Hello from ND

[granddaughter]

Upon doing research for a family Genogram (a very elaborate family tree) I stumbled across this website about Sgt. Jeremiah Finley. I would love to know any information any of you may have of him. Jeremiah Finley is my great x5 grandfather and would like to learn more about him besides being Custer's tailor and a soldier in the Battle of Little Bighorn and the Civil War. Please let me know if you have any questions.

[doyle1876]

Hi G-daughter,
I have a particular interest in any Irish involved in the Indian Wars and LBH. I posted an article from an Irish paper - 'Irish at the LBH '- its in Independent Research. It said that there are rumours of Finley being on the run from Ireland after murdering someone. I had never heard this and was wondering if there is any truth in this?

Also, where abouts in County Tipperary was he born?

BTW, welcome

Robert

[Rabble]

Hi Granddaughter,
From Ron Nichol's book "Men with Custer" :

Rank: Sergeant, Company: C, Born: 1841 Tipperary Ireland
Arrived in the US in 1860. Served four years in the Civil War. Enlisted on Sep 18 1868, in Chicago, assigned to C Company, 7th Cavalry. Was in the Washita campaign of 1868.
Discharged Sep 18 1873. Reenlisted same day at age 32 at the camp on the Heart River DT by Lt James Calhoun.
Previous occupation was labourer. Finley was a tailor and made the buckskin jacket worn by George Custer in the Sioux Campaign.
Listed as Jere. Finley on the battle monument. Also known as Darby Finley.
Had gray eyes, brown hair, light complexion and was 5'7" tall.
Three children were born of his marriage to Ellen E Boyer: Mary Ellen (Sep 14 1871) William Henry (Nov 20 1874) and Jeremiah M (Nov 20 1876)(Presumably wife was pregnant before he left for the LBH? Ron). Ellen received a pension of $8 per month plus $2 per month for each child until the age of 16.
Ellen later married Private John Donohue, Company K and resided in Oberon ND.
Hope that you find something new in this info!

Reagrds
Ron

[granddaughter]

Thanks for the information! Doyle...I was hoping I would be able find out information about him. As far as I kn ow my family doesn't know about him or the murder, but it could be a lost secret too. As of now I could not tell you where he was born but I can try to find out. The information that I have is little, but I have heard that when Ellen married Donnahue, he adopted the three kids, including Jeremiah Jr. and that is how the Finley name is sort of lost. Thanks for all the information though! Please feel free to ask or answer anything about Jeremiah Finley Sr.

[bc]

Ms. Finley, I have read quite a bit about Finley on this board and too much to reproduce here. This board has a search engine and you might try search Finley and related spellings. I suspect you may find quite a bit. Good luck.