Finley Elder1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 9128, (1902 - 1991)
FatherMartin Wallace Elder4,5,6 (23 Mar 1856 - 18 Apr 1934)
MotherSarah Finley Williams7,8,6 (10 Aug 1864 - 26 Feb 1949)

Key Events:

Birth: 11 Apr 1902, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee9,10,11
Marriage: 12 Nov 1929, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, Donald Gracey (31 Jul 1899 - 14 Jan 1986)12,13,14
Death: 9 Feb 1991, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee15,16,17
Burial: Greenwood Cemetery, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee18

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Finley Elder was born on 11 Apr 1902 in Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.9,10,11
     She appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in the household of her parents, Martin Wallace Elder and Sarah Finley Williams.4 She appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in the household of her parents.19
     Finley married Donald Gracey, son of Julien Frank Gracey and Minnie Irene Thomas, on 12 Nov 1929 in Montgomery Co., Tennessee, with Rev. J. H. Lacy officiating.12,13,14
     Finley and Donald appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, at 226 Castle, enumerated 7 Apr 1930, reporting that they owned a home valued at $4,000, and owned a radio.20
     They appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in the household of her mother, reporting that they had lived in the same house in 1935.21
     Her husband died on 14 Jan 1986 in Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.22,23,24
     Finley died on 9 Feb 1991 in Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, at age 88.15,16,17 She was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.18
     Finley was the last surviving member of the Elder family, which had been prominent in Clarksville's commercial and social life for almost 200 years. In her will she left four million dollars to be divided between the public library, Memorial Hospital, Austin Peay State University, and the Clarksville-Montgomery County Museum. Each was to receive 28.5% of that amount, except the museum which was to received 14.5%. The amount was to be held in trust for 30 years, with the organizations to receive the interest on their shares, then to receive the principal. Each was free to use the money as they chose, except for the university, which was to use it to establish scholarships in the name of her late husband. She also left smaller amounts to her church and that of her late husband, and to many individuals.25

Children:
     There were no children with Donald Gracey

Citations

  1. [S9938] Finley Elder, Delayed Certificate of Birth, shows middle name as "(none)", citing family Bible record and affidavit of mother.
  2. [S9935] M. W. Elder household, 1910 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows name as Marie Elder.
  3. [S9936] Martin W. Elder household, 1920 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows name as Finley Elder.
  4. [S9935] M. W. Elder household, 1910 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.
  5. [S2983] "Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950," FamilySearch.org, record for Donald Gracey and Finley Elder, citing FHL #321037, vol 53.
  6. [S9938] Finley Elder, Delayed Certificate of Birth, citing family Bible record and affidavit of mother.
  7. [S9935] M. W. Elder household, 1910 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows the girl as daughter of Sarah's husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  8. [S9936] Martin W. Elder household, 1920 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows the girl as daughter of Martin's husband.
  9. [S9935] M. W. Elder household, 1910 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows age 8 and state.
  10. [S9936] Martin W. Elder household, 1920 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows age 17 and state.
  11. [S9938] Finley Elder, Delayed Certificate of Birth, shows date, city and county, citing family Bible record and affidavit of mother.
  12. [S9829] Marriage Licenses, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, no. 83, Donald Gracey and Miss Finley Elder, shows date and officant.
  13. [S3010] Donald Gracey household, 1930 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows married, with his first marriage at age 30 and hers at 27.
  14. [S9933] Sarah Finley Elder household, 1940 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows married.
  15. [S9939] Finley Elder Gracey obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, shows date, and at Memorial Hospital.
  16. [S1000] "Social Security Death Index," Ancestry.com, record for Finley E. Gracey, Soc. Sec. No. 410-74-3672, shows date.
  17. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 52165503, Finley Elder Gracey, shows date and includes tombstone photo showing same.
  18. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 52165503, Finley Elder Gracey, includes tombstone photo.
  19. [S9936] Martin W. Elder household, 1920 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.
  20. [S3010] Donald Gracey household, 1930 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.
  21. [S9933] Sarah Finley Elder household, 1940 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.
  22. [S9942] Donald Gracey obituary, The Leaf-Chronicle, shows died Tuesday, at Memorial Hospital.
  23. [S3504] "U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010," Ancestry.com, record for Donald Gracey, Soc. Sec. No. 414-52-7370, shows date.
  24. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 52165502, Donald Gracey, shows date and includes tombstone photo showing same.
  25. [S9940] "Finley Cracey Bequeaths $4 Million to Community," The Leaf-Chronicle, 15 Feb 1991.