Butlers and Kinsf oll~ Butlers of New England and Nova Scotia and related families of other names, including Durkees, descendants of Lieut. William and Sarah (Cross) Butler of Ipswich, Mass., and of Eleazer 1st and Lydia (Durkee) Butler of Ashford, Conn., and Yarmou~, N. S. Compiled by Elmer Ellsworth Butler BROWN UNIVERSITY, 1903 Printed, 1944, by THE CABINET PRESS, Milford, N. H. Distributed by ELMER E. BUTLER, I 01 Harvard Street, Newtonville, Mass. OWNER'S LINEAGE GENER- NAMES OF ANCESTORS ATION PAGE Lieut. William Butler, 1653-1730 I Sarah (Cross) Butler 58 II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII To my grandchildren, Donna Louise Butler and Eric Earl Butler, I dedicate this book.-Elmer E. Butler. "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches." Proverbs 22: 1. DONNA LOUISE BUTLER Born Jan. 8, 1939 ERIC EAHL BUTLER Born Sept. 8, 1942 Contents IN AoomoN To FAMILY R.EcoRDs Origin of the Butlers . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Cross Family .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 William Butler of Ipswich and Early Descendants . .. .. .. .. 9 Col. Zebulon Butler . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 Descendants of Lieut. William Butler and Especially of Eleazer Butler 1st .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 58 Andrews (Andros) Family .................................................... 61 Woodward Family ................................................................ 64 Crafts Family .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 66 Dr. Benjamin Butler and His Family..................................... 69 Frank Osgood Butler . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 85 Moulton--Durkee .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87 Durkee Family .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 90 Cross, Durkee, Butler, Parry Lineage of Elmer E. Butler .. 101 Eleazer Butler 2nd, Soldier in the American Revolution . .. 103 Ellenwood Family ............................................................... ; 129 Capt. John Richan ................................................................ 138 Dr. George Robert Butler .,_.. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .... ...... ... ... ..... ........ .. 145 Robert Durfee Butler ............................................................ 148 Landers-Strickland-Butler .................................................... 155 Butler-Porter .......................................................................... 161 Mood Family . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 167 James A. Butler .................................................................... 175 Elmer E. Butler ........................................ ·............................ 177 Butler-Libby,.Pickson .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 183 Stephen Butler 2nd ................................................................ 187 Capt. Watson B. Butler .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 189 Charles Clinton Handy ........................................................ 205 Robert Butler 1st .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 210 Eleazer Butler 3rd ................................................................ 219 Nathaniel E. Butler ................................................................ 221 Capt. James Edgar Butler .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 228 Annie (Butler) Callison . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 238 Amos Butler . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 244 John K. Butler, Telephone Pioneer .................................... 245 Ralph Ludford Butler .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 252 George Killam Butler, Educator .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 257 Crosby Family . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 269 Parry Family .......................................................................... 309 References Consulted . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 323 Index of Names .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 327 List of Illustrations Donna Louise Butler Frontispiece Eric Earl Butler Frontispiece Facing Page Caroline Hyde Butler ............................................................ 73 Edward Butler ...................................................................... 72 Dr. George Robert Butler .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 145 Maurice G. K. Butler and Irene Alice Wilby, his wife . .. .. 144 Samuel 7 Porter and Mary (Welch) Porter, his wife ........ 161 Jacob C. Mood and Almira Pearl Butler, his wife ................ 167 Cornelius Mood . .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 168 James Angus Butler .............................................................. 175 Elmer Ellsworth Butler .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 177 Addie (Libby) Butler .......................................................... 176 Robert Libby and Olivia (Dickson) Libby, his wife ........ 183 Robert Ellsworth Butler ........................................................ 185 Herbert Parry Butler ............................................................ 187 Elmer Earl Butler ................................................................ 186 Stephen Butler 2nd .............................................................. 188 Capt. Watson B. Butler .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. 200 Charles Clinton Handy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 205 Nathaniel E. Butler and Mary E. (Johns) Butler, his wife 221 Capt. James Edgar Butler .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 228 Annie (Butler) Callison . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 238 John K. Butler ...................................................................... 245 Ralph Ludford Butler .......................................................... 252 Stephen Parry and Lucinda (Durkee) Parry, his wife . .. .. .. 309 Introduction This Butler genealogy, the product of 17 years of research and compilation, begun originally as a hobby and diversion, is based on that by George S. Brown printed in the Yarmouth ( N. S.) Herald in 1898. I have been able to supply, through Colonial records found, links missing in Brown's Butler lineage and through correspondence to amplify the family records which he gathered. My task of compilation and writing has been a one-man one to which I could devote only spare time outside of my regular occupation as a newspaper editor. It has involved a tremendous amount of correspondence with family groups concerned and reading of histories and other books, searching for ancient records in national and state archives, genealogical and public libraries, examination of court records, church records and old newspaper files. I have had the willing assistance of many kindred who have assembled family records for me, and to them I extend my gratefui thanks. I have con­ tacted as many family groups as I could find the time to, but still there are some listed in Brown's work that I could not get in touch with, and I regret that that had to be so. I have in­ cluded some accounts of ancestors of other names than Butler and not all that I would have liked to. The material for such narratives seems inexhaustible and with time for investigation limited it has been for me physically impossible to cover alone the whole vast field of research. I take satisfaction in the fact that I have been able to assemble more about our own Butler clan than has appeared in the writings of others. Their records, however, have been of invaluable assistance and I would not deprive them in any way of the full credit due them. ELMER E. 'BUTLER. Origin of the Butlers "The forms of entry of the name Butler are endless," writes Montgomery Seaver in Butler Family Records. "The name was both official and occupational. In the first case it was derived from the office of the Chief Butler of Ireland, an honor which was conferred upon Theobald-surname le Botiler or Butler-by Henry II in 1177, and which remained hereditary to his descendants for many generations. "As to the second derivation, we find in the York pageant of 1415 the 'Botilers', the 'Capmakers', and 'Pouchmakers' all walking together in procession. They were all obviously en­ gaged in the leather manufacture. The idea of a bottle, as understood by our forefathers five hundred years ago, was that of a leathern case to hold liquids or solids. Thus we see the 'botiler' was often identical with the pouchmaker. A few of the old forms of the name are 'Butelere', 'Buteller", 'Boytler', and 'Bottler». Mention is made in the roll of Battell Abbey, 1066, o f 'B ote1 ere. '" "Origin and History of the Name Butler," by the American Publishers' Association, states: "The surname Butler is derived from the office of King's Butler, which was conferred upon Theobald, surnamed le Boteler, by the King in 1177, and re­ mained hereditary in his descendants for many generations. "The surname may sometimes be derived from the Anglo­ Saxon hotel or botyl, an abode or mansion; and may also sig­ nify, like the recognized Botel-weard, a house steward. "The Botiler was in ordinary life a wine merchant or butler. The King's Botiler was an officer of considerable im­ portance, almost the same as collector of customs in modern 2 BUTLERS AND KINSFOLK ports. In virtue of his office he was empowered to seize for the King's use, from every ship laden with ,vine, one cask from the prow and one cask from the poop, paying for each the sum of twenty shillings." · Discussing in ''Butleriana" the traditionary origin of the Butlers, James Davie