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County >> 1894 Index Portrait
and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Counties F Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Becky Teubner. Success in any profession can only be attained through industry and study, and the good physician must necessarily be the hardest of workers and the best of students. Dubuque County is proud to number among her physicians the one with whose name we introduce this sketch. His career presents a remarkable example of what may be accomplished by assiduous application and unremitting toil. With every onward move in the science to which he has devoted his life he is familiar, and time has served to broaden his views and ideas. Dr. Finley is located at Cascade, where he has an extensive and paying practice. The subject of this sketch was born in Pike County, Mo., August 30, 1838, and is the son of S. W. Finley, a native of North Carolina, which was also the birthplace of his father, who bore the name of James Finley, The great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and the family is of Scotch-Irish extraction and is well known among the early settlers of North Carolina. Grandfather Finley was a tanner by trade, and on leaving his native state went overland to Missouri , settling in 1808 in Pike County . There he entered a tract of land from the Government, on which he erected a log cabin and began the arduous work of redeeming the land from the wilderness. Indians were very numerous in the neighborhood, and neighbors were few and far between. For some time the settlers lived in forts in order to protect themselves against the depredations of the red men, who on one occasion drove the white settlers down to St. Charles, where they built a strong fort. Game was very plentiful, and the family never lacked for choice meats at all seasons. The father died there at the age of fifty-five years. He was very prominent in local affairs, and at the time of his decease was Judge of the Probate Court. He was a devoted member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and in politics was a Whig and a strong Abolitionist. The maiden name of our subject's mother was Ann Carroll. She too was a native of North Carolina , and reared a family of six children, namely: Will, Mary, James, D. M., Jane and Ann. The wife and mother passed away when only thirty-three years of age, and the father was a second time married, becoming the parent of six children by that union. Mrs. Ann Finley was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church and a thorough Christian woman. David M. Finley was the fourth in order of birth in the parental family, and was reared on his father's farm, and received his primary education in the district school, taught in the primitive log schoolhouse with its slab benches, puncheon floor, old-fashioned fireplace, etc. He remained at home until attaining his seventeenth year, when he began clerking in a drug store in Louisiana , Mo. , and at the same time attended school when the opportunity presented itself. This state of affairs continued for three years, when young Finley began the study of medicine. In April, 1861, on the outbreak of the Civil War, our subject answered the first call for volunteers, and joined Company A, First Missouri Infantry, serving in the department west of the Mississippi . During the latter part of the year his regiment followed Price through the west, spending a great deal of time on the plains, Mr. Finley participated in many important engagements, and was mustered out of service April 20, 1866, after having been in the army during the entire period of the war. When peace was declared, our subject returned to this state, and after spending some time in Hopkinton, went to Chicago and entered Bush Medical College , from which he was graduated in 1868 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He at once located in Canton , this state, where he was engaged in practice for three years, and then came to Cascade, where he is now residing. His practice increased rapidly each year after arriving here, and his long experience now renders his opinions and decisions valuable. Dr. Finley and Miss Anna Hay were married June 3, 1887 . The lady was born in Vicksburg , Miss. She departed this life two years later, greatly mourned by all who knew her. In politics the Doctor is a stanch Republican, believing that party to be in the right. Socially he is a member of the Grand Army post at Cascade, and stands high in Masonic circles, in which he takes great interest. He is also connected with the Dubuque County Medical Society. This substantial resident of Anamosa is engaged as a railroad contractor, and also is the owner of a good farm in Fairview Township . He is a native of Ireland , having been born February 18, 1838 . His parents, Thomas and Mary (Kelly) Foley, were also natives of the Emerald Isle, the former corning to the United States when advanced in years. John, when emigrating hither, landed in New York City , whence he made his way into Champaign County , Ohio , where he attended school for one winter, and then began working on the Columbus & Cleveland Railroad. In 1856 the subject of this sketch went to Wisconsin , where he was employed on the La Crosse & Milwaukee Road, and afterward removed to Watertown , that state, working for the Chicago & Northwestern, and afterward as an employe for the Janesville & Oshkosh Road. Three years later young Foley came to Iowa , making his headquarters for a time in Ottumwa in the employ of the Des Moines Valley Railroad Company, in grading the road bed. He afterward was engaged by the Illinois Central, and located at Waterloo , this state. In the year 1860, our subject came to Anamosa, in the employ of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Road, laying the track between this city and Sperryville. After completing this work he went to Benton County and constructed the road between Cedar Rapids and Marshalltown for the Northwestern Road . We next find Mr. Foley in Lanark , Ill. , working for the Milwaukee & St. Paul under Captain Smith, on that portion of the road lying between Freeport and Savannah . March 26, 1864 , our subject again came to this city and was married to Miss Nora Sullivan, of Anamosa, and the daughter of Michael and Ellen Sullivan, natives of Ireland . After his marriage Mr. Foley was engaged in farm pursuits for two years, but finding this business did not suit him, again engaged in railroad work, this time for the Chicago & Northwestern. In 1867 he worked for a time on the Rock Island , and the same year laid the track of the Chicago , Burlington & Quincy between Clinton and Indianola. In 1870 our subject returned to Anamosa, investing his surplus money in real estate and carried on general farming for the succeeding three years. His possessions now aggregate eight hundred acres, five hundred of which are under the best methods of improvement. His farm is stocked with fine animals, has an ample supply of buildings, including a commodious dwelling and good barn. In addition to this property Mr. Foley owns a fine grocery store in Anamosa, which is carried on by his son, Thomas W. As has already been seen, our subject is a truly self-made man. During his childhood he experienced many disadvantages, but not withstanding discouragements he pushed ahead, and the result proves the wisdom of his course. He has in vested his money judiciously, has a beautiful home in the city, and is prepared to spend the declining years of his life in peace and comfort, surrounded by many of the luxuries of life. With his good wife, Mr. Foley is a member of St. Patrick's Church at Anamosa, in the faith of which they have trained their children. The lady whose honored name introduces this sketch is one of whom the biographer esteems it a privilege to write, and deserves more extended praise than the feeble pen of the writer can indite. She is one of the most wealthy residents of Clayton County, owning at the present time over one thousand acres of valuable farming land, which is under the management of her intelligent and capable step-son. The subject of this sketch is a native of Switzerland , and was born across the water November 5, 1835 . She is the daughter of Joshua and Catherine (Shirard) Brake, also natives of Switzerland , where they were well-to-do people. Mrs. Frieden was the youngest but one in her parents' family of eight children, her brothers and sisters bearing the respective names of Jacob, John Ulrich, Peter, Andrew, Samuel, Joshua and Katie. They were members of the Apostles' Church, and in his political relations Mr. Brake was a Democrat after coming to the United States . Benedict Frieden, the deceased husband of our subject, was born in Switzerland June 6, 1827 , and emigrated to the United States in 1848. He landed in New York City , where he remained for a short time, and then made his way to Monroe County , Ohio , where he followed farm pursuits for two years. At the expiration of that time Mr. Frieden came to Marion Township , Clayton County , purchasing within its bounds one hundred acres of land, which he cultivated in such a profitable manner that he soon increased his acreage to nearly one thousand acres. He was a man of prominence in his neighborhood. After a useful life he died, lamented by his family and a host of warm friends, December 3, 1893 , in the sixty-sixth year of his age. Benedict Frieden was married in 1849 to Miss Annie Baumgardner, and by her became the father of the following named nine children: Fred, John, Samuel, Eliza, Mary Ann, Frank, Joseph, Benjamin and Annie. The wife and mother departed this life in 1870, and the lady to whom Mr. Frieden was married two years later bore the maiden name of Magdalene Garber. They were blessed by the birth of one daughter, born February 16, 1875 , who bore the name of Salome. Mrs. Magdalene Frieden died in 1886, and in 1891 Mr. Frieden married our subject. So universally esteemed is she, and so well known, that these few lines will find many interested readers.
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