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LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION: Fonds
No.: PR1435
TITLE: Finlay family fonds
CREATOR: Finlay family
DATE RANGE: 1890-1976
EXTENT: 0.77 m of textual records and other material
Includes 2 photograph albums, 62 postcards, 34 photographs, 3 audio cassettes, 1 audio reel, 1 poster, 1 negative, 1 USB memory device and 1 map.
ADMINISTRATIVE
HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Robert Eddy Finlay was born in December 5, 1871 in Centreton, Ontario to Robert McLennan and Mary Ann (Griffin) Finlay. Robert received his primary education in the Peterborough district, and later studied theology at Victoria College in Toronto, Ontario. He was ordained June 8, 1898 in the Methodist Church in Lindsay, Ontario. After hearing John McDougall, who was seeking recruits from the Victoria College for Methodist missionaries for Western Canada, speak, Robert set out for Alberta after graduating from Victoria College in 1901. He served in Vegreville, Alberta, founding the first Methodist Church in Vegreville. Finlay subsequently served across Alberta in Clover Bar, the Wetaskiwin district, Pincher Creek (1908-1912), Airdrie, Innisfail (1913-1916), Red Deer East (1916-1918), Oyen (1918-1921), and Lake Saskatoon (1921-1925). In 1923, Finlay was elected president of the Methodist Conference of Alberta. In 1925 he was a delegate to the General Council, which was involved in the establishment of the United Church of Canada. As a United Church minister, Robert served in Clive (1925-1927), Parkland (1927-1931), Carmangay (1931-1935), Hardisty (1935-1937) and Jasper (1938-1940). Robert retired in 1940, and was in charge of the archives for the Alberta Conference of the United Church of Canada. In 1955, St. Stephen’s College conferred Finlay with a Doctorate of Divinity from the University of Alberta. Robert and his wife, Stevie, had two children, Gordon and Bernice. Reverend Robert Eddy Finlay died on December 25, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta. Susan (Stevie) Steven Moxley was born October 18, 1879 to Robert Moxley and Jane Stevens. While visiting her sister in Pincher Creek, Stevie met Robert Eddy Finlay; they were married October 9, 1912. While her husband was sick in 1937, she took over some of her husband’s duties including visiting the sick, and at times preaching. She died December 1, 1937. Gordon Roy Finlay was born October 24, 1913 in Innisfail. He taught school before completing a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1938, and a Master of Science in 1939, both from the University of Alberta. He earned his doctorate in inorganic chemistry from Cornell University in 1942. He then worked in Chippawa, Ontario with the Norton Research Corporation. He was married in 1953, and lived in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Hazel Bernice Finlay was born March 35, 1916 in Innisfail. She married William David Hoskin; they had one son, Steven Malcolm.
CUSTODIAL HISTORY:W.D. Hoskin, son-in-law of Robert Eddy Finlay, and Steven Hoskin, W.D. Hoskin’s son, deposited the records in the Provincial Archives of Alberta in 1984 and 1989.
SCOPE AND CONTENT: The fonds consists of the records of the Finlay family; they primarily concern Robert Eddy Finlay, including those pertaining to his position as a minister (sermons, pastor’s visiting books, notes), as wells as certificates, correspondence, notes, personal accounts, interviews, an audio recording of the 60th anniversary of his ordination (with copies of the original reel on audiocassette and a USB memory device), an autobiography, programs, orders of services from and information about various Alberta churches, historical writings, manuscripts, and newspaper clippings; family records include Finlay genealogical information, will and testaments, transcripts of Stevie’s and Robert’s funerals, and photograph albums with over 500 photographs of family, friends, parishioners, and churches; records of other members of the family include a diary and sermons of Stevie Finlay, and correspondence of the other members of the family.
ASSOCIATED MATERIAL: Other records pertaining to Robert Eddy Finlay are located in the Robert Eddy Finlay fonds at the United Church of Canada/Victoria University Archives in Toronto, Ontario.
RELATED RECORDS: Also see the Legislature Library Archives Program archival records collection at the Provincial Archives of Alberta.
GENERAL NOTE: Information for the biographical sketch is from the records and the Provincial Archives of Alberta Reference Library Information file.
RELATED ITEMS: A17177 (Barbara Ann Scott Reception, Calgary (Parade).)
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