Match! Finley, Harold E. Age: 80; 96-0942GB; DOB unknown; died 1996

[nemo'smom]

http://www.unclaimedpersons.com/Coroner_Public_Details.asp?Coroner_IndigentsPage=5&ItemNo=58

Case Number:
96-0942GB

Last Known Residence:
1850 N. Waterman Ave., San Bernardino, CA , ,
Place of Death / Date Discovered / Place of Birth | State:
Place of Death: San Bernardino, CA | Start/End Date: | Place of Birth: KS

 

[tifflee]

"California, Death Index, 1940-1997," Harold E Finley, 1996
name: Harold E Finley
event: Death
event date: 12 Feb 1996
event place: San Bernardino, California, United States
birth date: 05 Dec 1915
birthplace: Kansas
gender: Male
father:
mother: Landsen

"United States Social Security Death Index," Harold E Finley, 1996
first name: Harold
middle name: E
last name: Finley
name suffix:
birth date: 5 December 1915
social security number: 549-01-3113
place of issuance: California
last residence: San Bernardino, California
zip code of last residence: 92404
death date: 12 February 1996
estimated age at death: 81

 

[tifflee]

I am somewhat hoping I am wrong in this research, because the records I am pursuing are for a Major Howard E. Finley, veteran of WWII, who survived the Bataan Death March as a POW, and it just seems really sad that someone who sacrificed so much for our country could pass away unclaimed!

I found one Howard E. Finley fitting the general birth year time frame from Kansas.

"United States Census, 1920," Harold E Finley in household of E H Finley, , Allen, Kansas
name: Harold E Finley
residence: , Allen, Kansas
estimated birth year: 1916
age: 4
birthplace: Kansas
relationship to head of household: Son
gender: Male
race: White
marital status: Single
father's birthplace: Illinois
mother's birthplace: Iowa
film number: 1820522
digital folder number: 4300839
image number: 00356
sheet number: 2
Household Gender Age Birthplace
self E H Finley M 45y Illinois
wife Ocie O Finley F 42y Iowa
son Orvil E Finley M 18y Kansas
dau Verda E Finley F 17y Kansas
son Roy E Finley M 15y Kansas
son Orden E Finley M 13y Kansas
dau Vesta E Finley F 11y Kansas
son Earl E Finley M 5y Kansas
son Harold E Finley M 4y0m Kansas
dau Ethel E Finley F 2y1m Kansas

In 1930, half the children are listed incorrectly with the last name "Farley":

"United States Census, 1930," Ocie Finley in household of Edwin H Finley, Iola, Allen, Kansas
name: Ocie Finley
event: Census
event date: 1930
event place: Iola, Allen, Kansas
gender: Female
age: 53
marital status: Married
race: White
birthplace: Iowa
estimated birth year: 1877
immigration year:
relationship to head of household: Wife
father's birthplace: Illinois
mother's birthplace: Illinois
enumeration district number: 0017
family number: 70
sheet number and letter: 7A
line number: 12
nara publication: T626, roll 692
film number: 2340427
digital folder number: 4584448
image number: 00350
Household Gender Age Birthplace
head Edwin H Finley M 55 Illinois
wife Ocie Finley F 53 Iowa
son Roy E Finley M 25 Kansas
son Arden E Finley M 23 Kansas
daughter Vesta E Finley F 21 Kansas
son Earl E Farley M 15 Kansas
son Harold E Farley M 14 Kansas
daughter Ethel E Farley F 12 Kansas
son Bobby E Farley M 7 Kansas

In 1940, a Harold Finley of Iola, Kansas is listed as living in Los Angeles.

"United States Census, 1940," Harold Finley in household of Milton Balzer, Councilmanic District 10, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Township, Los Angeles, California, United States
name: Harold Finley
titles & terms:
event: Census
event year: 1940
event place: Councilmanic District 10, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Township, Los Angeles, California, United States
gender: Male
age: 24
marital status: Single
race (original):
race (standardized): White
relationship to head of household (original):
relationship to head of household (standardized): Partner
birthplace: Kansas
estimated birth year: 1916
residence in 1935: Iola, Allen, Kansas
enumeration district number: 60-769
family number: 293
sheet number and letter: 9A
line number: 26
nara publication number: T627
nara roll number: 390
digital folder number: 005456471
image number: 00274
Household Gender Age Birthplace
head Milton Balzer M 25 Indiana
partner Harold Finley M 24 Kansas
partner Jake Burk M 35 Missouri

I also found a cemetery listing for a Maj. Harold E. Finley with the same birth and death date as the unclaimed: Link here. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps in WWII.

This fits this archived article from the Iola Register on June 22, 1945 I found that states:

Lt. Harold E. Finley Still Held By Japs
The liberation of American prisoners held by the Japanese on the Philippine Islands did not bring freedom to Lt. Harold E. Finley of Iola.

Yesterday his mother, Mrs. E.H. Finley, was advised by the war department that her son has been transferred to the ???(blurry) prison camp on ??? by the Japanese. A star athlete in the Iola high school and junior college Lt. Finley joined the army air corps in December, 1940. He was sent to the Philippines in May, 1941.

When the Japanese bombed Manila Lt. Finley was stationed at Nichols Field. He participated in the fighting in Bataan and took part in the defense of Corrigador. He was listed as a prisoner of war in May, 1942.

Major Finley is also listed in the book Some Survived by Manny Lawton and John Toland which describes the Bataan Death March: Link here.

Harold E. Finley - 18 N. 3rd St., Iola

I still hope I am wrong, but will research the siblings listed on the census.

 

[tifflee]

It looks like CDI has his mother's maiden name misspelled and it should be "Lansden".

Family tree with full parent and sibling names, including middle names: Link here.

Sister's listing in Ancestry.com confirming middle name and mother's maiden name: Link here.

In this family tree (link here), a son is listed. The listing for Maj. Finley also has notes that state:

Finley, Harold Everette (b. 5 DEC 1915, d. 12 FEB 1996)

Note: Served in World War II and was a Prisoner of War in a Japanese prison camp from the fall of Corrigador until released at the end of the war. No children this marriage.​

Source: (Name)
Title: Our Book of Finleys and Their Kinfolk Families
Author: Leslie McLaughlin
Publication: Heritage Books, Inc., 1990
Media: Book

Note: pg. 109

Page: pg. 110​

Source: (Birth)
Title: Our Book of Finleys and Their Kinfolk Families
Author: Leslie McLaughlin
Publication: Heritage Books, Inc., 1990
Media: Book

Note: pg. 109

Page: pg. 116​

Source: (Birth)
Title: Social Securty Death Index
Media: Electronic
​

Death: 12 FEB 1996 Highland, San Bernardino Co., California​

It looks like family may know he is deceased, but will try to find contact information so we can confirm.

 

[MissSunshine]

I think you are on the right track. I found an Ocie Lansden in the census which fits his mother.

1880 United States Federal Census about Ocie Lansden
Name: Ocie Lansden
Age: 3
Birth Year: abt 1877
Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1880: Athens, Jewell, Kansas
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: J. W. Lansden
Father's Birthplace: Illinois
Mother's Name: Mary Lansden
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois
Neighbors: View others on page
Cannot read/write:

Blind:

Deaf and dumb:

Otherwise disabled:

Idiotic or insane:

View image
Household Members:
Name Age
J. W. Lansden 33
Mary Lansden 29
Martha Lansden 8
Etta Lansden 8
Ocie Lansden 3
John Lansden 6m

There is also another census that lists her place of birth as Iowa. Not sure which place is correct.

 

[tifflee]

I am tracing the youngest brother in the family, Robert, who passed in 1989 in Kansas City, MO. He has a namesake son who I think I have located. PM'ing the information to Raine & Nemo'sMom!

Random note: I have found the middle name "Everette" in three generations of this family already.

 

[tifflee]

Note for future research if needed:

Another Iola Register article ("An Iola Boy Is Missing In Action") from July 20, 1942 announcing Lt. Harold Finley's M.I.A. status: Link here. It ends with:

There are five other brothers and three sisters in the Finley family. One brother, Ray, is on duty with the navy on the west coast.

 

[tifflee]

Continuing to track the articles I find here:

Iola Register, December 12, 1941
One Iola Boy On Front Line
Link here

Iola Register, December 27, 1941
Parents Get Word From Lt. Finley
Link here
(Sad that he writes, "See you soon" and then becomes a prisoner of war in likely horrible conditions for several years.)

Iola Register, September 5, 1945
No Trace Yet Found of Lt. Harold Finley
Link here

Ora E. Finley, of Tulsa, Okla., received word last week from the war department that so far no trace has been found of his brother, Lieut. Harold E. Finley, who has been a prisoner of the Japanese since 1942...

 

[tifflee]

Just noticed that I didn't link the 1945 Iola Register article announcing Maj. Finley had been held POW for three years. Link here.

I finally figured out that while his mother passed in 1930, his father passed while he was a POW on December 13, 1942. Prior, his father had remarried a Lottie P. Finley so the references in the articles are likely to his stepmother. It looks like he had at least one step-sibling.

I will keep researching the nephews and nieces of his siblings.

 

[raine1212]

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