Background
Robert Armour Bethune was born in 1855 in Canada.
Robert Armour Bethune was born in 1855 in Canada.
Robert arrived in the United States when a young man, and settled first in Detroit. After working a few years as draftsman in the office of the city’s pioneer architect, Gordon A. Lloyd, Mr. Bethune moved to Buffalo, and in 1877 joined the office of the late R. A. White. There he met Louise Blanchard, who in 1881 became Mrs. Robert Bethune the first known woman architect in the U. S. For a little less than a decade they practiced in a partnership under the firm name of R. A. & L. Bethune. Following the retirement of Mrs. Bethune in 1890, an architect by the name of Fuchs joined Mr. Bethune, and continued in partnership with h;m until the latter’s decease.
The Bethunes were also widely known as architects of several schools (at least eighteen) built in western New York State.
Robert married to Louise Blanchard Bethune.