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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