According to Elsie Drake Goepfert in The Henderson County Heritage Book, Volume 1, “John Finlay born 1819 Cairahill, near Glasgow, Scotland was the oldest son of Alexander Finlay and Marion Wallace Harrower Finlay. British customs prevailed and the land passed down to the oldest son, who also inherited the father’s given name. From his father, Alexander, John had also inherited two farms at Audrie, Scotland – Gimmerscroft and Waterside. One of the places had a very rich coal mine near Shots Iron Works in Lanarkshire. John Finlay a college graduate, veterinarian and farmer, lived at Gimmerscroft Farm after his father’s death. He married twice – first to Mary Black, daughter of Mary Marshall; secondly he married Jean Anderson, on of five daughters of James and Ann Wright Anderson, Lanarkshire, Scotland….
After Mary’s death Jon Continued to take care of Grannie Finlay and his sons. It was also necessary to have help and when Grannie Finlay became totally blind, after surgery on her eyes, Jean Anderson Leslie came to Gimmerscroft to care for her. Jean was born 2 May 1838 Lanarkshire, Scotland, and had married 1864 Henry Leslie. They came to the United States the following year, making their home in Petersburg, West Virginia. They lived in this country only a year and a half and then returned to Scotland, where Henry Leslie died, in 1867, leaving her with two small sons: Henry born 1866 Glasgow and James born 1867 in the Parish of Ilemanan, County of Stirling, Scotland.
In 1869 Jean Anderson Leslie was married to John Finlay. Soon after Grannie’s death, John Finlay decided to come to America with his large family. He sold one of the farms and sailed with his six sons on the steamship “Australia” Anchor Line at twelve noon, 17 June 1871. Jean Finlay and her two sons were left at her mother’s in Glasgow, until after the birth of the new baby.
The baby girl, Mary Harrower Finlay, arrived 12 January 1872 but the family had to wait six weeks before traveling to America. Jean with her daughter and two sons, arrived in Hendersonville in the spring of 1872.
John Finlay and his sons had spent some time in Ohio in 1871, near what is now known as Finlay, Ohio and then on the advice of a friend, Mr. Maughlin, John came south, purchased 1,000 acres of the Old King Estate, from Nathan McMinn and wife Lizzie. The date of the deed registration being 5 October 1871. The land was located three miles west of Hendersonville on the leading road at that time, but now known as Finlay Cove Road between Hendersonville and Brevard.
John was a Mater Mason and believed very strongly in the teachings of the Order and was Presbyterian in faith. The christening of Mary Harrower Finlay, in 1872, was the beginning of their tie with First Presbyterian Church of Hendersonville.
The Finlay family farmed the land, tended cattle and operatred one of the first grist mills west of town. Daily or weekly they delivered by wagon, meal and flour to Hendersonville and Flat Rock.
Three more sons were born to John and Jean, who were Andrew Francis Finlay born 16 August 1874; William Finlay born 24 March 1876 and George Finlay, 13 January 1880.
