Union Cemetery

Finger, Wilhelmina

BORN: 1827
BORN IN: Germany
DIED: 12/4/1913
AGED: 86
CAUSE OF DEATH: Capillary Bronchitis
DEATH LOCATION: Santa Barbara

ADDRESS: 90 Finger Ave, RC

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BURIED IN UNION CEMETERY WITH THE SAME LAST NAME:

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BURIED NEARBY IN PLOT 117:
CURRENT EVENTS:
  • 1831 Reaper (Cyrus McCormick)
  • 1836 Revolver (Samuel Colt)
  • 1845 Texas annexed into U.S.
  • 1846 Mexican-American War
  • 1849 California Gold Rush
  • 1850 California became the 31st State
  • 1860 The Pony Express
  • 1861 Abraham Lincoln elected President
  • 1861 American Civil War
  • 1865 Abraham Lincoln assassinated
  • 1866 Ku Klux Klan
  • 1869 National Woman Suffrage Assoc.
  • 1871 The Great Chicago Fire
  • 1876 Telephones (Alexander Graham Bell)
  • 1876 Baseball's National League
  • 1877 Phonograph (Thomas Edison)
  • 1879 Light Bulb (Thomas Edison)
  • 1901 Teddy Roosevelt elected President
  • 1903 First powered flight (Wright Brothers)
  • 1906 The San Francisco Earthquake
  • 1912 The Titanic sank
OBITUARY ---------------

MRS. MINA FINGER

Redwood City Democrat

Dec 14, 1913

Sunday last a large number of friends gathered at the Congregational Church in this city to perform the last sad rites for Mrs. Mina Finger, one of the oldest settlers in this vicinity, who died in Santa Barbara on the 4 inst. Rev. C.H. Stevens delivered a touching eulogy on the deceased mentioning some of her many ostentatious charitable actions. After the services the funeral proceeded to Union Cemetery, the place of interment, The pallbearers were P.P. Chamberlain, C. Littlejohn, Fr. J.S. Ross, L.P. Behrens, Robert Brown and J.F. Utter, all personal friends of the deceased.

Mrs. Mina Finger, a former resident of Redwood City and a pioneer of the county, passed away at the home of her son, Henry J. Finger at Santa Barbara, Thursday at the advanced age of 87 years. The deceased before moving to Santa Barbara several years ago, resided here for over fifty years. She came here with her husband at a time when there were few houses in Redwood and located on a piece of land near town known as Finger Grove.

Mrs. Finger spent her long life in doing good, alleviating the sufferings of others and assisting the needy. The latch string of her home always hung on the outside. No one left her abode hungry. She always fed and housed the weary way farer. As many as thirty tramps would be taken care of in a day by this kind and benevolent woman. She loved to do good and aid those in distress. Those who knew her best will be the most enthusiastic in sounding her praises. Mrs. Finger loved to recount the stirring incidents of pioneer days and when in this reminiscent mood told of some interesting history of Redwood City’s early days. She took part in the first Fourth of July parade held here over fifty years ago and as a singular coincidence was in the last one held in 1909, Redwood City’s golden jubilee. In the first celebration Mrs. Finger road in a farm wagon hauled by a pair of mules while in the last parade was seated in an up to date automobile.

Thus was contrasted the present with the past. Mrs. Finger is said to have been the only woman in the United States entitled to a pension for personal services during the Mexican War. Mrs. Finger, who was the mother of H.J. Finger, member of the State Board of Pharmacy, and special envoy to the Hague, during the Opium, ministered to the sick and injured during the Mexican War, through which her husband fought as a United States soldier. Because of her work the government awarded her a medal at the centennial exposition in 1876.

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