Given the age difference between Finley and Laura, it's a near certainty he had a prior wife.

1.  LDS.  Family Search: Internet Genealogy Service:  IGI - International Genealogical Index (online at FamilySearch.org).

Laura MORSE Birth: 21 May 1835 Death: 25 Aug 1861, Burke, Franklin, New York Burial: Thayer's Corners Cemetery, Burke, Franklin, New York Father: Rufus MORSE; Mother: Experience Source: patron submission

2.  1840 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  not found.

3.  1850 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  not found.

4.  1860 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #34 of 56):  Burke P.O., Burke, Franklin Co., NY, Roll M653_754, p. 922, PN 186, 1364/1364, enumerated 21 Jul 1860, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1860 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤-

Finley Moe	43	M		Farmer	2000	1500	Canada
Laury?   "	25	F					NY
Carlton R "	5	M					Do
Albert A  "	1	M					Do
Experance Morse	65	F					Conn
Emily       "	35	F					NY	Insane

Experience is Laura's widowed mother; Emily her sister.

5.  1870 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #34 of 54):  Malone P.O., Town of Burke, Franklin Co., NY, Roll M593_937, p. 486B, PN 34, 255/264, enumerated 24 Jun 1870, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1870 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

Moe Finley	53	M	W	Farmer	3000	1000	Canada
___ Almena	46	F	W	Keeping House			New York
___ Carlton	15	M	W	At Home			New York
___ Albert	11	M	W	At School			New York

6.  1880 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #1 of 22 — mis-indexed "Mar" and mis-linked):  Burke, Franklin Co., NY, Roll T9_833 (Book 1), p. 489A, PN 1, SD 7, ED 77, enumerated 1 Jun 1880, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1880 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

1880:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10

13

21

24

25

26

8

9

Moe Finley

W

M

63

/

Farmer

Can

NY

VT

___ Almena

W

F

50

Wife

/

Keeping House

NY

VT

VT

___ Carlton

W

M

25

Son

/

Works on farm

NY

Can

NY

___ Albert

W

M

21

Son

/

Works on farm

NY

Can

NY

Wilcox Willie

W

M

11

Boarder

/

At School

/

NY

CT

CT

Listed next to William FINNEY (brother of George W. FINNEY, husband of Almena's sister, Camelia) and his wife, Rachel (SMITH) FINNEY.

7.  1890 Census:  the 1890 Census Population Schedules were destroyed.

8.  1900 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #1 of 20):  Burke Town, Franklin Co., NY, Roll T623_1035 (Book 2), p. 150A, SN 1, SD 5, ED 66, 3/3, enumerated 1/2 Jun 1900:  Finlay Mae (sic), b. Mar 1817, age 83, widower, b. Canada E, is boarding with the HILL family.¤-

9.  LDS.  Family Search: Internet Genealogy Service:  IGI - International Genealogical Index (online at FamilySearch.org).

10.  WorldConnect / Ancestry World Trees (online at RootsWeb.com/Ancestry.com).