Mark Finks, Sr

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Finks-4

Noted Germanna Colony researcher John Blankenbaker wrote that Mark Finks "is an enigma as he was on the first grand jury impaneled Orange County. This suggests he was familiar with the English language and perhaps was even an English citizen. This latter view is reinforced by the fact there is no naturalization known for him; however, the name Fink or Finks certainly suggests the German name Finck."[1]

Elsewhere we find an unsourced statement that Mark Finks was born about 1710 in Dinkelsbühl in what is now Ansbach, Germany. He first appeared in Virginia records in 1736, about the time of his first marriage. It is thought that his first wife died after the birth of daughter Elizabeth. Mark remarried, fathered more children, and passed away in Culpeper County, Virginia, in 1764, leaving a will that named second wife Elizabeth and all of the children in age order. His marriages are discussed below.

Issue:

1. Catharine Crigler
2. Christine Blankenbaker
3. Elizabeth Weaver
4. Mark, b. 1 Jul 1744 , d. 8 Oct 1834, widow Eve[2]
5. John
6. Mary
7. Andrew
8. Hannah
9. James

The idea that Mark Finks married twice was proposed by John Blankenbaker (see comments). It answered a question: why did his daughter Elizabeth Weaver attend the Hebron Lutheran Church and sponsor children there in a way that made her look like a sister of four Carpenter men? The solution was to propose that Elizabeth's mother died after childbirth and newborn Elizabeth was brought up in a Carpenter household.[3] Evidence in favor of two wives-- the three eldest daughters were born in the period 1735-1740, leaving a gap before the birth of son Mark in 1744.

There's good evidence that Mark Finks married Maria Elizabeth Broyles, daughter of the immigrant John Broyles and that they lived on land Elizabeth inherited from her father. Broyles received a patent for 400 acres on White Oak Run in present day Madison County, Virginia, in 1728. Records show three of his known children inherited 100 acres each. The remaining 100 acres implies a fourth heir. See comments in the timeline below. Several events place Mark Finks on White Oak Run close to Broyles yet there are no records showing him buying land there, or anywhere for that matter. Despite this his will mentions his real estate. A deed in 1772 establishes that Mark shared a property corner with the Broyles patent land. We conclude he and Elizabeth lived on the land she inherited.

Given that Elizabeth and Mark were both on White Oak Run in the 1730's it is likely Elizabeth was his first wife. They probably married around 1734.

Mark is said by some to have married Elizabeth Fisher but a source is lacking. Son Mark Jr. married Eva Fisher.

Comments

https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Family:Mark_Finks_and_Elizabeth_Unkno... (2007)

Mark Finks, Sr. was married twice. His first wife was totally unknown and she may have come from outside the Germanna colonies as did Mark himself. At the birth of Elizabeth Finks, her mother died and Anna Barbara Carpenter and John Carpenter raised Elizabeth. This is why in the Hebron records she acts so much like a Carpenter. Mark Finks remarried and his second wife was named Elizabeth. She may have come from within the Germanna community but perhaps she was English.

In preparing my book, the 'Hebron' Baptismal Register, I adopted the position that Elizabeth was a Finks who was adopted and raised by the Carpenters. I described the four Carpenter men as her surrogate siblings. Thus, at church she acted as though she were a Carpenter while Mark Finks, Sr. recognized her in his will as a daughter. This is the answer, I believe, to the biggest mystery in the Hebron records. This answer is simple and an excellent explanation for explaining her actions. I readily acknowledge that Nancy Dodge was the individual who set me on what I believe was the correct path. Incidentally, this explanation of Elizabeth's behavior supports Nancy's concept that Mark Finks, Sr. was married at least twice.

John Blankenbaker www.germanna.com

GEDCOM Note

Later immigrant to Germanna. From message from Joyce Libes, a Finks researcher and descendant, dated 05-15-1999:

“Children of Mark Finks Sr. (according to those named in his will - dated 17 Oct 1763 and proved 15 Mar 1764 in Culpeper Co. VA. Witnessed by Rich Vauter, William Eastham and Michael Wilhoit. Executors: wife Elisabeth Finks and James Archer.)"

Per John Blankenbaker, Germanna note #708, 09-20-1999: "...Mark Finks appears in several incidental records. He was a defendant in a 1736 assault and battery case, which was dismissed in 1740. He was a witness on 24 Nov 1736. He appeared in the Orange County list of tithables. In 1737, he was in the list of Davis Phillips with one tithe. In 1737, Timothy Finks was also in the list of Isaac Haddock with two tithes. In 1739, Joseph Pickett included Mark Finks in his list, with two tithes...On 29 May 1741, 'John Kines, Henry Philip Hart, Robert Appleby, Robert McPherson, Margaret McPherson, Alexander McPherson, Susanna McPherson, Joseph Harris & Mark Fink in open court severally made oath they were imported from Great Britain or Ireland immediately into this Colony and that this is the first time of proving their importation in order to obtain land ...' [Orange County Order Book 2, page 366ff]." John also remarks that a Timothy Finks found in some records is probably, but not proven as, Mark, Sr.'s brother.

Per John Blankenbaker, Germanna note #709, 09-20-1999: "...I was impressed by the stories told by the descendants of Mark Finks. They said he was born in the Alps or he was born high in the mountains. What is remarkable about these attributions is that the Anabaptists today give these "locations" as their spiritual and/or physical home. So I was inclined to think the family was Anabaptist. It would describe a lot of their behavior patterns. A major weakness in this thesis was the role played by Mark Finks, Jr. during the Revolutionary War. He was a captain in the militia. The Anabaptists were not only opposed to infant baptisms but they were pacifists. Mark Finks, Sr. had died in 1763 or 1764 but his wife, Elizabeth, lived until at least 1776 when she was recorded at the Lutheran Church as taking communion. But about 1776, there is a turn around in the attitude of the Finks family toward the Lutheran Church. It would still be hard to believe the major change in attitude displayed by Mark, Jr. in a few years. I haven't completely abandoned the thought that the family might have been Anabaptists but an alternative theory might fit the facts better...I am now inclined to believe the family was Catholic and had convictions strong enough to keep them from participating in a Lutheran baptism."

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February 1733 Mark Fink brought before this Court a runaway Servantman of his named William ___[?] for Absenting him self from his house fifteen days after his paying twoo hundred pounds of tobaco for takeing of him up, the said William K?Z?_? honoring nothing to say in his defenes [sic] Ordered that he Serve for the same according to Law (Spotsylvania County, Virginia Order Book 1730-1738: 270, County Clerk's Office, Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA.).

1736 Mark fink taxed for 1 tithable in Orange County, Virginia (Orange County, Virginia 1736 Tithables List, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, US/Can Film 1869674, Item 5; DGS 7856139, FamilySearch, http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 3 November 2018, Search > Catalog > Place > Unites States, Virginia, Orange > Taxation > Tithables, 1736-1782 > Image 452.).

1737 Mark fink taxed for 1 tithable in Orange County, Virginia (Orange County, Virginia 1737 Tithables List, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, US/Can Film 1869674, Item 5; DGS 7856139, FamilySearch, http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 3 November 2018, Search > Catalog > Place > Unites States, Virginia, Orange > Taxation > Tithables, 1736-1782 > Image 453.).

1739 Mark Finks taxed for 2 tithables in Orange County, Virginia (Orange County, Virginia 1739 Tithables List, Precinct of James Pickett, Constable, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, US/Can Film 1869674, Item 5; DGS 7856139, FamilySearch, http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 3 November 2018, Search > Catalog > Place > Unites States, Virginia, Orange > Taxation > Tithables, 1736-1782 > Image 461.).

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Provided to me by Hilma Ardito and she credits Bill Jones with transcribing it: "Culpeper County, Virginia Probate Records 1749-1783 Film #30,929

Book A page 361-362 Mark Finks of Culpeper County in the Colony of Virginia, Last Will and Testament

To my loving wife, Elizabeth Finks,my bay mare and my horse, Buck, that I brought at David Vanlers(?) sale. To my ,son,Marks Finks, my yellow bay horse named Prince. To my son, John Finks, my black horse named Roan(?) To my son,Andrew Finks,my small black horse named Jack. To my daughter,Mary Finks, one cow and calf. To my daughter, Hannah Finks,all the rest of my estate,for her natural life and after her death to be equally divided among all my children,(that is to say) Catherine Crigler,Christian Blankenbaker,Elizabeth Weaver, Mark Finks, John Finks, Mary Finks,Andrew Finks, Hannah Finks , James Finks.

If my wife,Elizabeth Finks, has a colt from the bay mare, it is to be given to son, James as a legasy equal to that of Mark, John and Andrew him

Appoint Elizabeth Finks and James Archer- Executors

17 Oct,1763 Mark Finks (seal) Dicks Vawter William Eastham witt. Probate: 15 March (?) 1764 Michael Wighiot Mark Finks , DCD

Clerk: Roger Dixon

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http://www.germanna.org/who-were-the-german-settlers-in-the-robinson-r iver-valley/ by John Blankenbaker:
Mark Finck/Fink/Finks appeared in Spotsylvania County in the early 1730s. Probably he was a bachelor when he came. He may have been accompanied by a younger brother.

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Orange County, Virginia 1739 Tithe List, precinct of James Pickett Mark Finks 2

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References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Finks-4 cites

1. Germanna History Notes, Nr. 85
2. Revolutionary War pension application R3551
3. Rootsweb discussion at WeRelate.org, July 26, 2007 <link>
4. Orange County Order Book 1:114
5. Orange County Tithables, 1736
6. Orange County Tithables, 1737
7. Orange County Tithables, 1739
8. Orange County Order Book 2:232,255
9. Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, vol. 17, No. 4, citing Orange County Order Book 2:368
10. Orange County Order Book 5:78
11. Culpeper Will Book A:361
12. Culpeper Deed Book F:544