Finney, David W., farmer, miller and legislator, was born in Parke county, Ind., Aug. 22, 1839. He received a limited education in his native state, served through the Civil war as a member of Company A, Eighty-fifth Indiana infantry, and in 1866 became a resident of Woodson county, Kan. From the time he reached his majority he took an active part in politics as a Republican, and in 1867 he was elected on the ticket of that party to represent Woodson county in the legislature. He was frequently called upon to act as delegate to state or district conventions; was state senator from 1876 to 1880, representing the district composed of Woodson and Coffey counties; was president of the senate when the first prohibitory law was passed; was receiver of the Topeka land office for about three months in 1877; was right-of-way agent for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad company for a time, and in 1882 was elected lieutenant-governor. The legislature of 1883 changed the name of Sequoyah county to Finney in his honor. After his term as lieutenant-governor he became the senior member of the firm of Finney & Co., operating a large flour mill at Neosho Falls.