BUTLER, John - Putnam

JOHN BUTLER, deceased, an early settler of Putnam County, was born in Virginia, January 25, 1791, a son of charles and Frances Butler. He came to this county in 1826, locating in the wild woods on Big Walnut Creek, where he lived until 1843, then removed to the section 35, Greencastle Township, where he passed the remainder of his life. His death occurred October 9, 1854. He was married to Fleming County, Kentucky, May 17, 1825, to Miss Hannah Smith, daughter of John and Mary Smith. She was born in Kentucky May 25, 1802. Mr. and Mrs. Butler had nine children, of whom six are living--Margaret, John T., Mary, Joseph, Owen, William F. and Emily. The deceased are--James H., Charles and Frances C. Margaret married Pleasant F. Johnson; Joseph married Angline Owen, and to them have been born ten children--Elza F., Daniel P., John W., Oscar, Izora Alva, Rosa, Verna, Jessie and Ramen. William married Melissa Paris, and they have had eleven children--Charles E., Laura E, Mary E., Serelda J., John A., Frank E., Stella A., Minnie, an infant, deceased, Bessie and Susie. Emily married George Paris, and has two children--Flora B. and Hannah E.,; Joseph's daughter, Elza F., married William O'Conner, and has two children--Evert C. and Noah.  Emily's daughter Hannah married Joseph S. Albee, and has three children--Leota M., Thomas F. and Edgar L. At his death Mr. Butler left his family a valuable farm of 160 acres, which was the accumulation of a life in industry and perseverance. He was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and had officiated as a class-leader. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, for which service his widow now receives a pension. He was a kind and loving father, an indulgent husband, and esteemed by all who knew him.  In his death the community lost a good and worthy citizen and pioneer. His widow resides on the homestead and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. We quote the following from the Greencastle Star-Press: "The relatives and friends of Mrs. Hannah Butler, who has resided in Greencastle Township more than sixty years, celebrated her eighty-fourth birthday on May 23, by calling and spending the day with her. Notwithstanding her great age, Mrs. Butler was in quite excellent health and spirits, and happy to receive her friends and neighbors, and pass with them a pleasant day, of which she and her were the objects of peculiar interest. Five of her children, eleven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild were present; one son and his family were unavoidably absent. At noon an excellent table was spread, which eighty-six guests who tested it can testify, added materially to the pleasures of the day.  The afternoon was spent in social converse, the singing of hymns and songs, such as the hostess in youth and age has ever loved, and reminiscences of the "long, long ago." Dr. Stevenson, himself eight-three years old and a friend of Mrs. Butler for more than sixty years, and other friends of fifty and fifty years, were there, as well as others who had enjoyed her friendship their entire lives. Of all these none had other than pleasant memories of their kind hostess. Her faults, if any she ever had, were all forgotten, but each one present could recall her kind and motherly deeds as friend, neighbor and associate. Mrs. Butler was herself, with her pleasant smiles and kind greetings to every one, and when at evening, the guests took their homeward way, the only regret they could feel was that so innocent and useful a life could ever grow old. But how pleasant to Mrs. Butler it must be in her age to know that her life has not only merited, but secured to her the love and esteem of so many and so long tried neighbors and associates."