Springfield-Greene
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of Many of the Representative Citizens
EDWARD SWAYZEE FINCH. One of Greene county's well known and successful business men is Edward Swayzee Finch, manager of the Metropolitan Hotel, Springfield, for a decade in its early history, later operator of a large farm and now conducting a big store in Ash Grove. His earlier history in the wild West reads like and adventure story and as a soldier in the war between the states he proved himself a man of courage, but like thousands of his comrades he has laid aside all animosity. For in the fulness of time there has been blotted from the bosoms of men all sentiment toward men of another section. No longer do we measure prejudice by the metes and bounds of a river of imaginary lines. Those who fought and won, and those who fought and lost have mutual admiration for the courage and patriotism of the other. The very issues of the contest have almost passed from memory. Today one can not tell whether the boy who wears the uniform of a united country came from a sire who wore the blue or the gray. In these uncertain days, when there are rumors of war, there is no question as to who will do his duty when the clouds have lowered and the reign of death begins. There is no suspicion in the minds of men that any one section of our land will sulk, but from every point of the compass will come the men of stout hearts and ringing patriotism to redeem from insult the common banner of a common people.
Mr. Finch was born in Columbus, Ohio, February 2, 1849. He is a son of Wallace M. and Martha (Comstock) Finch. Wallace M. Finch was born in Maryland in 1820 and was a son of Mathew Finch and wife. Mathew Finch was also a native of Maryland but removed from there to New York where he followed contracting until his death. He was a captain during the war of 1812,and his father was a captain in the Revolutionary war. When a young man Wallace M. Finch went to Chillicothe, Ohio, and began in the mercantile business in a small way, later establishing himself in Columbus, where he became a very successful wholesale merchant. He retired from business on account of ill health in 1857 and until his death spent his winters in the South and summers in the North. His death occurred in 1863. Politically he was a Whig and during the last few years of his life a Republican. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Episcopal church. He and Martha Comstock were married about 1845. She was born in 1826 in Columbus, Ohio, and died in 1903.
Edward S. Finch left Columbus, Ohio, when seven years of age. He received common school education and later was a student at Racine College, Racine, Wisconsin. In December, 1863, he enlisted in Company I, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, and saw considerable hard service in the South, proving to be a courageous and gallant soldier. He was wounded in the battle of Black River in the right arm, and later was again wounded in the same place while on patrol duty. He was honorably discharged in August, 1865. After the war he attended a commercial school for some time, then went to Richmond, Indiana, where he worked in the office of a wholesale grocery company as shipping clerk, also salesman. He then went to Mexico, Missouri, where he engaged in the grocery business in 1872-3, then came to Springfield, this state, where he worked as clerk in the Hotel for six months, then spent five years on the western frontier as a miner, prospector, stage-driver and he was the first sheriff of Ouray county, Colorado, when it required a man of nerve, tact and courage to fill such an office. He had many thrilling and interesting experiences during. his career in the West. He came back to Springfield in the spring of 1879, his mother having purchased a two-thirds interest in the Metropolitan Hotel, our subject later purchasing the remaining third. The hotel building he operated successfully for a period of ten years, during which it was one of the most popular and best appointed hostelries in southwest Missouri. In 1889 he left the hotel and engaged in the real estate business, and to him and others is due, the credit of opening the Pickwick addition and securing the Elm street car line and also the Old Normal School. And for many years he was identified with every movement for the upbuilding of Springfield and a large contributor to the same. In 1896 he traded his interests in Springfield for the old Gates farm, Greene county, and engaged in general agricultural pursuits on a large scale until 1914 when he purchased the Smith Brothers' store, in Ash Grove which he is now conducting and is enjoying a large trade. He carries a complete line of merchandise, everything found in an up-to-date store of this kind. By his fair dealings and courtesy he has not only retained the customers which the store formerly had but is securing new ones constantly. He employs a number of capable assistants, and his store would be a credit to cities much larger than Ash Grove. He was one of the ten men who signed the guaranty that brought the "Gulf shops" to
Springfield.
Mr. Finch was married on October 26, 1889, to Brella Sherwood, who was born in Springfield, Missouri. She received a good education. She is a daughter of Judge T. A. and Mary E. (Young) Sherwood, one of the prominent old families of Greene county.
To Mr. and Mrs. Finch six children have been born, namely: Mary, wife of W. A. Hennington lives in Springfield; Martha, who is a stenographer and student in the State Normal school at Springfield; Florence is at home; Constance is also a student in the State Normal; Elenore and Adele are both at home.
Politically, Mr. Finch is a Democrat. He belongs to Capt. John Matthews post, Grand Army of the Republic at Springfield. Religiously, he is an Episcopalian. He is one of the active and prominent Masons in this part of the state. He was made a Master Mason in 1881 in Solomon Lodge, and has now demited to the Ash Grove Lodge. He is a member of the Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and St. John's Commandery No. 20, Knights Templar, of which he was captain general for ten years, then was eminent commander for some time and again became captain general. He also belongs to Abou Ben Adhem Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and at this writing is captain of patrol and has been for ten years. By his daily life he seems to strive, in an unobtrusive manner, to inculcate the sublime principles of Masonry, and his example as a man and citizen might well be emulated by the youth whose characters are yet in the making.
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