Jack Finch was born in England, but his mother died six weeks after his birth. Jack was left in the care of his older sister, Janie Finch. Janie took excellent care of Jack, and soon he was in school. Immediately after completing his third year of school, Jack’s adventurous heart decided to move from England to the Baggott ranch on the Encampment River. As a teenager, Jack moved to Carbon to work in the mines, but was soon lured back to the Encampment valley. He became interested in a young girl by the name of Clara Parr. Clara was the first white woman that was born in Encampment.
Jack Finch soon asked Clara Parr to marry him and in the summer of 1904 they exchanged wedding vows. A year later, they purchased the Yost Ranch, and homesteaded an adjoining piece of land to the west of the Yost Ranch. Jack built a home on the homestead and there he started a family. Clara had two children, James Henry and Blanche.
The homestead was known as the Finch Place and was past down the family to James Henry in 1927. Henry owned the Finch Cattle Company, and worked for many years on improving the Finch Place. Along with his wife, Dorothy, he purchased the Henry Pantle, Bill Garrout, Billingham, and Fritz places. He moved from the original homestead area to the Billingham place, where they made their home for the next thirty five years. While Henry and Dorothy owned the Finch Place, they raised a family with five children.
The ranch was under the management of Henry and his son Russell in 1969. It grew to be 2,000 acres, and ran 500 head of cattle. A feedlot was also built in the1960’s to feed the calves. The Finch Ranch required a total family effort to manage the herd and produce the small grains, alfalfa, and native hay that made the Finch herd of quality reputation. After 75 years in the Finch family and the passing of Russell Finch, the ranch was sold in September of 1982 to Bob Magness of TCI. He sold the ranch to John Malone and the Silver Spur Land and Cattle, LLC in 1999.
The Story of the Finch is taken from the publication of
Saratoga & Encampment Wyoming
An Album of Family Histories
It was produced as A Wyoming Centennial Lasting Legacy Project by The Joint Centennial Committee of Saratoga and Encampment, Wyoming Album was designed by the Portfolio Publishing Company and Printed by Pioneer Printing, both in Cheyenne, WY in 1989.
FINCH by Joan Trowbridge
JOHN T. “JACK” [1870-1953] CLARA (PARR) [1880-1948]
Chances are the wind was blowing when Jack and Janie Finch pulled into Carbon, Union Pacific’s first coal mining town in the Wyoming Territory. Their father John and brother James were some of the “Lankies” from Lancashire, one of the heaviest coal producing counties in England. John was one of the big strong men brought from across the sea to Mine #5 in Carbon, Wyoming. The Baggotts, proprietors of the Carbon saloon and boarding house, were well-known and admired in the valley.
Jack was born in Standish, Lancashire, England, according to Blanche (Finch) Fitzgerald. The youngest of five, he was six weeks premature and his mother passed away six weeks later. Left in the care of his sister, Janie, he was a member of the Church of England choir, and after his third year in school came to join the rest of the family in Carbon. Jack lived there a year and moved to the Baggott ranch on the Encampment River, working for his board and room for the next five years. His daughter, Blanche, recalls a story of his time there:
“Jack was always hungry and would go to the chicken house and steal the eggs. Raw eggs were staples of his diet in later years, so either he had developed a taste before this time, or he learned. He made regular trips to the chicken coop, and would suck the raw eggs. Mr. and Mrs. Baggott were aware the supply had dwindled and when they saw the dog coming out of the coop, naturally assumed the worst. Jack, being a kid, didn’t dare confess or, in his young eyes, a beating almost to death would be the sure punishment. Perhaps the Baggotts knew the real thief, for they chose Jack to take the dog out and shoot him. Possibly this was worse; shooting the innocent canine was certainly the hardest thing he had ever done.”
A teenager, Jack returned to Carbon to work in the mines for a time. He married Zelia Trevier in 1892 and they had a son, John Van Dyke. They divorced and she married Billie Larson of Elk Mountain.
The ranch country in Encampment lured Jack back to the valley or was it Clara Parr? On June 29, 1904, they exchanged wedding vows and bought the Yost Ranch in 1905.
James Henry was born April 4, 1905, and Blanche (Fitzgerald) joined the family June 26, 1909, or 1910. The adjoining parcel of land to the west was homesteaded and additional income was needed to keep things going. Jack played the piano and sang in saloons for extra money. He and Morgan Johnston liked playing for the dances and large weddings. There were parties that would last a week; like Harry Hunter’s wedding was one such an occasion.
The Finches hosted a party of their own as recalled by Bill and Pearl Casto for the Saratoga Sun:
“In 1923 or 1924, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Finch added two rooms to their log home on what is now the Bar M Ranch. Before completion, the Finches hosted a dance in the large open space inviting the neighbors all around. Bill and Pearl hitched their horses to the busgy and were joined by Al and Nora Baum with their team and buggy. The group set out across country on a trail toward Encampment to the dance. They said they could hear the music and drumming feet for quite awhile before they arrived. That evening, the fiddler and pianist only knew the chorus to ‘Oh Beautiful Ohio. The revelers enjoyed dancing to the repeated phrases over and over until the wee, small hours. When it came time to go home, Jack told Baum and Casto to put their horses in his barn for the night and he would drive the families home in his automobile. As it turned out, this vehicle had no headlights, so Bill had to ride on the hood, holding a lantern to light the way. The marvelous machine also was minus brakes and as the party approached the gate at the Carey place (now occupied by Bill and Judy Saulcy) Bill jumped down, ran ahead and opened the gate to avoid disaster. Of course, with no brakes, there was no stopping for Bill and he had to walk the remaining way home. The log house was abandoned and for years any echoing strains of ‘Oh Beautiful Ohio’ were only enjoyed by the raccoons and other small varmints before the structure fell victim to fire July 4, 1985.”
Clara Ann was the daughter of James and Ann (Ainscough) Parr Sr., the Englishman who followed Amos Baggott to the Encampment River country. Clara was the first white child born in the area; Mrs. Baggott’s capable hands assisted Mrs. Parr and apparently this was the beginning of a close association.
Clara served as midwife and assistant to Mrs. Baggott for many years. Blanche, her daughter, recounts “Mother would be gone as much as ten days at a time, without seeing her family. Brother and I pretty much had to take care of each other, but Dad was home evenings by then.” Clara also delivered Mrs. Baggott’s grandchild, Winnie Wilcox.
Henry Finch [April 4, 1905 – May 2, 1981]
Dorothy (Wagoner) [August 30, 1907-November 13, 1960]
Henry was born in Encampment to John T. (Jack) and Clara Finch and attended school in Encampment through the first four grades. Henry and Dorothy (Wagoner) were married June 26, 1927, in Rawlins, Wyoming.
Dorothy was a local girl, born to Andy and Martha Wagoner. The family made their home on what is now the Carl Vyvey ranch. The young couple started ranching in 1927 on his father’s ranch located on Cherokee Creek. The home burned down, but undaunted, Henry and Dorothy moved to the Bingham Place where they made their home for the next 35 years. Throughout the years, they acquired additional land including the Henry Pantle, Bill Garrout, Bingham and Fritz places.
In addition to his ranching operations, Mr. Finch did custom threshing for 29 years and was an active member of the ASCS board for some 20 years. He was a charter member of the Rancher’s Family Camp Meeting and served as a director of that planning board from 1947 until 1975. “The Camp Meeting” was one of his most cherished associations, as well as the Encampment Presbyterian Church. Henry was progressive in his thinking; he worked to help organize the Carbon Power and Light Co. and was on the board of directors. Education was of primary concern and he served on the Encampment School Board. Dorothy and Henry worked to encourage their children in their many 4-H and school activities.
Five children were born to the Henry Finches: Thomas, Joyce, Russell, Judith, and Marian.
Russell Henry Finch [June 25, 1935 – January 16, 1981]
Joan (Gale) [May 4, 1938- ]
Russell was born a third generation son on the Finch ranch. His parents, Dorothy and Henry, were hard working ranchers and Russell followed their example. Attending the Encampment schools, he was involved in the athletic program, playing basket-ball, and running the two-mile. Russell was active in the local 4-H program and attended various fairs and livestock judging. He earned special recognition and many trophies for his efforts.
The young rancher married Joan (Gale) on November 9, 1955; they moved to a home on the Finch Ranch and began their family. Together they had five children: Terry, Marty, John, Tina, and Tamara. After a short interlude of working in Colorado feed lots, the family returned to the Finch ranch in 1969.
Russell took over the management of the ranch, which had grown to a 2000-acre, 500-cow operation. A feed lot was built in the 1960s to feed the calves to the 650 to 750 pound level. It required a total family effort to manage the herd and produce the small grains, alfalfa, and native hay that made the Finch herd of quality reputation. After 75 years in the Finch family, the ranch was sold in September of 1982 to Bob Magness in Denver, Colorado. It is now a part of his holdings in conjunction with the Silver Spur Ranches.
Russell took his children alongside, teaching them the work ethic early in life. He gave the sacrifice of time and made attending worship services a regular part of his family’s life. He was a father who led by example, with a quiet, gentle strength that helped create a strong bond to his wife and children. His death early in life was a great loss to the family and the community.
Terry Finch Edwards [July 10, 1956 – ]
Bob Edwards [August 18, 1950- ]
Kristin, Jonathon, and Rebecca Edwards reside in Encampment with their parents, Bob and Terry Edwards. Born in Evansville, Indiana, Bob ventured west to the University of Wyoming for his masters in science. He teaches in Encampment where he and Terry (Finch) met and married in 1978. Terry was born to Russell and Joan (Gale) finch in 1958.
The Finch ranch was home to Terry during her years in the Encampment school system where she graduated from high school in 1974. Terry, a gracious and genteel lady, is active in Encampment Presbyterian Church as well as many local civic activities.
The Edwards family represents the sixth and seventh generation in this historical presentation. Those family members from previous generations would be pleased to know that their family tradition is being carried on by Bob and Terry Edwards and their three children.
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