K.P. Kollenborn

Summary: What began as genealogical research into the Buster family turns into an account of the American story from the Revolutionary War to the present.

It began as a genealogy project by the author to trace her family roots in the Buster Clan. From the first generation of William Buster, she traced 3,380 who carried the name and estimated over 100,000 descendants. As she traced the migration of subsequent generations from their Virginia roots to Kentucky, Missouri, Texas, and to California and learned their stories, she recognized that this family story was the American story in microcosm.

William arrived from Northern Ireland as an indentured servant on a tobacco plantation, completed his indenture and married and migrated to the Shenandoah Valley. Intermarrying with the Wood’s clan, one son fled to the Carolinas and four served in Revolutionary War militias. After the war, they established comfortable livings as farmers. In the third generation, Joshua would migrate to Kentucky, become a general in the War of 1812, fighting along with Anthony Wayne, and a senator.

Living in the South, the history of the Busters was the history of slaveholding, as well as slaves who were given the family name, including Garret, a racially mixed servant of Joshua, eventually being permitted to purchase his freedom. It is fascinating how many Busters are named Claudius, including one who joined Stephen Austin’s migration to Texas, fighting in the Mexican-American War. Other Busters were part of the gold rush, mostly unsuccessful. Another Buster descendent was the product of intermarriage with the Chickasaw fought to represent Native American interests. George Washington Buster, meanwhile, was at work creating the Greenbriar Spa, with sulfur waters reputed to have healing powers.

Of course, a number of Busters fought for the South in the Civil War, and some, in border states remained loyal. In Missouri, they were divided. They sought to reconstruct themselves after the war. Some became cattle drovers. They contended with or went along with the rise of Jim Crow and the Klan. Others migrated to the mining towns of Colorado. There were Busters among the Texas rangers. Another, a descendant of slaves started an automobile company. Busters fought in World War I and returned with shell shock. During the depression, Floyd, who was deaf, would play professional baseball while his brother Budd became an actor in the burgeoning film industry. The story of post-World War II is the advance of Buster women as teachers, doctors, and even a governor! In the latter half of the twentieth century, a Buster led research on in vitro fertilization, another, Bobette, in research on the film industry, and Kendall in the area of sculpture.

Busters fought in every American war, represented different sides in our most fraught internal struggles, helped push the nation westward and contributed to education, film, scientific research, government and politics, and the arts. Kollenborn’s tracing of the lineage and their representative stories makes her case that these three hundred years of a family’s story is in fact the story of America.

The one thing that would have been helpful, given how many Busters there are and all the different branches of the family would be to have some genealogical chart or system for keeping it all straight–who was related to whom. You know how it is when you hear a large extended family talking about their relations–aunts, uncles, nephews, great grandparents, first and second cousins. You may get it if you are part of the family. Otherwise you just nod your head.

Kollenborn’s basic idea is fascinating–to see how a family can tell something of a nation’s story in miniature, including all the fraught details. She skillfully links family, local, and cultural, and national history together in a fascinating narrative. And she makes you wonder if you could do this with your family.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from BookSirens… (altro)

Favourite location / setting … In the introduction of the third chapter when Jim's daily activities are described and it ends with so little hope, the scene reaches out to you because you sense his desolation and you truly appreciate the freedom that we have nowadays.

Favourite scene …. When suicide is described as a worthy sacrifice. This was an eye-opener for me because I learnt something new about a different culture.

Favourite quote … "Then fight for your family's honour". This quote wasn't just about family. It was about trust, loyalty and motivation all rolled into a power scene.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.… (altro)