Updated November 2, 2006
Oldest known ancestor
William Butler - 1769 to 1842
William Butler - “William Butler, Sr.”
Born on Oct. 15, 1769 - location unknown - died in Mauch Chunk, PA July 5, 1842 Wife’s married name was Nancy Butler (born about 1782 - died Aug. 9, 1867).
William Butler moved to Mauch Chunk (Jim Thorpe), PA in 1826 - possibly from Lycoming County, PA Both died in Mauch Chunk, PA There are lots of Butlers in the Hazleton, PA area who are probably relatives, but I don’t have any direct information.
Robert Q. Butler (Born on Feb. 3, 1816 and died on May 5, 1894 in Trinidad, CO) was one of the sons of William Butler.
He married Louise C. Clemmons (Alternately referred to as Lousia Arcelli Clemons).
Of significance, the marriage was on 12/28/1854 in Litchfield, CT. Thus Robert Butler who had been living in Mauch Chunk, PA went back to Litchfield, CT to marry Louise Clemmons and then both returned to Mauch Chunk, PA. My assumption is that there are Butler connections in Litchfield, CT.
Edgar Twining Butler was one of the sons of Robert Q. Butler. He was born Oct 3, 1869 in Mauch Chunk, PA and died in the 1930’s in Denver, CO. His last street address in Denver was 271 S. Emerson Street. Edgar Butler married Kathrine Perlot about 1902.
Edgar Butler had two sons, Lansford and William J. Butler. William J. Butler (my father) was born in Denver, CO on Dec. 6, 1908 and died in Greenville, RI on June 9, 2001.
I am one of the sons of William J. Butler. I was born in Pawtucket, RI on Jan. 13, 1939 and am currently living in Durango, CO.
Update as of March 13, 2006
My father’s name was William J. Butler. He was born in Denver, CO in Dec. 1908. He also had one brother (Lansford Butler) who spent his entire life in Denver. Both have passed away. My father moved back to the east coast during the 1930’s, and I was born in Rhode Island in 1939.
My father and his brother were the sons of Edgar Twining Butler and Kathryn P. Perlot. (Source: My old baby book) I don’t have a birth date for either one, but my best guess for Edgar Butler’s birth year would be 1860 to 1875 (see below for source estimates) and probably in or near the Mauch Chunk, PA area. (Eastern Pennsylvania) Edgar Butler left the Mauch Chunk area and the rest of the Pennsylvania Butlers “to seek his fortune in the Colorado gold mines”. He had several small mines but nothing of consequence.
My brother Richard Butler has several old books that directly connect Edgar Butler to Mauch Chunk in the late 1870’s. First, he has an old family Bible with the following inscription: “to Edgar T. Butler, from Mrs. Chas Albright, March 29, 1878, Mauch Chunk”. (The Chas. Albright is General Charles Albright.) The second book is an old copy of Robinson Caruso that has inscription of “Edgar T. Butler - Christmas 1877”. The third book is a copy of the Iliad (Homer) that was checked out of the “Minerva Lyceum” Library and apparently was never returned. The “Minerva Lyceum” library existed in Mauch Chunk. (see http://www.jttoday.com/2005/2005-01/DimmickLibrary/DimmickLibrary.html) The book also has a penciled inscription “E. T. Butler”.
In turn, according to an old baby book that I have, Edgar Butler was the son of Robert Q. Butler and Louise C. Clemmons. (Also listed as Louisa in the Mauch Chunk cemetery listing.) From what I remember about family history, it seems highly probable (but not guaranteed) that this is the same Robert Q. Butler that is reported in a Mauch Chunk (Mauch Chunk has been renamed to Jim Thorp) history posted on the web at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~carbdat/m&h/mchist.htm
The Mauch Chunk cemetery lists Robert Q. Butler as born on Feb. 3, 1816 and died on May 5, 1894. (Source http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mccem/b7.htm) The Mauch Chunk cemetery lists a Douglas Butler as another son of Robert Q. Butler. The cemetery also lists a Robert Clemons Butler as another son of Robert Q. Butler.
Robert Q. Butler’s father was William Butler who moved to Mauch Chunk in 1826 (possibly from Lycoming County) and died in 1842. (Age at death listed at 72.) The Mauch Chunk article states that he had a large family that included Joseph Butler (oldest son), William Butler (a son of this senior William Butler), Robert Q. Butler (probably my great grandfather), Alexander W. Butler, an unnamed daughter, and probably other children. Much of the Mauch Chunk article deals with this younger William Butler who would be a brother of my great grandfather Robert Q. Butler.
In 1955 my family got together for a large Butler family reunion somewhere in eastern Pennsylvania. (Probably near but not necessarily in Mauch Chunk.) I remember very little about this reunion, but I do remember that we had 5 Bill Butlers in the same room at one time. I also remember that the Butler family was active in the coal industry and probably owned some of the coal or related foundry businesses. It seems probable that this family reunion had a common ancestor in the William Butler that moved to Mauch Chunk in 1826.
It was during this family reunion that someone gave a walking cane with an inscription of Robert L. Butler to my parents as one of my brothers is Robert Butler, and he was the only Robert Butler left in the family. It is possible the “L” was the initial for a Robert Lafayette Butler, but you shouldn’t rely on this.
Both of my parents have passed away. Also a diary that my mother kept has long since been thrown out. The walking cane with the Robert L. Butler inscription disappeared during a family move in 1963. I’ve checked with my two brothers and sister to see if they can remember anything else, but no luck. I’ve tried checking “Edgar Butler” and “Robert Q Butler” on the internet (including reordering first and last names), but except for the Mauch Chunk information, everything has come up a dead end.