Fearless Females Blog Post: March 30 ~ "Paddle Your Own Canoe"

Mattie Leighton
My Grandmother
circa 1925


And, written in my Great Aunt Beck's autograph book that same year by her mother,
my great grandmother, Melvina Hamilton Bustin:



Love many
Trust fun
And always
Paddle your own canoe

Lisa Alzo of  The Accidental Genealogist blog is presenting her Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month series in honor of National Women’s History Month.

Fearless Females Blog Post: March 29 ~ A Genealogy Trading Card of Aunt Beck

Female Ancestor Trading Card made at Big Huge Labs.


Lisa Alzo of  The Accidental Genealogist blog is presenting her Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month series in honor of National Women’s History Month.

Fearless Females Blog Post: March 8 ~ A Letter of Condolence

This letter was written to my great grandmother (Aunt Vina) by her niece Anna, following the death of her daughter Vesta in 1964.  It expressed her heartfelt sympathy to her aunt and uncle on the passing of their only daughter at age 56.

In these words, I hear the strong, resilient spirit of the women from “down home,” “Down East,” from whom I am descended. The unwavering determination to face all of life’s trials with courage and faith, and a philosophy about death that allows you to continue on with the living - traits I have seen exhibited many times in the women of my family.  We have endured the passing of two members of my family tree since the beginnings of this blog. Anna’s words echo through the years, offering comfort, understanding, and love.

Vina outlived her daughter Vesta by 10 years. Anna, a year older than Vesta, died in 1986, at the age of 89.




Lisa Alzo of  The Accidental Genealogist blog is presenting her Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month series in honor of National Women’s History Month.

“Children Are the Hands” -- Wordless Wednesday

Flora Vesta, Suther Ross (my grandfather),

and Marvin Howard Bustin,

ca.1911

Portland, Maine

"Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven"

~ Henry Ward Beecher

Those Places Thursday - Aunt Beck and Van on Deer Island, New Brunswick

On July 25th, 1932, Flora Vesta Bustin, always known as Beck, the oldest child and only daughter of Fred and Melvina Bustin, married Vanstone Tewksbury in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  A reception was held a week later at her parents' home, in what was then known as the Woodfords District of Portland:

They soon made plans to start their married life down east on Deer Island (Van's birthplace), at the entrance to Passamaquoddy Bay, between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada.  It is a ferry boat ride from Eastport, Maine out to the Islands.

Mr. and Mrs. Vanstone R. Tewksbury

 " Mr. and Mrs. Tewksbury (Miss Vesta Bustin) whose marriage took place July 25th, at Portsmouth, N.H., left this morning for their new home at Deer Island, New Brunswick.  They have been the guests for the past week of Mrs. Tewksbury's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Bustin, 815 Stevens Avenue, and have been pleasantly entertained at several attractive affairs."

Deer Island, just north of the "bump" in the yellow border line

A couple of picture postcards that Beck sent to her mother 

on the way back to Deer Island,

 after trips to Portland (1951 and 1952)

Later in their marriage, the couple moved to Portland, where, over the years, their marriage slowly deteriorated.  My grandfather, Beck's brother Ross, frequently had to retrieve Van from The Brass Rail Tavern in Morrills Corner. They divorced, leaving no children, after nearly 30 years.  Shortly thereafter, Beck succumbed to cancer in 1964, at the age of 56.

Beck and Van early in their marriage

Happy 90th Birthday Aunt Ruth !!

My great aunt, Ruth Spring Bustin, turns 90 tomorrow. I love this picture, taken about 1951 or so, because I can identify, from memory, so many gathered on the front steps of 827 Stevens Ave.

Ruth is in the front in the light dress, a young mother then, since Pap is holding Norm in his arms. Also in the group are Vina, Flora Bustin (Lawrence's wife), Vesta Bustin (Fred and Vina's daughter), Arletta Curran (Pap's niece), and Laurine Bustin (Lawrence and Flora's daughter).

Treasure Chest Thursday - Aunt Beck's Autograph Book 1925

Among the many treasures handed on to me is this autograph book belonging to my Great Aunt Beck. Born Flora Vesta Bustin (1907-1964), she was Fred and Vina's oldest child, the only daughter of four children. This book, with entries mostly dated 1925, contains many gems, favorite rhymes of the time. She would have been about 18 years old when she passed this around (high school graduation time perhaps), and obviously was dearly loved by her large family and close friends. I remember her from my childhood, and know she was very dear to my mother's heart.

This entry is from her younger brother Lawrence (whom I knew as Uncle Laurie):


"May 11, 1925
Oh may your virtue
ever spread
Like butter on
hot gingerbread


Lawrence Bustin
D.J.H.S. (Deering Junior High School)"

And here, faintly, is a bit of wisdom from her mother:


"May 3rd 1925
Dear Vesta
Love many
Trust fun
And always
Paddle your own
canoe.
from your Mother"