(21 May 1841-14 Jan. 1920), rancher. (Finlay McDermid, Finlay A. McDermid, F. A. McDermid) Born Island Road, Martintown, though perhaps on the Stormont rather than the GC side of the county line. Parents: Angus McDermid and his wife Mary Sinclair. Finlay McDermid left home in 1862 with his cousin Angus McDermid, who was born on the Island Road, Martintown, in 1845. They travelled to New York City by train, and by boat to the Isthmus of Panama, which they crossed on foot, and they then took a boat up the west coast of the continent to California. Later, the world before them, these adventuresome young men worked in the goldfields (silver ore was also important) of Nevada. In 1867 Angus died of typhoid fever. He is buried in Virginia City, Nev. A note in the memoirs of Peter Hugh McDermid states that Angus and Finlay “had worked in the mines with indifferent success for four years” before Angus’ death. From the early till the late 1870s, with a partner called Gilbert Darling, F. A. McDermid operated a general merchandise store at Cherry Creek, Nev., under the firm name of McDermid & Co.

     Finlay McDermid built up a sizeable ranch in Nevada (the ranch is said to have been large enough to support 12,000 sheep), and he had investments also in real estate and mining. Finlay McDermid is said to have sold the ranch shortly before the First World War began. The term ranches might be more applicable than ranch to his property. He had a ranch most certainly at Cherry Creek, in White Pine County, Nev., but it is likely he had a home, with perhaps another ranch property, in Elko County, which is immediately to the north of White Pine County. In the 1910 census, he listed as an Elko County resident.

     Described on his death certificate as a “Retired Rancher,” he died in Salt Lake City, and is buried there. He was married (1) to Clara Simonson or Simondson, who was born in California, and died 12 Sept. 1898 at her husband’s ranch, presumably at Cherry Creek (one child), and (2) in 1902 to Josephine Lewis, who was born in Utah (at least two children, at least one surviving her). From the 1910 census, she seems to have been some 28 years younger than her husband, and she lived till 1956. See the entry for his brother D. A. McDermid for some of his family connections.

     Finlay McDermid’s son by the second marriage, also called Finlay McDermid (b. Calif., 1905), began his career as a professional actor, but turned afterwards to a long-term involvement in Hollywood scriptwriting. He also wrote for magazines, the stage, radio and television, and was the author of Ghost Wanted (1943) and See No Evil (1959) both published by Simon and Schuster, New York, and each described by the publishers as “An Inner Sanctum Mystery.”

Death certificate, State of Utah–Dept. of Health, LL01540569 (sp. McDermed) * Campbell (1986), 268-269, 285-292 (portraits), 307 * Nevada State Historical Society Papers (1923-1924) 312 on “Early Days of Cherry Creek”) * information very kindly supplied by Nevada State Library and Archives * obituary of 1st wife, The White Pine News (Ely, Nev.) 17 Sept. 1898 * the White Pine County Public Library’s impressively detailed catalogue of newspaper citations has up towards 200 refs. to McDermid and his family, dealing with business, ranching (sheep variously noticed), the comings and goings of members of the family, and many other matters; important and fascinating * Helen S. Carlson, Nevada Place Names (1974) s. v. “Cherry Creek * U. S. Census, 1910