Barton County, Missouri Biographies-Charles H. FINK


History Of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade And Barton Counties, 
Missouri, 1889.  Published by Goodspeed. Pages 889, 890, 891

Charles H. Fink, nurseryman and farmer of Lamar Township, Barton County,
Mo., was born in Lexington, Ky., February 14, 1822, and is the son of
John and Matilda (Hammond) Fink, both natives of Virginia.  Grandfather
Fink was a native of Germany, and when a young man came to America,
locating in Virginia.  Grandfather Hammond was of English descent, and
an early Virginia settler.  The grandparents on both sides immigrated
to Kentucky in an early day, and located near Lexington, where Mr. Fink's
parents were married.  When a young man, John Fink enlisted in the War
of 1812, and was within a short distance of New Orleans when that famous
battle took place.  After his return from the war, he married Miss
Hammond, and lived in Kentucky until 1830, when he moved to Greene County,
Ill., and subsequently to Macoupin County, of the same State.  He
started a poor man, was a stone-mason by trade, and after settling his
family on his claim he went to Alton, where he worked at his trade, and 
sent back provisions, which never reached his family.  Sickness prevented
his return, and during his absence his family, consisting of his wife
and eight children, were reduced to extreme want, living upon wild meat,
acorns and nuts.  After a protracted absence, home was made happy by his
return.  He was a thorough-going farmer, and whatever enterprise he 
believed to be right he supported with all his might.  Both he and wife
were zealous members and earnest workers in the Methodist Episcopal
Church, in which he was a class-leader for many years.  Politically he
was a Democrat until the Free-Soil party sprang up, and after its
dissolution he affiliated with the Republican party.  He died at the
age of seventy-seven, and his wife at the age of seventy-two. In their
family were ten children, four sons and six daughters.  The third child,
Charles H., was reared to farm labor, and, owing to the deficiency of
schools, and the demand for his services at home, he never attended
school more than two weeks, and that after he was grown.  His father and
mother could read only indifferently, and so everything he received
in the way of an education was obtained by individual labor.  One
spelling-book went through the entire family, and any newpaper or tract
was devoured by the subject of this sketch with avidity.  For a slate
he used the bleached jawbone of a horse they had brought with them
from Kentucky, and for a copy-book he appropriated the shoulder blade of
the same.  His pen and pencil were one, and made by rolling out a leaden
bullet.  At the age of seventeen he began to battle for himself, first
working by the month, then farming for himself.  December 15, 1843, he
married Miss Martha A. Boggess, who lived about ten years, and bore him
three children, two of whom, with his wife, died of cholera.  For his
second wife he chose Mrs. Elizabeth M. Ross, sister to his first wife.
She lived about ten years after marriage, and passed away leaving four
children.  In 1864 Mr. Fink married Miss Mary Trible, a native of
England, who bore him two children.  Mr. Fink and Mr. B. Boggess laid
out and founded the flourishing town of Girard, Ill.  While in that 
State Mr. Fink was largely interested in the culture of fruit, and in
the improvement of the town and county.  In 1869 he moved to Lamar,
Barton County, Mo., and started the first nursery in this section after
the war.  He has 160 acres in nursery stock, eighty acres in an orchard 
of apple and peach trees, also two farms in the county, besides property
in other sections.  He adheres to no political party, though he affiliated
respectively with the Whig, Free-Soil, Know-Nothing, Republican and 
Greenback parties.  He takes a deep interest in horticulture, being 
president of the Barton County Horticultural Society.  He is a demitted
Mason, and was presiding judge of this county a term.  Of his first 
marriage one child is living, Elizabeth C.; of his second marriage there
are living Richard M., Martha M., Virginia E. and Robert L., and of
his third marriage, Maud and Oliver H.  Seven children are now living,
all fairly educated, thrifty and enterprising.

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