Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography

Thousands of short American lives — soldiers, inventors, preachers, governors, novelists — each given a paragraph: born where, did what, and why anyone remembered.

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Butler, Caleb – Butler, Richard

Printed page 180 of Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography (1898) · 27 lives

Butler, Caleb

educator, author, was born Sept. 13, 1776, in Pelham, N. H.

He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1800, studied law in Groton, and was the principal instructor of the Groton academy for eleven years. He published a Masonic oration; Facts as to Affairs in Groton; Review Reviewed; and History of Groton.

He died Oct. 7, 1854, in Groton, Mass.

Butler, Charles

philanthropist, college president, was born Feb. 15, 1802, in Kinderhook, N. Y. In 1835 he was one of the founders and incorporators of the Union Theological seminary in New York city, and was made its president. In 1889 he endowed a chair of biblical theology in that seminary in the sum of $100,000, in the memory of Prof. Edward Robinson, the eminent biblical scholar.

Butler, Chester

lawyer, state legislator, congressman, was born March, 1798, in Wilkesbarre, Pa. He served three terms in the legislature of Pennsylvania; and was a representative in congress from Pennsylvania from 1845 to 1850. He died Oct. 5, 1850, in Philadelphia, Pa.

Butler, Clement Moore

theologian, author, was born Oct. 16, 1810, in Troy, N. Y. He was an episcopalian clergyman of the evangelical type, and professor of ecclesiastical history in the Episcopal Divinity school of Philadelphia in 1864-84. He was the author of Book of Common Prayer Interpreted by its History; Old Truths and New Errors; The Flock Fed; St. Paul in Rome; Inner Rome; Manual of Ecclesiastical History from the First to the Eighteenth Century; and The Reformation in Sweden. He died March 5, 1890, in Germantown, Pa.

Butler, Cyrus

philanthropist, was born in 1767. He gave $40,000 to endow the Butler hospital for the insane at Providence. He died Aug. 22, 1849, in Providence, R. I.

Butler, David

governor. He was elected the first governor of the state of Nebraska in 1867, and served one year.

Butler, Ezra

was born in September, 1763, in Vermont. He was a member of the Vermont assembly eleven years; first judge of the Chittendon county court from 1803 to 1806, and chief justice from 1806 to 1811. He was chief justice of Jefferson county from 1814 to 1826; was a representative in congress from 1813 to 1815; member of the Vermont constitutional convention in 1822 and governor of that state from 1826 to 1828, making fiftythree years of public service. He died July 12, 1838, in Waterbury, Vt.

Butler, Frederick

author, was born in 1766. He was a writer of Hartford, Conn.; and the author of History of the United States to 1820; The Farmer's Manual; and Memorial of Lafayette and his Tour in the United States. He died in 1843.

Butler, George Bernand

artist, was born Feb. 8, 1838, in New York city.

Since 1883 he has been engaged principally in portraiture. In 1873 he was elected a National academician. His paintings include The Shepherd and Dogs on the Campagna; The Capri Rose, purchased by Alexander T. Stewart; The Lace-Maker; An Italian Peasant; and several striking groups of animals.

Butler, Henry

educator, lawyer, was born Oct. 17, 1843, in Pontiac, Mich.

He received his education at the district, Union and State Normal schools of Ypsilanti, Mich. For nearly ten years he taught has been superintendent of school; schools and justice of the peace. He practices law in Waverly, Va.; and has attained prominence as an able lawyer in that state.

Butler, James Davie

educator, lecturer, was born March 15, 1815, in Rutland, Vt. He held the chair of ancient languages in Wabash college, Ind., in 1854- 58, and in the university of Wisconsin in 1858-67. Since then he has devoted himself to lecturing and occasional preaching. His best known lectures are The Architecture of St. Peter's; Prehistoric Wisconsin; The Hapax Legomena in Shakespeare; and Commonplace Books.

Butler, James Glentworth

clergyman, author, was born in 1821 in New York. He is a presbyterian clergyman of New York; and the author of The Bible Work, an extended scriptural commentary; and The Fourfold Gospel.

Butler, John George

clergyman, orator, was born in 1826, in Cumberland, Md. In 1849 he accepted a call to the pastorate of the St. Paul English Lutheran church in Washington, D. C., in which city his ministry of over forty years has been spent. In 1867 he was elected chaplain of the house of representatives; and in 1886 he was chosen chaplain of the senate. He is widely known as a pulpit orator, a successful pastor and influential member of the general synod of the Evangelical Lutheran church.

Butler, John Jay

theologian, author, was born April 9, 1814, in Berwick, Maine. He is a free baptist clergyman of Michigan; and has been professor of sacred literature in Hillsdale college since 1873. He is the author of Natural and Revealed Theology; and Commentary on the Gospels.

Butler, Josiah

lawyer, jurist, congressman, was born in 1780 in Rockingham county, N. H. He was repeatedly elected to the state legislature and was elected a representative in congress from New Hampshire in 1817-23; and was then appointed judge of the superior court of New Hampshire, which position he held until the office was abolished. He died Oct. 9, 1854, in Deerfield.

Butler, Lou Greer

artist, poet, was born Feb. 4, 1855, in Santa Rosa, Cal. She has attained success in crayon, pastel and landscape drawing and painting, and for many years was proprietor of a photographic establishment. She has contributed both prose and verse to the periodical press, and several of her poems have been given a place in standard works.

Butler, Mann

author. He emigrated to Kentucky in 1806, and published a History of Kentucky. He died in November, 1835, in Missouri, in consequence of a railroad accident.

Butler, Marion

journalist, United States senator, was born May 20, 1863, in Sampson county, N. C. He was elected to the state senate in 1890; was the leader of the Alliance forces in that body and succeeded in bringing about a number of needed reforms. He was elected president of the state farmers' alliance in 1891, and reelected in 1892; was elected vice - president of the national Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union in 1893, and elected president of that organization in 1894. His paper, The Caucasian, has been removed to Raleigh, N. C., and has probably the largest circulation and is one of the most influential papers in the state. He was elected to the United States senate as a populist for term expiring March 3, 1901.

Butler, Matthew Calbraithe

soldier, lawyer, United States senator, was born March 8, 1836, near Greenville, S. C. He was elected to the legislature of South Carolina in 1860; entered the confederate service as captain of cavalry in the Hampton legion in June, 1861, and became a major-general through the regular grades, and lost his right leg at the battle of Brandy Station on the ninth of June, 1863. He was elected to the legislature of South Carolina in 1866; was a candidate for lieutenant-governor of South Carolina in 1870; received the democratic vote of the South Carolina legislature for United States senator in 1870; and was elected to the United States senate as a democrat; was admitted to his seat in 1877, and was re-elected in 1882 and again in 1889. and during 1885-87 was

Butler, Michael J

contractor, legislator, was born June 24, 1851, in Carbondale, Pa. During 1859-81 he worked in the mines of Pennsylvania; then was employed in a Chicago packing house for four years; clerk of the health department. During 1887-90 he was United States gauger; for three years corporation inspector; and for two years superintendent of sidewalks.

Since 1895 he has been a successful contractor, and in the fall of 1896 was elected to the general assembly of the Illinois house of representatives.

Butler, Nicholas Murray

educator, author, was born in 1862 in New Jersey. He is an educator of New York city, and professor of philosophy in Columbia college. He is the author of Horace Mann and American Systems of Education.

Butler, Noble

educator, author, was born in 1819 in Washington county, Pa. He was a classical professor in the university of Louisville, and published A Practical and Critical English Grammar and other valuable text-books. He died Feb. 12, 1882, in Louisville, Ky.

Butler, Percival

soldier, was born in 1760, in Pennsylvania. He rose to the rank of captain in the revolutionary war; and served as adjutant-general in the war of 1812. He died Sept. 11, 1821, in Port William, Ky.

Butler, Pierce

, soldier, United States senator, was born July 11, 1744, in Ireland. In 1778 he was a delegate from South Carolina to the old congress; and in 1788, a member of the convention which framed the constitution of the In United States, and signed the same. 1802 he became again a senator in congress, but resigned in 1804. He died Feb. 15, 1822, in Philadelphia, Pa.

Butler, Pierce Mason

soldier, was born April 11, 1798, in Edgefield, S. C.

He was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in 1823, and attained the grade of captain in 1825. After four years of service he resigned his commission, and in 1829 became a resident of Columbia, S. C., and was elected president of a bank established at that place. He was killed in battle Aug. 20, 1847, in Churubusco, Mexico. was

Butler, Richard

soldier, born in Ireland. He attained the rank of colonel in the revolutionary war, and in 1791 was made a major-general. He was tomahawked and scalped Nov. 4, 1791, in an expedition against the Indians.

Butler, Richard

soldier, merchant, manufacturer, was born Aug. 9, 1831, in Birmingham, Ohio. In 1879 he accepted the presidency of an extensive hard rubber company, which was organized in 1883 as the Butler Hard Rubber company.

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