Trunk of early Nelson settler, who donated church land, returned to St. Paul's

A trunk that once belonged to the man who donated land for St. Paul's Presbyterian Church has come full circle.

The Burlington Historical Society donated the artifact to St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church on Monday.

The small leather trunk,which belonged to Gilbert Tice Bastedo, is in remarkably good shape. Gilbert Bastedo was an early settler in Nelson in 1806; he donated the land for a cemetery and church.

The Gilbert Tice Bastedo Legacy

Gilbert Tice Bastedo was born in 1775 in Schenectady, NY and came to Canada as a young man. 

In 1806, he was one of the earliest settlers in Nelson "on a forest farm on what was Dundas Street - a street in name only."  His land was south of Dundas Street, west of Walker’s Line. During the War of 1812, he was a private. He served on four separate occasions for a total of 68 days.

The family were devout Presbyterians who hosted missionary worship services in their home for many years. In 1817 Gilbert gave land for a cemetery and, in 1822, land for a church – the old St. Paul's Presbyterian Church on Dundas Street. Gilbert was one of the first three elders of this church and served as an elder for more than 40 years.

At his death on Feb. 8, 1865, at the age of 84, it was reported that "six sons, six daughters, 32 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren had passed under his patriarchal blessing."  He is buried in St Paul’s Presbyterian Cemetery, along with his wife Marion.

In May 2021, more than 150 years after Gilbert’s death in Nelson Township, a woman died in Montreal. Her name was Shirley Stikeman (nee McCall).  Shirley’s great-great grandfather was Gilbert Tice Bastedo. In Shirley’s possession was the family artifact, passed down through the family; when her estate was being settled BHS was contacted regarding the small leather trunk. Prominent on the top are the initials GB.

Church members said they plan to keep the trunk in a prominent spot, alongside some of the original church's chairs that had been rescued from fire at the previous Dundas Street location.

~ With files from Jennifer Kemp, Burlington Historical Society