 by New School Presbyterians who split with the church over the issue of slavery. From 1853 to 1859, he served as a stated supply pastor at Martinsburg, Ohio. Reverend Finney died in Martinsburg on July 20, 1859.
The bulk of this collection consists of Reverend Finney's sermons. The diary discusses daily events with a particular emphasis on his preaching activities, while the correspondence consists of letters to his future wife, Jane Reed Orr, and letters from his father. The hymns and poems are religious, sentimental, and abolitionist in nature.
SERIES 1: DIARY, 1840-1857
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1838-1845
SERIES 3: SERMONS AND MANUSCRIPTS, 1838-1855, n.d.
SERIES 4: MISCELLANEOUS, 1841, n.d.
Researchers are encouraged to check the library card catalog for further resources on the Free Presbyterian Church.
The materials in this collection were donated in 1993 by Robert B. Finney and Rena M. Harman, both great-grandchildren of Thomas McKean Finney.
Collection processed and finding aid prepared: August 1997
Robert Lukens, Archives Technician
| Box | Folder | Description | |
| 1 | 1 | Finding Aid to Record Group 407 | |
| Researchers should use care handling the materials due to their fragility. | |||
| SERIES 1: DIARY, 1840-1857 | |||
| 1 | 2 | Diary, 1840-1857 | |
| SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1838-1845 | |||
| 1 | 3 | Correspondence, 1838-1845 | |
| SERIES 3: SERMONS AND MANUSCRIPTS, 1838-1855, n.d. | |||
| 1 | 4 | Sermons, 1842 | |
| 1 | 5 | Sermons, 1843 | |
| 1 | 6 | Sermons, 1844 | |
| 1 | 7 | Sermons, 1845-1846 | |
| 1 | 8 | Sermons, 1847-1855, n.d. | |
| 2 | 1 | Life of Jacob essays, 1845 | |
| 2 | 2 | Poems and hymns, 1838, n.d. | |
| SERIES 4: MISCELLANEOUS, 1841, n.d. | |||
| 2 | 3 | Photograph, n.d. | |
| 2 | 4 | Diploma and preaching license, 1841, n.d. |