George Finlinson Bio

George Finlinson (1835-1909)

Sketch of the Life of George Finlinson, A Utah pioneer of 1864, by Angie F. Lyman.

GEORGE FINLINSON, my grandfather, was born in West Curthwaite, England, on January 23, 1835. He was the son of Mary Tomlinson and Joshua Finlinson. Joshua Finlinson was a clerk to a priest in the Church of England. 

When but a small boy, grandfather went to live with a rich uncle who had no children. They wanted him to be their heir and take care of the estate. They willed all their property to him. This estate was located about six miles from Carlisle. It was a very beautiful place with spacious lawns, flower gardens, trees which were large and spreading. Even the pear trees were as large as shade trees. Grandfather's two sisters, Hannah and Susan, were left out of the will which made them very unhappy. Hannah later married a wealthy man and had a beautiful home on the Eden River that runs through Carlisle. 

When my cousin Fred Finlinson was on his mission in the year of 1926, he visited one of the daughters of Hannah. Evidence of their means was indicated by the fact that they had a servant behind each chair. Grandfather often visited the Trimble family who lived nearby. He was very fond of one of the boys named John, and they went together to see the Emerson sisters. Later Grandfather married Anne Emerson. The one his friend John visited died. 

To Grandfather and his wife was born a girl whom they called Mary. Grandfather about this time had the privilege of hearing the gospel from the Trimbles who had joined the Church years before. He was converted, but his wife , Anne, could not see it and became very bitter. Grandfather tried in every way to get her to see the truth as he saw it, but it seemed that she could not. His uncle then pleaded with him to stay in England and all the property would be his and he would never want for money: but Grandfather knew that the Mormon doctrine was true and it meant more to him then riches. 

Grandfather was baptized in Liverpool in April of 1864 by J. G. Graham and confirmed by George Q. Cannon the same day. He left the same day for America with the hope that his wife would follow him and see the truth later. After about five weeks on the ocean they disembarked at Albany on the Hudson river from which point they traveled by train in cattle cars to some point in Wyoming where he with others was preparing to go West. He obtained a job at $20.00 a month to drive eight oxen across the plains with freight. He was cheated out of this for he was unable to collect when they arrived in Salt Lake. 

From Salt Lake, he went to Fillmore where he worked for Allen Russell. Later, he and Ole Jensen hauled the first load of rock to build the old Cove Fort, which was build for protection from the Indians. There was two tribes of Indians around at that time: the Pavans after whom the Pavant Valley was named, and the Utes who lived more in the mountains and were not friendly. The people had to carry their guns with them when they were away from the Fort for wood and to work in the fields. Grandfather acted as an officer in a local militie organization which was established to protect the settlers. At the beating of the drum, they would all assemble at the church. Finally the war was settled and Black Hawk made peace. 

Grandfather wrote his wife and pleaded with her to come to Utah, but she was still bitter against the Church and never came. HIe old friends, the Trimbles, came to Utah in 1865 and settled in Fillmore where John Trimble and Grandfather worked together freighting to Frisco In 1866, he married Susan Trimble, a sister of John, in Fillmore. Soon after he left for Missouri to help other emigrants to Utah, starting from Fillmore April 18, 1866. It might be noted from a diary that he kept that some days they only made two miles. On good days, they made about twenty-five and the best recorded was about thirty-eight. 

After returning to Utah, he lived with his wife at the Trimble home for some time in a half dug-out. The house was half in the ground and build up with adobies. It had a dirt floor with four boards on it. There was one small window and a door. The furniture they had they made themselves. Their first child was born here. Three blocks from the Trimble home, he obtained some property and built a one-room house of adobe. Nearly all of their cooking was done in a baking skillet. For variety, they would cook their potatoes in water and then made dumplings on top. Preserves were made of native currants and carrots, using molasses instead of sugar. They had some apple trees and sometimes for a week at a time, they lived on applesauce and apples. But it is said, he never complained. The flies were very thick. 

Grandfather being a rustler was called with Platte Lyman, John W. Dutson, and Jeff Trimble to help settle Oak City in 1870. Platte Lyman was called to be the Bishop: John W. Dutson was called to help the Sunday School and lead the music: Grandfather was called to be the Ward clerk which he served for 37 years. He was a tithing clerk for 27 years. Some of the other things he did in a civic way were Counselor to the Bishop, county commissioner (several terms) and director of the State bank of Millard county. He carried the mail from Leamington to Oak City in a old cart. 

The first crop they raised was cane for molasses. They thought they couldn't raise anything else. The molasses was sold in Sanpete and traded for grain. They then tried other crops and found that good crops of grain, alfalfa, corn, peas. etc. could be raised. In 1874, they started the United Order and Grandfather kept the accounts. It might be noted that all the church horses were branded with a "71". This order only lasted from May to October which was due to the people being jealous, etc. 

By careful planning and good management, he was able to purchase much property in Leamington and on the Fool Creek flat, which his sons still own. He operated a sort of united order for his own family for several years His family observe was "the things that were talked of at home were not to be talked of out in public." His advice was to go into a business and stay in it whether the price went up or down. He thought that if he couldn't find work for $1.00 a day, he would work for fifty cents. He was very prompt in the payment of his obligations. 

He was true to his religion and to God. He died at Oak City, Utah, April 12, 1909, at the age of seventy-four. At his death, it was made known to the children that he had gone to his other wife who had died. She was sealed to him in the Temple. 

Source
Prepared by his grand-daughter Angie Finlinson Lyman and entered in the International Society" Daughters of Utah Pioneers"