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MG 65 1917-1941 Robert L. Finch 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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