Born at Duncan Falls, Ohio, August 12, 1866, a son of Capt. H.S. and Anna (Trimble) Finley. He attended the district schools and in 1885 received a teacher's certificate. For three years thereafter he taught school in the rural regions and then entered Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio, worked his way through, and was graduated in 1893. In the meanwhile he traveled over the United States, Canada and European countries as a commercial salesman. After graduating from Muskingum College he had a year in the Ohio State University and in the latter part of 1894 came to Mount Pleasant, Iowa. The following year he was admitted to the bar of Iowa, and immediately thereafter entered upon a private practice. His grasp of the law, his broadened culture and his personal popularity brought him into prominence and in 1902 he was elected county attorney, which office he held for two years at that time and again from 1912 to 1914. In 1915 he was elected to represent Henry County in the Iowa State Legislature, and was reelected to succeed himself but refused further nomination. He is one of the leaders of the Republican Party. The Iowa State Bar Association and the Henry County Bar Association both hold his membership. Since his youth he has been an earnest member of the Presbyterian Church. On June 20, 1900, Mr. Finley was married to Katherine Jeffrey, of Washington, Iowa, and they have one child.

Born at Duncan Falls, Ohio, August 12, 1866, a son of Capt. H.S. and Anna (Trimble) Finley. He attended the district schools and in 1885 received a teacher's certificate. For three years thereafter he taught school in the rural regions and then entered Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio, worked his way through, and was graduated in 1893. In the meanwhile he traveled over the United States, Canada and European countries as a commercial salesman. After graduating from Muskingum College he had a year in the Ohio State University and in the latter part of 1894 came to Mount Pleasant, Iowa. The following year he was admitted to the bar of Iowa, and immediately thereafter entered upon a private practice. His grasp of the law, his broadened culture and his personal popularity brought him into prominence and in 1902 he was elected county attorney, which office he held for two years at that time and again from 1912 to 1914. In 1915 he was elected to represent Henry County in the Iowa State Legislature, and was reelected to succeed himself but refused further nomination. He is one of the leaders of the Republican Party. The Iowa State Bar Association and the Henry County Bar Association both hold his membership. Since his youth he has been an earnest member of the Presbyterian Church. On June 20, 1900, Mr. Finley was married to Katherine Jeffrey, of Washington, Iowa, and they have one child.