Butler, William A

Birth Name Butler, William A
Gender male
Age at Death 68 years, 2 months, 18 days

Narrative

William A. Butler, son of Samuel, was born on September 5, 1863 at Cambridge, England. He died on October 23, 1931 at Kearney, Nebraska at the age of sixty-eight years, one month and eighteen days. He was buried on October 25, 1931 in Highland Park Cemetery at Ravenna, Nebraska. On November 9, 1937 his remains were removed to the Kearney City Cemetery at Kearney, Nebraska. It appears that William arrived in America with his father Samuel, and brother, Richard, on March 20, 1880 aboard the steamship Hecla, which left Liverpool, England on March 6 1880. On July 30, 1886, he moved to Nebraska settling in the area of Ravenna. He first worked as a section hand for the Union-Pacific Railroad. He then turned to farming, purchasing land on July 16, 1897 from Jeremiah and Malissa Trawney. This parcel of land was described as:

"West half (1/2) of the North East Quarter (1/4) and the East half (1/2) of the North West Quarter (1/4) of Section Twenty-six (26) Township Twelve (12) Range Fourteen (14) West of the 6th p.m."
William and Rachel agreed to assume a mortgage give to the Lombard Investment Company in the amount of $1,200. At this time they were living in a one room sod house which measured ten feet by twelve feet. On June 19, 1901, he purchased additional land from Isaac Samuel and Anne M. Snow for $1,550. The land was described as:

"The West half (1/2) of the North West Quarter (1/4) and the North half (1/2) of the South West Quarter (1/4) of Section Twenty-six (26) Township Twelve (12) Range 14 West of the 6th. p.m."
William sold his holdings on May 4, 1930 to Harry O. Muhlbach for $19,200. He then purchased a house at 609 West 26th. Street in Kearney, Buffalo, Nebraska.

William was a member of the Buffalo Lodge #38 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Nebraska. He served as Grand Patriarch and Noble Grand. His picture hangs in the Lodge Hall in Kearney, Nebraska. He was a member of the First Baptist Church.

William married at the residence of Del Thomas in Shelton, Nebraska on March 19, 1887 to Joannah Rachel Budd, daughter of Joseph Andrew Budd and Susanna P. Erway. She was known as Rachel Ann. Rachel was born on November 14, 1870 at Constantine, Michigan. She died at the age of eighty-two years on September 25, 1953 at Kearney, Nebraska. She was buried on September 27, 1953 in the Kearney City Cemetery at Kearney, Nebraska. Rachel was a member of the Naomi Rebecca Lodge #12; Tuscan Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star; Lady Militant Auxilxiary #3 and the Royal Neighbors. She was a member of the Baptist Church.

Events

Event Date Place Description Sources
Birth 5/9/1863 Bottisham, Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom William A Butler 1
Census 2/4/1871 Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom Samuel Butler 1a

Relation: Son

Age: 7

Occupation: Scholar

Where Born: Cambridgeshire, Bottisham

Census 1/6/1900 Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States of America William A Butler 2a

Relation to head: Head

Color: White

Sex: Male

Month of birth: September

Year of birth: 1860

Age: 35

Single, married, widowed or divorced: Married

Years of present marriage: 12

Place of birth: England

Place of birth of father: England

Place of birth of mother: England

Year of immigration: 1880

Number of years in US: 20

Naturalization: na

Occupation: Farmer

Can read: yes

Can write: yes

Can speak English: yes

Home owned or rented: owner

Owned free or mortgaged: mortgaged

Farm or house: farm

Number of farm schedule: 21

Census 15/4/1910 Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States of America William A Butler 3a

Relationship to head: Head

Sex: male

Color: white

Age: 46

Single, married, widowed or divorced: Married

Years of present marriage: 23

Place of birth: England

Place of birth of father: England

Place of birth of mother: England

Year of immigration: 1882

Naturalized or alien: na

Able to speak English; if not, language spoken: English

Occupation: Farmer

Nature of industry: General Farm

Employer, employee or working on own account: Emp

Able to read: yes

Able to write: yes

Home owned or rented: owned

Owned free or mortgaged: free

Farm or house: farm

Number of farm schedule: 44

Death 23/11/1931 Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States of America William A Butler  

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father Butler, Samuel10/3/18391924
Mother Flack, Sarah Ann22/5/184025/2/1907
    Sister     Butler, Elizabeth Frances May 9/5/1862 27/9/1930
         Butler, William A 5/9/1863 23/11/1931
    Sister     Butler, Annie 3/3/1865 4/11/1924
    Brother     Butler, Samuel 8/1/1867 10/11/1870
    Sister     Butler, Eleanor 7/2/1868 29/11/1870
    Brother     Butler, Richard Frederick Randall 25/5/1869 1950
    Brother     Butler, Jesse Samuel 21/2/1871 7/5/1955
    Brother     Butler, Harry John 5/10/1875 18/10/1965
    Sister     Butler, Grace Eleanor 17/9/1878 1/1/1917

Families

Family of Butler, William A and Budd, Joannah Rachel

Married Wife Budd, Joannah Rachel ( * 14/11/1870 + ... )
  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
Butler, Jessie May14/10/18881/6/1960
Butler, Harry LeRoy8/7/18904/8/1921
Butler, Florence Mabel5/8/189323/11/1976
Butler, James Grant25/7/18954/8/1978
Butler, Joseph Samuel4/8/189716/5/1984
Butler, Nellie Rachel31/8/19033/1/1960

Family Map

Family Map

Source References

  1. UK Government: 1871 England and Wales Census
      • Date: 2/4/1871
      • Page: RG10/1587/56/12
  2. US Federal Government: 1900 US Census
      • Date: 1/6/1900
      • Page: T623_917/10A/28
  3. US Federal Government: 1910 US Census
      • Date: 15/4/1910
      • Page: T624_839/17A/36/1167