James Daniel Butler (1765 - 1838)

Born 1765 in Windsor County, Vermont, Province of New York

Ancestors

Husband of Polly (Swan) Butler — married 12 Feb 1801 in Weston, Windsor, Vermont, United States

Descendants

Died 3 Dec 1838 at about age 73 in Butler's Point, Catlin, Vermilion, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Catherine V [send private message]

This profile is part of the Butler Name Study.

Biography

James engaged in farming in Illinois.

James Daniel Butler was born 1765 in Windsor County, Vermont, which was, at that time, legally under the suzerainty of the English Province of New York, contested by the Province of New Hampshire (who called it "the New Hampshire Grants"). The matter was not settled when the American Revolution broke out and Vermont declared itself the independent "Vermont Republic" in 1777. Vermont remained an independent state until it joined the USA as the 14th American state in 1791.^[1] James was the son of Rev. Asaph Butler of Worcester County, Massachusetts, and his wife, Jennett McAllister.

On 12 February 1801, James D. Butler married Polly (Swan) Butler in Weston, Windsor County, Vermont. The couple had 7 children on their farm near Richmond, Chittenden County, Vermont, before migrating west, first to Clark County, Ohio, and then to Illinois.^[2]

James D. Butler passed away in December 1838 in Vermilion County, Illinois.

From: From History of Vermilion County:

"With the exception of those coming to the saltworks, probably James D. Butler was the first settler in his section of the country. Mr. Butler came directly from Clark County, Ohio, but he had lived in that state only six years so that he really came here a Vermonter in sentiment and habits. He was a native of Vermont, coming west from Chittenden County, Vermont, to Clark County, Ohio, in 1814. He left Ohio in the spring of 1820, and came to the point of timber which ran out into the prairie west of Catlin, and took up a claim. The land had not yet been surveyed by the government and put upon the market."

"Mr. Butler had friends come with him, neighbors from Ohio. They all put in crops and returned to Ohio in the fall, expecting to come back in the spring. Mr. Butler did come and brought his family with him, but the neighbors refused to come. They thought they had enough of the inconvenience of the new country. It took courage on the part of Mrs. Butler to come to her new home under circumstances such as these. True her husband was satisfied with conditions in the new country, but on the other hand the stories told by the others were very discouraging. But in the due course of time Mr. Butler and his family reached their new home and took possession of the cabin he had built for them the previous summer."

"His cabin was erected on the east side of the brook which is even yet known as Butler's branch and on the right hand side of the road going from Catlin to the old Fair Grounds. When Butler's family moved in they had as their nearest neighbors, Treat's family at the Salt Springs and to the south the newcomers since his return to Ohio, a man well known late in the county whose name was Henry Johnson. He had moved on the Little Vermilion in the early spring. Within a few years several families came to this neighborhood and Butler's Point became an important settlement and remained so for some time after the organization of Vermilion County. Near Butler's house there was a large oak tree, which had defied the prairie fires and all threats of wind and weather, which became a landmark and sentinel which guided travelers crossing the trackless plains to the south and west. It was called 'Butler's Lone Tree.'"

"Later Mr. Butler prospered and built him a fine house, locating it near the corner of the old Fair Grounds, at the northeast corner. This house was almost a mansion as compared with all the other cabins. The logs were square-hewn and the corners of the building cut even with the line of the wall. It was in this house that the first court of Vermilion County sat. Mr. Butler was a man of good business, possessed a practical mind and was conspicuous in the affairs of Vermilion County at an early day. He had the thrift and energy characteristic of one born and reared in Vermont, as well as possessing their courage."

"He spent the remainder of his life in Vermilion County at Butler's Point and when he died was buried in the enclosure since known as the Butler Burying Grounds. His wife was buried in the same burying grounds. James Butler and wife were the parents of four children, one son and three daughters. The son moved to Kansas, one daughter became the wife of her cousin by name of Butler, the second daughter ( [Butler-5448 | Annis Butler]] ) became the wife of Marcus Snow and later of Cyrus Douglas, and the third daughter became the wife of a Mr. Fielder and after the death of Mr. Coleman, and went west. The two daughters first mentioned were buried in the Butler burying ground."

1820 - James Butler was a Pioneer founder of Butler's Point, IL, later renamed Catlin, Illinois.

1822, he started the cemetery known as "God's Acre" as well as Butler Cemetery; this is reputed to be the earliest cemetery in the county.

1823, built the first grist mill in the area, a corn cracker

1826 - He was one of the first County Commissioners, the first 2 meetings being held in his home^[3].

1838 - 3 December: James L Butler passed away on his farm at Butler's Point (Catlin Township since 1834), Vermilion County, Illinois, USA. He was buried at God's Acre Cemetery, Catlin, Vermilion, Illinois, USA.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ See New Hampshire Grants article on Wikipedia and Vermont Republic article on Wikipedia.
2. ↑ See Swan-1197's profile for their children's information.
3. ↑ History of Vermilion County, Illinois
4. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #13780965

• Find A Grave: Memorial #13780965 - James D. Butler

Notes

There is a mistake in the inscription on the stone marking the burial place of James D. Butler and his wife Polly. The stone lists James Lewis Butler, James D.'s son, and his wife Maria. This is also noted in several documents of record in Vermilion County.