Fun Facts about the Finkbiners

Lots of trivia on the Finkbiner side: the Scotch-Irish fleeing English persecution, the Germans and French also fleeing persecution, and the Swedes arriving before William Penn.

And then there are stories about the Finkbiners that go back 650 years. There is also evidence that many ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War and a couple of good preacher stories.

1910, Bayly Blanchard Finkbiner in Colorado Springs

According to lore...what does the name Finkbiner mean?

There's a great story about an escaped serf in 1372 named Hans der Fintboner.
It claims the meaning to be "bean farmer"

Read Here

Who is our Swedish Ancestor?

Peter Gunnarson Rambo signed on with the New Sweden Company to go to America and sailed aboard the Kalmar Nyckel and arrived in New Sweden at Fort Christina near Wilmington, Delware in 1640.

Who documents their encounters with Native Americans in 1675?

Peter Gunnarson Rambo describes a meeting between Native American Chiefs and the Swedish Settlers.

Who watched William Penn arrive in America in 1682?

Gunnar Rambo was on his land in Pennsylvania before 1682 because the Swedes had purchased it from the Duke of York before Penn ever owned it. 

Which Ancestor is from Ballymena?

Liam Neeson's hometown

Adam Boyd was born in 1692 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. He came to America in 1723 and was a Presbyterian minister for a large territory in Pennsylvania.

Who is Valentine Keeley?

Valentine Keeley and his family left the Palantine region of SW Germany and made their way to Philadelphia in 1728 aboard the ship "Mortonhouse"

Who are the Ulster Scots?

aka Scotch-Irish

Presbyterian Lowland Scots who migrated in large numbers to Ulster in Northern Ireland in 1609.  Because they weren't members of the Church of England, they were discriminated against and fled to America starting in 1717.

Who arrived on the ship "Alexander and Ann" in 1730

Daniel Chrisman arrived at Philadelphia in 1730 with 45 Palantine (SW Germany) families.

Who is our French Ancestor?

from Strasbourg in the Alsace Region of France

Hans Adam Bittinger, Anna Margarethe and their four sons emigrated in 1738 from Strasbourg which is separated from Germany by the Rhine River and is the current home of the European Parliament.

What preacher died in 1739 while giving the benediction?

Thomas Craighead was a prominent member of the Irish synod, and escaped religious persecution and came to America in 1714.  He could often bring his audience to tears.  

Who served for 8 years during the Revolutionary War, only to die 5 years later?

David McQueen served from 1775 - 1783.  During that time, he also married and had two daughters.  But, sadly his wfe died in 1785 and he died in 1788, leaving two young daughters, Jane and Mary.

Who was a Justice of the Peace in 1775?

James Bayly served on the Court of Common Pleas during the Revolution before whom the oath of allegiance was taken by the citizens of Donegal and vicinity.

In 1775, who was an expert rifleman?

Phillip Jacob Finkbiner, as a rifleman, had to fire at and repeatedly hit a seven inch target at 250 yards. They were highly skilled!

In 1775, who lived on the Hankey Farm near Gettysburg?

William Hamilton purchased the farm from the heirs of William Penn.  Decades later it was used by the Confederates as a hospital during the Civil War.

Who was a POW in November of 1776?

Revolutionary War

Nicholas Bittinger and his wife Maria Christina had 10 children and lived in PA.  He was a Whig and an avid supporter of the revolution. During his service in the war, he was severely wounded and became a POW.  Nicholas owned a large amount of property in southern PA, including a couple of slaves.

What clue did the Rambo Family Bible hold?

A book collector discovered a Family Bible at an estate sale in Palmyra-Annville, PA.  It listed 10 children for Eli and Margaret Rambo. That was the information we needed to link our family with the Rambos

Why did the Finkbiners move to Colorado in 1894?

Martha Hamilton Finkbiner needed a higher (and maybe drier) climate for her lungs.  So the family moved from Maryland in 1894. It must have helped because she lived to be 71, and died in 1923.

Who is our Swedish Ancestor?

Peter Gunnarson Rambo signed on with the New Sweden Company to go to America and sailed aboard the Kalmar Nyckel and arrived in New Sweden at Fort Christina near Wilmington, Delware in 1640.