Ebenzer B. Finley
HON. EBENEZER B. FINLEY, lawyer, Bucyrus is a native of the State of Ohio, having been born at Orrville, in Wayne Co., July 31, 1833. His earlier years, until he had attained the age of 20, were passed on a farm and his education was such as the common school of the neighborhood afforded. At that age he left his home and went to Kansas. Mr. Finley subsequently left Kansas, and for awhile lived in Illinois. For two years he taught school in Fulton Co., but in 1855, with the desire of seeing more of the great regions of the West he went to the Rocky Mountains, then far wilder and less frequented than now, passing the years 1858 and 1859 there. He returned to his native State, establishing himself permanently at Bucyrus, where he entered upon the study of law. He was still engaged upon his studies when the war of the rebellion broke out. He at once recruited a company, which formed a part of the 64th 0. V. I. and was elected as First Lieutenant. In 1862, he resigned his commission, and, being admitted to the bar commenced the practice of his profession at Bucyrus, which he has continued to the present time. In 1875, Mr. Finley was nominated for the Forty-fifth Congress by the Democrats, and elected by over 5,000 majority. He was re-elected to the Forty-Sixth Congress, over his competitor, Charles Foster by upward of 2,000 majority. Mr Finley is recognized as an indefatigable worker in Congress and gained considerable distinction through his able speeches delivered in the House of Representatives. He had an attentive auditory whenever he spoke and was marked for his readiness and earnestness in debate and for the clear and forcible manner in which he presented his facts and deductions. Mr. Finley is now Chairman of the Committee on Public Expenditure, and a member of the Census Committee. He retires from Congress with the expiration of the present house. He was married on Feb, 18, 1858, to Miss Emeline C. Codding, of Copley, Summit Co., Ohio, a daughter of Robert Codding now of Marion, Ohio. He has but one child, a son, Harry M., a midshipman in the Navy, having graduated at Annapolis, Md., on June 10, 1880.
From History of Crawford County and Ohio, Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, Chicago, 1881