William L. Finley

Infobox Person
name = William L. Finley
caption = William L. Finley
birth_date = 1876
birth_place = Southern California

William Lovell Finley (1876–1953) was a wildlife photographer and conservationist born in Southern California, United States. [ Worth Mathewson. "William L. Finley: Pioneer Wildlife Photographer". Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, Oregon, 1987] William was the son of John Pettus Finley and Nancy Catherine Rucker. The William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge was named in his honor.

In 1905, Finely and Herman T. Bohlman visited and photographed Lower Klamath Lake and Tule Lake. Their report in the November-December issue of "Bird Lore" helped prompt President Theodore Roosevelt to set the areas aside as federal bird reservations."Bird Lore" 12/1905.] That same year, Finley was elected to the board of the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals (later "National Audubon Society"), to fill the term vacated by Isaac N. Field.

In 1906, Finley was elected the second President of the Oregon Audubon Society (which became "Audubon Society of Portland" in 1968). [ "Audubon Warbler", newsletter of the Audubon Society of Portland, 7/1968 & 3/1971 ]

In 1925, Finley was appointed by the Governor of Oregon to the State Game Commission. ["Bird Lore" 11-12/1925:447]

Finley's parents went west by covered wagon in 1852 from Saline County, Missouri to California when they were just small children. His middle name was Lovell, which was also the name of another of the families that went west with the Finleys and the Ruckers in 1852. [Carmin J. Finley, "John Finley of Montgomery/Wythe County, Virginia; Additional Children Identified", "Virginia Genealogist" 1990-1991; Pg 292.] Also, his great grandfather was Asa Finley the first elected Judge of Arrow Rock, Missouri in Saline County, Missouri. [Saline County, Missouri Court Records] , and his uncle was William Asa Finley, the first President of Oregon State University [ [http://osulibrary.orst.edu/archives/exhibits/presidents/finley.html OSU Archives - President's Gallery - W.A. Finley ] ]

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