Pierce (Mease) Butler (1810 - 1867)

Born 23 Mar 1810 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 16 Sep 1867 at age 57 in Darien, McIntosh County, Georgia, USA

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Biography

Pierce Mease Butler was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 23 Mar 1810 to James Mease and Sarah Butler. His surname changed to Butler after the death of his maternal grandfather, Pierce Butler in 1822. He and his brothers inherited a portion of their grandfather's estate provided that they change their surnames to Butler.

He married Fannie Kremble: "Well-known British actress Frances Anne (Fanny) Kemble (1809-1893) in Philadelphia (pictured at right). Fanny was born in London from one of England’s most well-known family of actors. She reluctantly took the stage to save her family from financial ruin and was an immediate success. During an acting tour of the U.S. in 1832, she met Pierce, one of her most ardent admirers...." ^[1]

"Married Pierce (Mease) Butler, they later divorced, disagreeing on the issue of slavery, and she wrote a book about the poor slave conditions at the Butler plantations..." ^[2]

"The Great Slave Auction (also called The Weeping Time) in March 1859 is regarded as the largest sale of enslaved people before the American Civil War. To satisfy significant debts, absentee owner and Philadelphian Pierce Mease Butler, authorized the sale of approximately 436 men, women, children, and infants to be sold over the course of two days at the Ten Broeck Race Course, two miles outside of Savannah, Georgia." ^[3]

Slaves

• List of Slaves
• Weeping Time List of Slaves

Pierce Butler's estate passed probate in 1888.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Historical Society of Pennsylvannia: 'Wealthy Philadelphian and Georgia plantation owner Pierce (Mease) Bulter married a famous British actress in 1834. What was her name?'; 2011."
2. ↑ "The Weeping Time', by Jason Skog; Capstone; USA; 2008, p. 45."
3. ↑ "Wikipedia: 'The Great Slave Auction'"
4. ↑ Probate: "Georgia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992"
   Wills, 1775-1927; Author: Georgia. Court of Ordinary (Chatham County); Probate Place: Chatham, Georgia
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8635 #108783 (accessed 3 December 2022)
   Pierce Butler probate.

• "The Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Wister and Butler Families Papers', 1962."

• "Wikipedia: [Grandfather 'Pierce Butler'"]

• "Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839", by Fanny Kemble; New York; Harper and Brothers; 1863. (Multiple formats at archive.org)

• "Find A Grave: 'Pierce Mease Butler'"