Bill Busteed arrayed a selection of his family’s historical documents on his table; he has crates more that were very well preserved in the attic of his family’s home. Photo by William Crooks
Knowlton man seeks preservation for family’s extensive historical documents
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Bill Busteed, a retired man living in Knowlton, is actively seeking a new home for his extensive collection of historical documents, some dating back to the 1700s. These documents chronicle the rich history of his family and their homestead on the Restigouche River in the Gaspé, which spans over two centuries.
“I’ve reached an age where the things I have need to be dispersed out,” said Busteed during a June 17 conversation with The Record at his home. “We don’t want to leave these things to the next generation.” Busteed, who has been living in Knowlton for 21 years, has been meticulously organizing his belongings, including a vast array of historical documents, in preparation for their transfer to a suitable repository.
Busteed’s family home, built in 1800, was a cornerstone of his family’s history. “My family built the home in 1800, and we lived in it for 209 years,” he said. However, located within the unceded territories of Listuguj Miꞌgmaq First Nation, the property was the subject of conflict, seen as a symbol of colonialism.
In 2009, Busteed sold the house and all the land to the Canadian government, and it was eventually transferred to Listuguj First Nation. “Rather than live there and go through conflict,” Busteed explained, “I decided to move back to Knowlton, where I felt very much at home.”
In sorting through his papers, Busteed discovered numerous historical documents that provide a window into his family’s past and the broader history of the region. One of the most notable items in his collection is a letter about Queen Victoria’s coronation in 1838. The letter, written by a young girl attending school in England (in exquisite handwriting), describes the grand procession and the unique spectacle of a printing press distributing verses about the Queen to the crowd.
“The procession on the coronation day was very grand,” the letter reads. “It was a gratifying sight to see all of the different trades walk in regular order and many of them working at the same time. For instance, the printing press was drawn through the town and the men were at work printing verses about the Queen which were distributed among the crowd.”
Among the other treasures is a detailed pedigree chart that traces his family’s history back to Ireland. His ancestors embarked on a journey aboard the ship “Hunter” on April 10, 1786, arriving in Quebec two months later. The documents also include correspondence from family members involved in significant historical events like the Papineau Rebellion in Quebec.
“One of the daughters was writing home to her parents who lived at the old homestead that some of their classmates had been arrested under the activity of the Papineau Rebellion and had appeared in court in Montreal,” Busteed recounted. “They had gone to the courthouse to support their classmates.”
The collection includes a variety of other significant documents, such as legal papers, receipts from shipping businesses, and letters dating back to 1832. “These were found in trunks in the attic when I went home in 1981,” Busteed explained. He meticulously preserved these papers, which he describes as numbering in the hundreds.
“Some of these letters were coming from Ireland,” Busteed said, pointing to an old letter addressed simply to “Thomas Busteed, Chaleur Bay, North America,” which successfully reached its destination from Cork, Ireland.
Busteed’s collection also highlights the close ties between New Brunswick and Quebec. He recounted how his family’s homestead, though located in Quebec, had stronger connections to New Brunswick. “I grew up in the house in Quebec but went to elementary school in New Brunswick,” he noted.
In 2008, after selling the family home and land, Busteed moved back to Knowlton. He had lived there previously from 1960 to 1981, working as a physical education teacher at the local high school, Massey-Vanier. He felt a strong connection to the area and chose to return to a community where he felt comfortable and welcomed.
Busteed mentioned receiving a letter from a historical group in Gaspé, expressing interest in his documents. “I have a place for them to go on the Gaspé,” Busteed confirmed. He has also considered the Campbellton area as a potential home for the documents, given its historical importance and proximity to the old homestead.
The collection also includes items linked to his grandfather’s brother, Edwin Botsford Busteed, who was an attorney in Montreal and a commanding officer of the Victoria Rifles of Canada. Busteed arranged for these artifacts to be housed temporarily at the Knowlton Museum until the McCord Stewart Museum in Montreal could accept them.
“One of my grandfather’s brothers was an attorney in Montreal from 1885 through 1910, and he was a commanding officer of a group called the Victoria Rifles of Canada,” Busteed explained. “These were big framed pictures at the old homestead, and I said they should go to the McCord Museum.”
Busteed’s family home, a heritage site, burned down in 2020. Despite this, Busteed remains committed to preserving his family’s legacy. “These documents represent a significant part of our history,” he emphasized. “It’s important they find a home where they will be appreciated and preserved.”
Busteed hopes that by finding a suitable repository for the documents, the rich history of his family and their homestead will continue to be appreciated and studied for years to come. For now, Busteed remains in Knowlton, sharing his family’s rich history with anyone interested in Canada’s past. His meticulous efforts to preserve and share these documents reflect his deep respect for his family’s legacy and the historical significance of their contributions to the region.