FINLAYSON, John "Ian An Saighdear"

  General Notes:

          (scrapbook pictures for the following notes are Here)

6th July 1812
The earliest mention of John (as of Dec 2004) is on a page with his discharge papers received from Fiona Gaitly. It is a statement signed by the Adjutant for the 77th Regiment to the effect that John, a private in the Light Infantry, had received a severe wound in the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo on the 19th of January 1812 which resulted in the amputation of his left arm. It says he was a brave and good soldier and was signed 6th July 1812.(FM064c)

2 December 1812.
John's Discharge papers from the 77th Regiment signed 2 Dec. 1812 state that John enlisted at the age of nineteen years, served for four years and one hundred days and "in consequence of an amputated left arm at Rodrigo 19 (month?)1812, is considered unfit for further Service." The photocopy quality is poor and location of birth unclear.
John is described as about 20 (?)years, 5' 71/2" with dark hair, hazel eyes and fair complexion. He was by trade a labourer. Below is a chart
with a "Statement of Service" giving the dates of 24 Aug (?) 1808 to 2 Dec 1812 as the time he was with the 77th Regiment.(FM064a)

18 December 1812
On another page is a list of 'Invalid Soldiers' who were examined on 18 December 1812. John Finlayson appears on the list as age 23 having served 4 3/12 years with the regiment and having lost his left arm at Rodrigo under General Picton. The location of birth is unclear. (FM064d)

OTHER

'The Gael Fares Forth' by McKenzie (Chapter XXII) tells of how John received a medal for his efforts with the 77th regiment, 34 years later.(FM045) Also see Obit FM057 (Source Unknown)
See scrapbook for photos of medal which is in the custody of Les Finlayson at present along with the two pronged table fork which he used to attach to his arm stump.
The musket from John's War years is in the Waipu museum.

John was known as John the Soldier in Gaelic (Ian an Saighdear)(FM241C)



POST MILITARY YEARS


1822 From Nova Scotia Land Grant Petitions
Item no. 2883 MFM no.:15799
Grantee: Matheson, Allan & Finlayson, John Year: 1822
Petition to Kempt: Petitioners, native of Scotland, ask land on the north side of Bouladerie Island. Allan Matheson is 38 years old, married, and has three children. John Finlayson is 31 years old, is married and has three children. He served four years in the 77th Regiment, and lost his left arm at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo. Note: approved.(FM046)

1822 From Nova Scotia Land Grant Petitions
Item no. 2829 MFM no. 15798 Grantee: Finlayson, John 1822
Petition to Kempt: Petitioner wishes to resign a lot on Bouladerie for which he received a Ticket of Location. The original owner has returned to claim it. He asks in lieu a lot south-west of land owned by John Muggah & Sons on the N.W. side of Baddeck River. John Davis has relinquished his claim on this lot to petitioner. Note: Finlayson may have either lot, as Corbett, who claims the first, has no real right.(FM046) or at the following URL:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/databases/land/

1823, 1829, 1830 Baptism Records of the Travelling clergy
Documents births and baptisms for three of the children of John Finlayson and Christy Cameron of "Braddeck" - Mary Ann, (22 Dec 1823), Catharine (05 Jun 1829) and William (26 Sep 1830).
(FM044) or can be found at the following URL:
http://www.islandregister.com/stjohns/stjohnsindex.html

Note: as Daughter Annie was born in Scotland in 1822 (per her grave) and Daughter Mary Ann was born in Cape Breton in 1823, it suggests that John and Christina arrived in the area sometime during those two dates.

1826 Dec 28
Official grant of lot 26 in Little Baddeck to John Finlayson. (FM066)

Map showing lot 26 in Little Baddeck. Also shows lot 20 owned by Duncan McKay believed to be the father of John (Black Jack) McKay who married John Finlayson's daughter, Mary Ann. (FM068)

1836 Feb 13
From "Patterson's History of Victoria County" There is a Grant of 200 Acres listed to a John Finlayson on Feb. 13th, 1836. Where is not specified.( )

1838 Dec 25 Census for Cape Breton
1838 Little Baddeck Road enumerated on Dec 25th by John McLean.
"John Finlayson, a farmer, with 2 male children under 6, one female child under 6, one male under 14, two females under 14, two males over 14, two females over 14 for a total of 11 in the family ." (FM073)


FM429 John is executor and guardian after his neighbor, John McLean dies.

1852 Sale of Lot 26
By John Jr and his wife Mary to John Sr. for the sum of 20 pounds just prior to their departure to NZ aboard the 'Highland Lass'.(FM055)

1855 Finlayson Bible entry
John Finlayson 's death(FM239d see entry top left)

John is buried in a pioneer cemetery near his property in Little Baddeck.
Headstone was supplied by Ross and Sandy Finlayson after visiting the grave in 1994 or 95.

Sept 1855 Obituary from the Peninsular War Echo
(FM062)

From "Middle River Past and Present History of a Cape Breton Community 1805-1985": (REF FM047)
page 223: To the rear of the present day Phillip MacRae property and the original MacDougall property was a property which was owned by a John Finlayson. It is believed that this is the John Finlayson who was born at Lock Alsch, Scotland in 1780 and migrated to Cape Breton and settled at Middle River. He belonged to the 77th Regiment and was a veteran of the Peninsular War. John Finlayson married Christina Cameron. It is said that they had a family of nine. However, only the names of four are known: Alex, Archie, Margaret, and William. John Finlayson died in 1855 at the age of seventy-five years and is buried in Middle River. However, his grave is unmarked. It is believed that John Finlayson and his family may have moved to Baddeck before his death. His widow and family (the four mentioned above) migrated to New Zealand in 1856. (FM047)

(NOTE: IT IS BELIEVED THAT JOHN IS ACTALLY BURIED IN A PIONEER CEMETERY IN BADDECK.)

From the same book pgs 28-29:
"Then there was the widow of John Finlayson (Christina Cameron) Finlayson and her four children (one of her sons was Alexander Finlayson) whose address is given as Baddeck, but were originally from Middle River."

OBSERVATIONS
From Discharge papers an Age of 23 in 1812 suggests DOB about 1789.
From Land Grant application an Age of 31 in 1822 suggests DOB about 1791.
A DOB of 'about 1790' seems reasonable

  Noted events in his life were:

• He has conflicting birth information of Abt 1789. John's Discharge papers from the 77th Regt. show him abt.age 23 in December, 1812...it also shows him age 19 on enlistment, in 1808.

• He has conflicting birth information of Abt 1791 in Lochalsch, Ross And Cromarty, Scotland. From Land Grant Applications (I-46 ref), he is shown as age 31 in 1822

• Executor: For Will of John McLean, 1853, Baddeck, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. Names John Finlayson as executor of his will and guardian of his son Alexander McLean

John married Christina CAMERON, daughter of William CAMERON and Anne FINLAYSON, about 1814 in Scotland. (Christina CAMERON was born about 1790 in Lochalsch, Ross And Cromarty, Scotland, died on 18 Nov 1875 in Waipu, New Zealand and was buried in Nov 1875 in Waipu, New Zealand.) The cause of her death was FM283c "Old age and general debility".

  Marriage Notes:

There is reason to believe that Christina (Christian) Cameron and husband John Finlayson, were cousins. (ref. "Those who speak to the Heart", by Maureen Molloy, P.84)

Note : The home on Lot 26 in Baddeck Bay was sold to John Sr. by John Jr. and his wife Mary, in 1852, for 20 pounds (FM055)