William Fremont Findley

William and his wife were part of the adaptive Progressive Generation. His older two children were part of the idealistic Missionary Generation. His youngest child was part of the reactive Lost Generation.

William was remembered by his daughter Mary and granddaughter Ethel Jean as "bald as a cueball." He was also a musician, playing the "big horn" in the Andover Brass Band.

He and his wife were reputed to be the "best dancers in Andover."

Year by year in the life of William Fremont Findley

The childhood and adolescence of William Fremont Findley in their historical context

The prime adult years of William Fremont Findley in their historical context
The historical context of William Fremont Findley's life (age 45 through 54)
The historical context of William Fremont Findley's life (age 55 until his death)

Descent chart

Birth of William Fremont Findley
Born: 14 June 1855 (or 1856?)
Birthplace: Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts
Parents
Father: John Findley III (our ancestor), from Scotland and from Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts
Mother: Catherine Richie (our ancestor), from Scotland and from Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts
Siblings
Sister: Mary Findley
born in Scotland, married Nathaniel Blotchford
Sister: Eliza Findley
born in Scotland, married Walter B. Allen;
during 1890s ran town farm on Carmel Road in Andover, MA
[ Aunt Belle ]
Isabella "Belle" Findley
(Click to enlarge) 		Sister: Isabella "Belle" Findley
born in Scotland, married James A. Roache
(were their daughter Helen Roache and Belle J. Roache (Paul)?
Helen born 29 May 1867
--- resided 22 Annis St., North Andover, MA
--- died 27 April 1953,
--- buried 29 April 1953, Ridgewood Cmtry, N. Andover
Belle born 1879
--- married Andrew H. Paul
--- daughters Kathryn and Barbara (and others?)
--- resided (after Andrew's death) 22 Annis St., North Andover, MA
--- died 4 May 1958,
--- buried 7 May 1958, Ridgewood Cmtry, N. Andover)
Brother: John Findley IV
never married, died after the Civil War
Brother: James Findley
never married, died after the Civil War
Sister: Catherine "Kate" Findley
b. 27 Nov 1846, never married		 [ Aunt Fannie (?) ]
Fannie Cummerford Findley(1) This "picture of Aunt Fannie" actually had no identification. It was part of the possessions of Mary Caroline Findley Edmands, passed on to her daughter (Ethel) Jean Edmands Weeks, b. 1909, who in turn passed it on to me, Allan Christie Edmands II, b. 1942. My Aunt Jean was unable to identify who is in this picture. I have tentatively identified it as that of Aunt Fannie, only because of the warm references in my grandmother's diaries to "Aunt Fannie," the sister-in-law of her father William Fremont Findley, 1855-1921 (John's son and our ancestor). Another possibility would be "Grammy Bean," her own step-grandmother, third wife of her grandfather Arthur Noah Bean, 1824-1902 (our ancestor), also referred to warmly in the diaries. Or the picture could be of someone else entirely.
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(Click to enlarge)
Brother: Richard Findley
married Fannie Cummerford
(born 1860, London, Ontario, Canada
died 12 March 1949, New Haven, CT)
Brother: Fred Findley
married Melissa UNKNOWN
Spouse and children
Wife: Laura Caroline Bean, 1848-1911 (our ancestor)
(daughter of Arthur Noah Bean and Caroline Elizabeth Stickney Bean
[our ancestors]
from Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts)
Married 2 February 1877
in Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts
Son: John Arthur Findley, 1880-1934
Daughter: Susie Catherine Findley, 1881-1932
Daughter: Mary Caroline Findley, 1887-1970 (our ancestor)
Other information
Occupation: Rubber molder at the Tyre Rubber Company; also a musician
Religion: Congregationalist?
Death of William Fremont Findley
Died: 31 August 1921
(age 65 years 2 months 17 days)
Deathplace: Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts
Burial place: No information available
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Sources on William Fremont Findley:

  • Ethel Jean Edmands Weeks, b. 1909 in an interview with Allan Christie Edmands II, b. 1942
  • Mary Caroline Findley Edmands, 1887-1970. See her diary entry of 14 June 1945 as to possible 1855 birth year of William. The date 1856 came from other, unverified sources. William's middle name, Fremont, suggests that his parents admired John C. Frémont (1813-1890), who had attained national fame during the 1850s as a bushwhacking frontiersman and an outspoken "Freesoil" abolitionist; Frémont became the first Presidential candidate on the Republican Party ticket in 1856 (which does suggest the 1856 birthyear for William). Certainly there were many supporters of Fremont in Massachusetts, and it is very possible that William's parents, John and Catherine Findley, were among them.

    For other facts on this page, see Mary's diary entries 27 Nov 1946, 13 Apr 1947, 8 Dec 1947, and 29 May 1952 for facts documented on this page. An alternate spelling of Findley was Finlay.

  • Mary Anna Hawes Edmands Ashbrook, 1917-1992, in her compilation of Mary Caroline Findley Edmands's research, cited the tombstone inscriptions at West Parish Cemetery, Andover, Mass.:
    "William F. Findley June 14, 1856 - Aug. 31, 1921."
    "Laura Caroline, Wife of Wm. F. Findley, Dec. 1848 - Jan. 17, 1911."
    [Vital records give birthdate of December 17, 1848, for Laura]

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