Robert Finlay & Margaret Ring

Robert Finlay was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1856 to Robert Finlay and Mary Peacock. Dunfermline is a large town in Fife County and was formerly the capital of Scotland. When he was a very young child, Robert’s family immigrated to Ontario, Canada eventually settling in the town of Hamilton roughly thirty miles from the United States/Canada border, and Buffalo, New York. Robert took up glassblowing at a very young age and became a member of the Glass Bottle Blowers Association of the United States and Canada. Eventually, Robert made his way to Binghamton, New York where he met and married Margaret Ring, the girl across the street.

Margaret Ring was the seventh of eight children born to Irish immigrants James Ring and Catherine Welch. As a young child she attended school yet, by the time she was fourteen, she was working in a cigar factory along with three of her older sisters. Margaret was about twenty when she married Robert. She was a devout Catholic and a member of the Ladies Catholic Benevolent Association. Margaret had a lovely soprano voice and she sang in her church choir.

The young couple moved around for a few years before settling in Olean, New York. They settled on North Union Street near St. John’s Church and together they raised six children: James R., Minnie, Robert G., Kathleen, Marguerite, and Madelon. The children were all educated, musical and they married well. Many of the solos sung at St. John’s Christmas concerts were performed by members of the family.

Robert worked as a glassblower, but for a few years he also partnered with his son-in-law, William Donovan, running the American House, a hotel in North Orlean. The American House dated back to the early 1860’s and had burnt down twice prior to Robert owning it.

Robert passed away on April 13, 1912 (one day before the Titanic disaster) after a short bout of pneumonia. He was fifty-six years old. Early death from various lung diseases was common in glass-blowers due to the nature of the industry.

After Robert’s death, Margaret sold the American House. She remained on North Union Street for several years raising their younger children before moving to West State Street. Margaret survived her husband for twenty-two years, passing away while visiting her daughter Kathleen in Long Island.