Which Finch ancestor founded Finch's Landing in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Simon Finch founded Finch's Landing in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Simon Finch is the ancestral founder of Finch's Landing, the Alabama homestead associated with the Finch family. He is described as a direct ancestor of Atticus Finch, making him the starting point for the family's history in the American South.

According to the novel's family history, Simon was a Cornish Methodist who left England to escape religious persecution. He first emigrated to Philadelphia before eventually settling in Alabama. There he established Finch's Landing and began the family line that later includes Atticus, Jem, Scout, and their relatives.

Finch's Landing is more than a genealogical footnote. The property represents the family's inherited identity, wealth, and social expectations. Aunt Alexandra is especially attached to Finch family tradition and later comes from the Landing to stay with Atticus and the children. Readers sometimes confuse Simon Finch with Jack Finch or Henry Finch, who are later members of the family rather than its founder. Simon's story also helps explain why the Finches' name carries such weight in Maycomb.