HEINRICH (HENRY) FINGER {1837/1917} - HIS PHILOSOPHY

In October 1914 when Heinrich Finger was 77 years old, he wrote in a journal everything he could remember about his family before him as well as his own life story as he remembered it, and encouraged his followers to do the same. The following words are his own.

TO MY REMAINING CHILDREN

Let someone read the following sketch of my life before you go to my funeral. Henry Finger Sr.

I, Henry Finger, was born in the town of Willersdorf, Hessen Kassel, Germany, on June the 6th 1837. I was the youngest son of a farmer of said town I lived with my parents until I was past 19 years of age. I had easy times in all those years, I attended school until I was 16 years old and after that I worked on my fathers farm. I did not need to do any hard work. My father had a farm of 66 acres of land, and as the custom is there, the oldest son gets the farm and the rest of the children get a certain proportion of money, and the oldest son keeps the parents.

On the 26th day of April 1857, I left my parents, brother, and sisters, to emigrate to the United States of North America, and arrived in New York City on June 22nd 1857. I worked two months in a furniture factory, then my brother came from Boston Mass. to visit me and he induced me to go with him to Boston, and there I stayed a year and seven months. When I went back again to New York City, I worked a few years in furniture factories and later piano shops as a mechanic. In October 1859 I married Catharina E. Ungemach, a girl from my native home. She came to New York in October 1857.

Our married life has been a happy one. We had four sons born to us: Christopher, William, John, and Henry. Henry died when only four years old.

In 1856 I built a home in 145th Street, it was then in town of Morrisania, Westchester County, but was later annexed to New York City. Here we lived quite happy for ten years, and by that time I was thoroughly convinced that life on the farm was an ideal, against the life of a mechanic in the city, so I made up my mind to sell my house and move in the country to make farmers of my boys instead of mechanics. I sold my house for $3000, and moved to Michigan.

I came to Ottawa Lake in Monroe County April the 5th 1876. I rented a farm for the season and bought in August a 40 acre farm in Rega Township, Lenawee County for $2150 on which we moved in October 1876. Here we lived 25 years with good prosperity. I was elected by my Townsmen to the office of Supervisor and Treasure for 7 years, unanimous by all parties, and when I declined to serve further, they elected my oldest son for Supervisor.

In the year 1893 my sons were all married so I and my wife we made a trip East where she visited relations in New York and Boston, and I made a trip across the Atlantic ocean to visit our relations in our native home. I found my brother and sisters all well yet and we had a splendid time. I arrived in New York again August 7th and visited all our relations and friends and came home all well and satisfied September the 2nd 1893.