A
History and Story of Botsford
by W. M. Burns
Mum had spent several hours over the
Easter weekend reviewing my Social Studies notes on New Brunswick and
drilling
me on the counties and their shiretowns in preparation for a test.
When the teacher rolled up the map that covered the questions on the
blackboard, I saw the first question was an easy one. “Is
Westmorland County in the west or east of New Brunswick?”
I quickly wrote ‘west’ as the county’s name started with “west”.
When the test was returned, I was stunned to find my answer had a big
red X after it.
In 1933, W. M. Burns set on an undertaking to place before the
public some facts concerning the Parish of Botsford, Westmorland County
with the idea to establish a guide post that might aid someone in the
future to write a more complete historical sketch.
He felt that someone should collect the facts about the early days of
the parish. The result was his “A History and Story of
Botsford” - a publication of one hundred and six pages of
information on fishing, travel to Prince Edward Island, entertainment,
churches, ministers and much more.
To the family researcher, the fifty-five pages of information on some
of the original families is a fountain of knowledge that would probably
be
difficult to find now - seventy years later.
The first Allen in connection with the early settlement of Botsford,
was Benjamin, a Scotchman born in 1735. He came with the Loyalists to
Fort Cumberland and married a Miss Somers. He died on 14 April 1823 at
age eighty-eight
years. Details are given on the next two generations of the family.
John Cadman came from the north of Ireland and in 1826, he secured a
grant of land. His wife was Anne Robinson.
Around 1800 or earlier, Thomas Joyce arrived at Point de Bute from
Waterford, Ireland. He married Elizabeth Ryan, of Loyalist stock who
was able to trace her lineage back to Irish nobility.
James Main came from Langholm, Dumfresshire. With him he brought the
works and wood to build a nine-foot clock. One hundred and five years
later it
was still standing in the home of one of his descendants. He was
a
mill owner and had the misfortune to lose his right arm in a mill
accident.
John McGlashing immigrated from Scotland in 1810, destined for the
Miramichi. The vessel on which he came was wrecked on the North Reef of
Prince Edward Island, so he landed at Cape Tormentine. His wife was a
Miss Seaman of Nova Scotia. They raised a family of five sons and two
daughters.
Daniel Savage was one of the earliest settlers on the Emigrant Road.
His family consisted of three sons and four daughters.
In 1855, Alexander Scrimgeour and his wife Martha Shaw left their home
in Forfarshire, Scotland. Their grandson, the Rev. J. A.
Scrimgeour
became the Principal of the Theological Training School at San
Fernando,
Trinidad.
“A History and Story of Botsford” by W. M. Burns is
available for viewing at the Archives & Research Library of the New
Brunswick
Museum in Saint John, Provincial Archives of New Brunswick in
Fredericton,
Libraries in Sackville, Moncton and Fredericton. Also at the Moncton
Library
is an Index that was compiled by Glenn B. Ray.
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No Queries were published this week.
