Ukrainian Heritage
With a little research (very little, actually), we were able to trace Will Bott’s ancestors to a little-recognized historical event. Will’s 17x grandmother, Babusia Bott traveled from Ukraine to Varenyky Bay, Rhode Island in 1616 (4 years before the Mayflower). The journey was unique in that the three sailing vessels were made entirely of twine.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wlbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/utwine__0003.jpg?resize=580%2C580&ssl=1)
Babusia Bott was the first person to present Pocahontas with the Gift of Twine.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wlbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/utwine_02_0012.jpg?resize=580%2C580&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wlbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/utwine_02_0011.jpg?resize=580%2C580&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wlbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/utwine_02_0010_01.jpg?resize=580%2C580&ssl=1)
Babusia was accompanied by her four sons and their wives and sixteen children. The US Bott census went from zero to twenty five over night.
Legacy
Paintings of Babusia Bott can be found at the National Portrait Museum in Washington D.C.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wlbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/utwine_02_0004.jpg?resize=580%2C580&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wlbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/utwine_02_0002.jpg?resize=580%2C580&ssl=1)
…. and at the National Landscape Museum.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wlbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/utwine_02_0006-Copy.jpg?resize=512%2C421&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wlbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/utwine_02_0001.jpg?resize=580%2C331&ssl=1)