There is mention, however, of Abraham Keener (the man who sold Peter Finger land on Leeper's Creek in 1778) in The Loyalists in North Carolina During the Revolution by Robert O. DeMond: "Captain Kimik, a Whig, was captured by a Tory captain, Abram Kiener, his personal friend. He would probably have been killed had Kiener not made him a prisoner and graciously spared his life." This story goes a little differently in General Joseph Graham's "Battle of Ramsour's Mill," though. Below is the account from General Graham:
Captain M'Kissick was wounded early in the action, being shot through the top of the shoulder; and finding himself disabled, went from the battleground about 80 poles to the west. About the time the firing ceased he met ten of the Tories coming from a neighboring farm, where they had been until the sound of the firing started them. They were confident their side was victorious, and several of them knowing Captain M'Kissick, insulted him and would have used him ill, but for Abram Keener, Sr., one of his neighbors, who protected and took him prisoner. While marching on towards the battle ground Keener kept lamenting, "That a man so clever and such a good neighbor and of such good sense should ever be a rebel." He continued his lecture to Captain M'Kissick until they came where the Whigs were formed. Keener looking around and seeing so many strange faces, said, "Hey, poys, I believe you has got a good many prisoners here." Immediately a number of guns were cocked, and Captain M'Kissick, though much exhausted by loss of blood, had to exert himself to save the lives of Keener and party.
If Peter Finger was originally a Mennonite, I think it's reasonable to suspect that his pacifistic upbringing would disincline him (and probably his sons, too) from any involvement in the fighting. What we do know is that Peter Finger's loyalty to the nascent United States was later called into question by North Carolina authorities. Included among three summonses issued in 1782 regarding disloyalty to the Revolutionary cause were the names of Peter Finger, his brother-in-law Christian Reinhardt, and the probable author of his will, Robert Blackburn. These documents read (spelling is original) as follows:
Lincoln County
Names of those that is Supposed to Comes under the Confiscation act.
| Petter Carpenter
Abel Beaty Thomas Casner George Hovis John Reed George Dick Adam Dick Lenard Saylor Fredrick Propes Valuntine Koon Phillip Warlack Thomas Wasson Jacob Glance Frederick Heager Jn. Richop Jn. Alexander on Indian Creek Andrew Hoyl Thomas Beaty Henry Roads Jacob Sides (Little) Henry Hoover Henry Reynolds Christian Rinehart Petter Eaker Senr. Jacob Money Henry Witle__my Valuntine Warlack |
Petter Eaker Junr
Jacob Carpenter Junr Mical Eaker Jn. Hofstotlar Jn. Eaker Mical Hofstotlar the above named persons in the Right hand Column are those that tooke Thos. Espey, John Espey & Sam'l Espey prisoners and Delivered them to the Ememys of this and the United States at Ramsaurs. Lincoln County Sept 19, 1782 To the Sherrff of Lincoln County you are hereby commanded to take |