Fink, Mike (1770?-1823), was an American frontier fighter and boatman whose adventures became the subject of many stories and legends. Fink’s great strength, boastful nature, and skill with his rifle and his fists made him a hero on the frontier. He also was notorious for playing cruel pranks. One story tells how Fink punished his wife for flirting with another man by making her lie in a pile of dry leaves, which he then set on fire.
Fink was born at or near Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania. As a youth, he gained fame for his expert marksmanship while fighting the British and Indians on the Pennsylvania frontier. During the early 1800’s, Fink became the most famous of the rugged keelboaters who worked on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. After steamboats replaced keelboats, Fink joined the Rocky Mountain Fur Company as a boatman and trapper. On his first expedition, he was killed by a companion.
Many stories have been told about how Fink died. But nearly all the tales agree that he died as a result of a shooting match. Fink and a friend named Carpenter were taking turns shooting a cup off each other’s head. According to one story, Carpenter shot first and accidentally grazed Fink’s scalp. Fink became enraged and shot his friend through the forehead. In revenge, one of Carpenter’s friends shot Fink in the heart.
