A brief history on the Band Of Botsford    
Who we are and where we came from.

On Wednesday, October 18, 1905, Charles Woodruff Woolley, Senior, aged 82 years, gathered at his home in Buffalo, NY, a group of people who were descendants of Henry and Elizabeth Botsford of Milford, Connecticut, 1639. Why Mr. Woolley chose the Botsford lineage for the formation of his family group was not explained, except that he had great admiration for his Botsford forebears.

The group was organized under the name "Band of Botsford" with a Senior Patriarch, Junior Patriarch, and a Secretary-Treasurer, all to the oldest living members tohold office for life. Mr. Woolley was chosen first Senior Patriarch, Charles E. Botsford of Springville, NY, was Junior Patriarch and Sue Dana Woolley was chosen Secretary-Treasurer. Letters from absent kinsmen werre read and the coat of arms used by a branch of the Botsford family was adopted, bearing the motto "Digna Sequens", seeking the things that are worthwhile. Annual gatherings were held at the home of the Senior Patriarch up to the time of his death.

After the death of Mr. Woolley, the annual gatherings were held at Milford, Connecticut, at the site of the homestead. On August 10, 1920, the 15th anniversary of the Band of Botsfords took place at the Homestead in Milford, which sits upon land that belonged to Henry and Elizabeth Botsford (1639) of England, Pioneer Planters of Milford, Connecticut. It was in 1921 that the Botsford Family Historical Association was formed and a President, Vice-Presdient, Secretary and Treasurer were elected.

In 1953,the Homestead became the property of the Botsford Family Historical Association, and it seems safe to assume that it has been continuously owned by a lineage of Botsford ancestors since 1639.

This is a picture of the Botsford Homestead in Milford, Connecticut.













Chalgrave, England



This is the church where the history of the Botsfords began. Check our links page for directions to the Chalgrave Church, Bedfordshire, England.

Extensive research of our "English Roots" was done by Otis Marble Botsford in his publication called "Origins of the Botsford Family", a supplement to "An American Family" (1933)Otis Marble Botsford, Winona, Minnesota 1937, and later by Dr. Eli Herbert Botsford and his sister, Mary Rawson Botsford. Their efforts centered upon the southern shires of England, where a majority of the Milford Pioneers originated, but gave very meager results. Then, it was discovered that Chalgrave Parish in Bedfordshire, tucked in between Buckingham and Hertford was the real hive from which the American branch had swarmed. (a detailed historical account can be found in our genealogies.)





How Did we get here

Don't you just wonder sometimes

The Botsfords first came from Bedfordshire, England where they lived in the Parish of Chalgrave.








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