Monument of Jeremiah W. Finch
Jeremiah Finch was born in 1827. His first work experience was that of a molasses boy in the town of Sandy Hill (now Hudson Falls). He worked there for 3 years.
He took off a year from work to attend the Poultney Academy in Poultney, Vermont. At the same time, he began learning the lumbering business from his family.
In 1853, while only 26 years of age, he and his brother Daniel J. Finch formed J.W. & D.J. Finch Co. A year later he married Helen Maria Barker and eventually had 4 children: George, Jeremiah T., Helen and Herbert. He sent his sons to the Glens Falls Academy and Riverside Military Academy in Poughkeepsie.
In 1863 he became partners with Samuel Pruyn to form Finch, Pruyn & Co. located near the falls on the border between Glens Falls (Warren County) and South Glens Falls (Saratoga County), New York. The location was chosen due to the proximity to inexpensive water power and forests that were easily connected by the Hudson River. The early production of "black marble" on site eventually led to a lumber mill and paper production plant. Glens Falls also maintained a street system and a plank road to Lake George aided with the transport of logs.
Jeremiah was president of the Glens Falls National Bank for 29 years and leader of the Democratic Party in Warren County. He was a close personal friend of Grover Cleveland and supported maintaining the Gold Standard.
He was a member of the Hudson River Boom Association and a Warden at the Church of Messiah in Glens Falls, but he also supported the Kingsbury Baptist Church as well.
Finch & Pruyn increased in wealth and influence and became a potent factor in the growth and development of the city of Glens Falls. The company is still in operation today.
There was a second marriage to Harriet E. Moore. Jeremiah's niece married Eugene Ashley, a prominent member of the community.
At a time when there was only horse and sleigh used for travel in the winter, the following information is available for Jeremiah's travel during the month of January 1852 in order to check on woodlands for the family business.
January 1 at Chester (Chestertown)
January 4 at church in Sandy Hill for a Baptism
in the forenoon, spent a Presbyterian
afternoon
January 5 to Fort Ann
January 7 to Hogtown (near Fort Ann)
January 8 to Fort Miller (near Schuylerville)
January 10 to French Mountain (Lake George)
January 12 to Argyle
January 14 to Horicon
January 15 to Brant Lake
January 16 to Chester/ to Schroon Lake
January 19 to Chester/ to Horicon/ to Chester
January 21 to Brant Lake
January 22 to Lake Faco/ to Horicon/ to Sandy Hill
When his daughter, Helen Foulds, died in 1958, she left $4 1/2 million to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. They knew nothing of the woman and wondered why such a large bequest would be made to them from an unknown. $500,000 was divided between the Church of the Messiah and several relatives. Disappointed local officials allowed the elegant family mansion to be torn down for the Kamyr project on Ridge Street in Glens Falls.
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This is a front view of the Finch lot with typical Victorian steps that led into the area the same way that steps led into a home.
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