George Cadwell Butler Jr. (1760 - 1822)

Born 21 May 1760 in Hartford, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Esther Clark (Claxton) Butler — married about 1784 in Bermuda

Husband of Frances (Claxton) Butler — married 21 Feb 1801 in Nassau, Bahamas

Husband of Elizabeth (Unknown) Camplejohn — married 25 Mar 1820 in Nassau, Bahamas

Descendants

Died 29 Dec 1822 at age 62 in The Hermitage, Exuma, Bahamas

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George Butler Jr. is Notable.

George Butler Jr. is part of a Bahamian family.

Biography

George Cadwell Butler Jr. was born in 1760 in Hartford, Connecticut to George Cadwell Butler Sr. and Mary Nichols Butler.

He married three times: first, in 1784, to Esther Clark Claxton; second, in 1801, to Esther's sister, Frances Claxton; and third, in 1820, to Mrs. Elizabeth Campey or Camplejohn.

George Butler, a prosperous merchant, passed away in 1822 at the home of his friend Henderson Ferguson at The Hermitage, Exuma, Bahamas. He was buried in the cemetery on the Ferguson plantation, which is now a Bahamas Heritage site. His tombstone reads:

"SACRED to the memory of GEORGE BUTLER a native of Hartfort, CT in the U. S & 33 years a resident of Nassau, NP, who departed this life on the 29th day of Dec. 1822 at the residence of his friend HENDERSON FERGUSON Esq. Aged 63 years."

Will of George Butler:

"In the name of God, Amen.

I, George Butler of the Island of New Providence, Merchant, being of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding, do make publish and declare this my last will and testament, revoking all other wills heretofore made by me. (words missing) My release of my executors herein named and devised as hereafter mentioned (words missing in photocopy)…..is to say,

First I give devise and bequeath unto my Wife Elizabeth in lieu of all Right of Dower the life Rent use and possession of the House I now occupy at the Corner of George and King Street with the out Buildings in the yard and Stores adjoining thereto. Also the life Rent use and possession of the Bed linen, Household Furniture, Plate, and Horse and Chaise, which I may die possessed of and the sum of Two Hundred Pounds Bahama Currency to be paid annually, half yearly, or quarterly, at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named. I give her also(? word cut off) the Hire Wages of profits arising from Ten of my Negro Slaves, Names Nancy, Nelly, John, Patrick, Auber_, __inda, Dick, Jim, ama___ and Will Cussans a House carpenter during her Natural Life. Also I give to her at her own disposal all property both Real and personal which I may or have recieved (sic) by reason of my intermarriage with her.

Secondly I do give devise and bequeath unto James Robert Gibson if living at the time of my decease, or if Dead leaving Lawful Issue, my House and lot in Queen Street Number ninety, also Two Negro Slaves called and known by the names of Little Will and Israel together with 400 pounds Bahama currency to be paid to him by my executor hereinafter named.

Thirdly, I do give, devise and bequeath to Georgiana Barton, my granddaughter, if living at the time of my decease, or if Dead leaving lawful issue, a Negro Female Slave called and known by the name of Nancy, together with her Infant Son, named William and her future Issue and Increase also give her Two Thousand pounds Bahama Currency to be paid by my Executors hereinafter named.

Fourthly, I give, devise and bequeath unto my Two Sisters in Hartford, State of Connecticut, New England, named Polly and Anna Butler, if living at the time of my decease, the sum of One Hundred pounds Bahama currency, each, as a gift from me to be paid to them by my executors, hereinafter named.

Fifthly, I give, devise and bequeath unto my brother, Richard Butler, if living at the time of my decease, all income and profits arising from a Tract of Land and Mills in the State of Connecticut, New England, now occupied by himself, and to appropriate the same to his own use for and during his natural life, and at his decease the said property be taken possession of by my executors, hereinafter named.

Sixthly, It is my will, and I do hereby order and direct that my Funded property at the time of my decease, whether in Great Britain or United States of America, that the same shall not be sold out or disposed of until my youngest child living, a minor, is of age or lawfully married, but he dividends accruing thereon to be received (sic) by my Executors hereinafter named and apropriated (sic) in the maintenance of my Children then minors. But on their becoming of mature age the principal is to be divided in a general division as hereinafter mentioned.

Seventhly, I direct all my property not particularly Willed or reserved to be disposed of soon after my decease by my Executors hereinafter named and divided as hereafter mentioned –

Eighthly, I give, devise and bequeath unto Six of my Children, if living at my decease, or if Dead leaving lawful issue, named Welthea, Edward James Tobias, Anna Maria Frances, Norman William Henderson, Almira and Adeline Edeth (sic), Twelve Hundred pounds Bahama currency each, and to be paid to each of them by my Executors, hereinafter named, to put them on a footing with my son, Robert, who has received that sum already.

Ninthly, It is my express Will and desire that all demands standing in my Books against my Children or either of them at the time of my decease to be cancelled and rendered Null and void –

Tenthly, I give, devise and bequeath all my property, both Real and personal, that I may own or possess at the time of my decease and whatsoever situated, the legacies before named, if payable being first paid, to all my children Named, Robert, Welthea, Edward James Tobias, Anna Maria Frances, Norman William Henderson, Almira and Adeline Edeth, to be equally divided, share and share alike. Should any of my children above named being minors at my Decease Die before Twenty one years of age and without Lawful Issue, such Share or Shares to go to the other Surviving Children share and share alike.

Eleventhly, I do hereby declare it to be my express Will and intention that in case I have any other Child or Children borne of the present or any future Marriage, that such child or Children shall be placed exactly on equal footing in all respects with my other Children above named – . Lastly, I do hereby constitute, nominate and appoint my three sons, Robert, Edward James Tobias, Norman William Henderson and the Survivors or Survivor of them, Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and guardians of the persons and Estates of such of my children as may be minors at the time of my Death.

In witness thereof, I, the said George Butler, have hereunto set my hand and seal this First day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Twenty.

George Butler

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto:

Peter Nimms, Witness James Macfie, Witness John Thompson, Witness

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Sources

Descendants of Samuel (Deacon) Butler.

Christ Church, Nassau, Bahamas Marriage Records, page 75.

"John Claxton & His Family.." edited by Emily Claxton, 1968.

Pennsylvania, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1800-1962 for George Butler M425 - Philadelphia, 1800-1882, 030.

PASSENGER ARRIVALS, 1819-1820, A TRANSCRIPT OF THE LIST OF PASSENGERS WHO ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES FROM THE 1ST OCTOBER 1819, TO THE 30TH SEPTEMBER, 1820. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Co., Inc., 2000. 342p.

Slave Registers of former British Colonial Dependencies, 1813-1834, Bahamas 1822, page 523. Return of 172 slaves the property of George Butler of NP, merchant. Slaves employed in Eleuthera, Nassau, and Rum Cay.

The Charles R. Hale Collection. Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions. Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library. Connecticut Newspaper Notices, Volume 27, February 11, 1823.

Copy of will provided by the National Archives of the Bahamas, Recorded Book L/3, page 254.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 February 2019), memorial page for George Butler (21 May 1759–29 Dec 1822), Find A Grave Memorial no. 127067171, citing Hermitage Tombs, George Town, Exuma, Bahamas ; Maintained by AMC (contributor 47368345) .

Research Notes

The following hypothesis is under investigation: A man named "George Butler" owned a slave named "Sarah Barnett" who was manumitted in 1831.

Former British Colonial Dependenices Slave Registers on Ancestry lists no. 191 as Sarah Barnett age about 25 on a 1831 list of the Enslaved of George Butler, late of New Providence. George Butler had passed away in 1822, prior to the manumission date.

We have no proof that George Butler had any connection to this manumission record, but so far not enough evidence has been discovered to exclude this possibility.

A closely related hypothesis is that "Sary" Barnett is a nickname for "Sarah Barnett." Sary's age matches the manumission reference, b. about 1806. More research is needed to clarify the relationship, if any, of George and Sary.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Ann Carmel for creating Butler-4801 on 13 Aug 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Ann and others.