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MG 65
Robert L. Finch
1917-1941
Accn. # A-2001-45
Historical Note:
Robert L. Finch was born May 28, 1897 in Tempe, AZ to George and Flora Finch. He
attended school in Tempe and graduated from the State Normal School in 1917. He
immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army for service in World War I. During
his service in France he attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant and
won the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He returned
home to Tempe in 1919 and took up farming. He became very involved with
the American Legion in Tempe over the years, and served as first post commander
there.
Finch decided to run for the state legislature in 1922 and won a seat in
the House of Representatives as a Republican in a thoroughly Democratic state
and district. He served 4 consecutive two-year terms; his first three terms
he represented Tempe while the last term he represented part of Yavapai County
near Jerome, Clarkdale, and Cottonwood. The move to Clarkdale in Yavapai
County was precipitated by work he had found with mining interests in the
area. In 1930, Finch gained employment with the American Seating Company,
a furniture manufacturer, in California. He spent the next ten years with
this company living first in San Francisco and then in Los Angeles where
he managed their offices.
Finch died on May 7, 1941 in Los Angeles after battling cancer.
Scope and Content:
This collection consists mostly of documents, award certificates, photos,
maps and other memorabilia related to Robert L. Finch’s distinguished military
service in France during World War I. The collection also includes correspondence,
news clippings and other items related to Finch’s service in the Arizona
State Legislature during the 1920s and to his personal life following the
War. The collection was divided into three series according to subject
matter and one series of oversized materials. Each series is contained
in a single file folder in one box except oversized items which are listed
separately at the end of the inventory. All oversized materials are military
related.
Series Description:
Series 1. Personal
Series 2. Military
Series 3. Legislative
Series 4. Oversized Materials
Processing Note:
The collection was donated in two parts on Jan. 11, 2001 and Jan. 25, 2001
by Finch’s daughter, Sue Schechter, of Pasadena, California, and had no
discernable order.
Series 1: Personal
| Box:Folder |
Description |
Dates |
| 1:1 |
Postcard of Niagara Falls from George Murphy and Sam Johnson
to Lt. Robert L. Finch |
7/22/1919 |
| 1:1 |
Photo Portrait of R. L. Finch |
ca. 1920s |
| 1:1 |
Knights of Pythias Membership Card, Lodge #26, Tempe |
1/8/1924 |
| 1:1 |
Copy of Wedding Announcement of Gladys Hutchison and Robert
Leslie Finch |
ca. 1/1924 |
| 1:1 |
Photo of Gladys Hutchison and Robert Leslie Finch on their
Wedding Day in Bowie, AZ |
2/1/1924 |
| 1:1 |
Letter from S. M. Johnson, Probate Court Judge, Athens
County, Ohio, and Finch’s former superior officer, to Robert L. Finch,
remembering Sept. 28, 1918, nine years earlier (with envelope). |
9/28/1927 |
| 1:1 |
Copy of speech made by R. L. Finch, Armistice Day, 1927,
in Jerome, AZ |
11/11/1927 |
| 1:1 |
Letter from Bentley Brown, Associate Editor, Who’s
Who In Government, to R. L. Finch |
6/12/1930 |
| 1:1 |
Letter from Ralph ? to H. M. Taliaferro, President, American
Seating Co., regarding an enclosed news clipping mentioning R. L. Finch
winning the Distinguished Service Cross in 1919 |
1/24/1939 |
| 1:1 |
Photo portrait of R. L. Finch |
ca. 1940 |
| 1:1 |
Copy of the obituary of Robert L. Finch in the Arizona
Republic |
5/1941 |
| 1:1 |
Letter from Ben Prager, National Adjutant, Army and Navy
Legion of Valor of the U. S., to Mrs. Robert L. Finch, acknowledging
her husband’s death |
7/3/1941 |
| 1:1 |
Army and Navy Legion of Valor of the U. S., General Orders
(1941-1942), Vol. 52, No. 1, includes photo and obituary of Robert L.
Finch (pp. 15-16) |
ca. 1941 |
| 1:1 |
Obituary of Robert L. Finch in the Los Angeles Examiner |
5/1941 |
Series 2: Military
| 1:2 |
Typed summary of R. L. Finch’s military action; may be
an outline for a speech |
n.d. |
| 1:2 |
Photo post card of Lt. Col. Dunkersley, 115th Ammunition
Train |
n.d. |
| 1:2 |
Handwritten note to Col. Tupes from S.M. Johnson under
fire |
n.d. |
| 1:2 |
Empty envelope for a letter from R. L. Finch to his parents
in Tempe, AZ |
n.d. |
| 1:2 |
Postcard Photo of Chateau de M. Valter Seitz, with the
following written on the back: “This is what I call a good billet”—Bob |
n.d. |
| 1:2 |
Card entitled “Letter Codes” with Finch’s name and unit
written on it |
n.d. |
| 1:2 |
Appointment of Robert L. Finch to 2nd Lt. |
10/13/1917 |
| 1:2 |
Special Order No. 112 issued by Major General Strong showing
promotions and appointments for the 40th Division, Camp Kearny,
California, including Finch’s promotion to 2nd Lt. In the
152nd Infantry |
12/21/1917 |
| 1:2 |
Photo of R. L. Finch sitting with group of soldiers in
France |
ca. 1918 |
| 1:2 |
3 aerial photos of the battlegrounds in France showing
roads and what appear to be craters and trenches |
ca. 1918 |
| 1:2 |
Typed copy of the Plan of the 9th A. C. [Army
Corps] Liaisons; first page only; labeled as “VERY SECRET” |
ca. 1918 |
| 1:2 |
War Department Booklet, “Questions for a Platoon Commander” |
4/1918 |
| 1:2 |
War Department Booklet, “Wire Entanglements” |
4/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Appointment of Robert L. Finch to 1st Lt. |
5/11/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Typed copy of Note to be added to first chapter of the
Plan of the 9th A. C. [Army Corps] Liaisons; labeled “VERY
SECRET” |
9/23/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Inventory of Materials, Ammunitions, Pyrotechnics existing
in the C. R. Goutte Morel at the date of 15th October 1918
[3 pages] |
10/15/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Empty envelope from the War Department to Robert L. Finch,
1st Lt., 372nd Infantry |
10/16/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Letter from R. L. Finch to “Dearest Ones” [his parents?] |
10/22/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Typescript of an order by Colonel Tupes entitled, “Modification
of Plan of Defence” |
10/25/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Copy of news clipping entitled “Tempe Hears from Her Bobby
Finch”; includes text of a letter from R. L. Finch to his parents dated
Oct. 10, 1918 |
11/7/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Photo of R. L. Finch on a battlefield with an unknown
soldier, possibly French, on Armistice Day in France |
11/11/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Citation for heroism in action near Bussy Farm on Sept.
28, 1918 |
12/12/1918 |
| 1:2 |
Statement of commendation from Col. Quillet, the commanding
officer of the 157th Division of the French army which R.
L. Finch’s 372nd Infantry served with, upon the departure
of the Americans from France |
12/15/1918 |
| 1:2 |
3 copies of a charge sheet for Private Charlie Smith,
one of R. L. Finch’s subordinates, describing the charges against him |
1/19/1919 |
| 1:2 |
Furlough Fare Certificate for the Unites States Railroad
Administration |
3/7/1919 |
| 1:2 |
2 replacement copies of discharge
certificates for Robert L. Finch, with cover letter from the War Department
addressed to Senator Carl Hayden |
3/10/1919
& 1/7/1930 |
Series 3: Legislative
| 1:3 |
“’Manifest Destiny’ Gave Us Arizona” article, author
unknown |
n.d. |
| 1:3 |
An outline entitled “Organization of Legislature” describing
the steps taken in organizing a session of the state legislature |
n.d. |
| 1:3 |
Certificate of Election for Robert L. Finch to the State
Legislature as a representative of District #10 |
11/10/1926 |
| 1:3 |
“An Outline of Arizona Constitutional Governement,” by
Professor John R. Murdock |
1927 |
| 1:3 |
Letter from Robert L. Finch to Carl T. Hayden regarding
the City of Tempe’s proposed purchase of Papago Park from the federal
government |
1/5/1927 |
| 1:3 |
Society page from the Arizona Republican showing
photos of the wives of some of the legislators, including Mrs. Finch |
3/13/1927 |
| 1:3 |
Dunbar’s Weekly article correcting an error made by the
paper concerning Robert Finch running for the legislature |
ca. 1930 |
Series 4: Oversized Material
| Black Box |
Framed Photograph of Battle Monument in France, presented
by Major Samuel M. Johnson, Battalion Commander, to Battalion Adjutant “Bob” Finch;
includes typescript
“A Brief Summary Concerning the 372nd Infantry” on back of
frame |
n.d. |
| |
Framed Photograph Portrait of Robert L. Finch, taken upon
his return home from Europe |
ca. 1919 |
| |
|
|
| Flat Box |
Map of Cernay-En-Dormois area |
ca. 1918 |
| |
Map #93, Wisenbach |
1/7/1918 |
| |
Map of Nancy area |
n.d. |
| |
Distinguished Service Cross |
3/28/1925 |
| |
Croix d’Guerre (framed) |
1/12/1925 |
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Updated: 05/08/2009
