Author: James Edward Mitchell
Mark Finks (Jr) was recorded born on 1 Jul 1744 at Orange County (Co.) Virginia (VA). His father was Mark Finks, Sr., who was born in Dinkelsbühl, in southern Germany. Mark’s mother was Elisabetha [(aka Fischer) Fisher]. Mark, Sr.’s will was probated at Court in Culpeper on 16 Mar 1764. The will identified wife, Elizabeth Finks and children, Mark (Jr.), Christina, James, Elizabeth, Catherine Crigler, Hanah, Andrew, Mary and John Finks; source, Genealogies of Virginia Families from William and Mary College Quarterly, Vol V., Thompson-Yates., pg 713. Mark, age 26, married a long-time, prominent, Culpeper Co., neighbor, Eve Fisher, a daughter of Anna Barbara Blankenbaker (1717-86) and Lewis (aka Ludwig Fischer) Fisher (1710-73) whose health was in decline. Eve’s marriage with Mark Finks (Jr.) produced 9 surviving children, 6 sons -*James b. 29 Feb 1776, Joel, Elias, John, Lewis and Mark Finks III and 3 daughters – Sara, Sallie and Mary Finks (1773-1849), who m. Aaron Gaar (1773-1844), a son of John Gaar: see, SAR Patriot #: P-163337. A search of “Hebron” German Lutheran Church (Copyright 1740) Baptismal Register, 2nd Edition, (pgs. 14 & 15) compiled by John Blankenbaker, P. O. Box 120, Chadds Ford, PA 19317, identified Mark Finks and w. Eva Fisher’s baptism for a child, *James b. 29 Feb., held on 3 Mar 1776 with sponsor, John Finks, Mark’s brother and sister, Maria (Mary) Finks Weyland, m. Adam Weyland/Wayland. John Finks, above, and w. Anna _ (Blankenbaker) are also identified on pg 15, baptizing their child, “Hexekiel”. John Fink’s brother, Mark and w. Eva Fisher are sponsors at this child’s baptism held at “Hebron” church on 1 Sep 1776. At age 31, Mark Finks was commissioned as an Ensign within a company raised Sep 1775 for the Culpeper Co., Virginia (VA) Militia minutemen led by Capt. James Slaughter and Lieut. Henry Hill; see, ‘All Fine Fellows and Well Armed’ Chapter II, An Eighteen Century Perspective: Culpeper County compiled by Mary Stevens Jones, publ. by the Culpeper Historical Society, Inc., 1976, with a separate index captioned, APPENDIX, ERRATA etc., 1977 –Mark Finks pgs [29, (will 1764)] 41, 45 and Jas. Slaughter, a Capt. [pgs 15 and 19, (Culpeper minutemen were discharged; Slaughter was designated, QM for Col. Edward Stevens (1745-1820) and ordered to guard Hampton)] 36, 39, 49, 51, [65, (Jas. Slaughter, commissioned as Col.)] 66, and 85. Ensign Mark Finks’ son, John Finks was recorded on 27 Feb 1834 with an appearance in open Court at Madison Co., VA. He petitioned the Court that his father, age 90 was identical to Capt. Mark Finks, b. 1 Jul 1744 and the subject of a Revolutionary War Pension Application designated (R3551). John Finks informed the Court that infirmity and old age, kept his father from testifying in his own behalf. He presented names of neighbors living within the county formerly, Culpeper prior to 1792, who would provide statements that they served repeated (VA) militia tours during the Revolution with his father. These individuals were named as, Thomas Jones, a Culpeper Co., (VA) militia Pvt.; Jacob Aylor, age 85, who knew Capt. Finks while serving together with Lieut. James Murry during the Campaign to defend Richmond, [on South Anna River, 20 mi. N of Richmond] and, William Yowell, age 72. Capt. Finks, William Yowell stated, had served together during a tour in the Revolution under the command of Colonel James Slaughter, Culpeper Co., (VA) militia and Major Henry Hill. Yowell, an immediate neighbor stated also, that they had been neighbors over the past 50 years. Mark Finks was deprived of his clear memory in part to old age and that Finks was living. Justice of the Peace, for the County aforesaid, Alexander H. Simm advised that he had attended the house of William Yowell Sr., of said County, who was deemed to be infirmed. Yowell gave a sworn (oral) statement that he served together with Capt. Finks not less than 2 months after their (VA) militia detachment was ordered to march to Richmond, above. Simms, verified that Major Dennis Crow (S39380), was also infirmed and unable to appear in open Court. Crow had furnished a statement that he had served together on a tour with Capts. Mark Finks and Elijah Kertley (sic: Kirtley) who marched to Richmond where the (VA) militia led by Col. Jas. Slaughter. They joined Col. James Barbour, the commander of the regt., and returned home to Culpeper. Mark Finks was separately, recorded in Oct., 1780 to furnish 223# flour for [Jos. Wood, (VA) militia] and 250 # beef in Oct., 1781; source, Virginia ‘Publick’ Claims, Culpeper Co., compiled by Janice L. Abercrombie and Richard Slatten, pgs 32 & 38. At age 90, Mark Finks died logically near Finks Run mapped at Criglersville, the Finks family VA Northern Neck Land Grant home of son, John Finks. The private family cemetery is mapped still as “Finks Graveyard” opposite Sunny Brook Chapel, Criglersville, north along the Old Blue Ridge Tpke (Co. Hwy. 670) off, Spring Oak Ln (674) from Madison County Library, 402 N Main St., Madison, VA 22727; source, “Map of Madison County, VA” surveyed and drawn by Eugene M. Scheel, 2nd Printing Commissioned by the Madison Co., Library, 1992; see, Criglersville, VA Latitude: 38.457904 and Longitude: -78.301115.