Paul Busti
Paul Busti was the Agent General of the Holland Land Company from 1799 until his death in 1824. As administrator of the Holland Land Company, Busti was responsible for the economic, political, and social development of large areas of central and western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.
Busti was also known as Paulus Busti and Paolo Busti.
Early life
Busti was born in Monza. He was the son of Giulio Cesare Busti, a Milanese banker, and Marianna Zappa and was baptized Pauolo Ignatio Gerardo Maria Busti. Busti grew up in Milan and received a "liberal education" during the Italian Enlightenment led by Cesare Beccaria, Paolo Frisi and Roger Boscovich and the culture of Il Caffè. Busti spoke and wrote in several languages.Career
From 1771, he was sent to Amsterdam, working in his uncle's counting house. He lived at Herengracht 455 and 619. In 1797 he moved to the United States.Busti was named Agent General of the Holland Land Company following the departure of Theophilus Cazenove in 1799. Busti supervised resident land agents located in Barneveld, New York, Cazenovia, New York, Batavia, New York and Meadville, Pennsylvania. Busti approved the establishment by Joseph Ellicott of the Holland Land Company Office in Batavia, New York, In 1802 Harm Jan Huidekoper transferred to Philadelphia to become his assistant. Busti dealt with Robert Morris, Aaron Burr, John Dunlap and Alexander Hamilton. Busti kept a diary and as a farmer he made notes about improving agriculture, and the weather. Twice Busti visited Western New York during his twenty-four years as leadership. There he met with Francois Adriaan van der Kemp, and John Lincklaen.