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Biography - Henry Butts

HENRY BUTTS, farmer, P. O. Elco, is a native of Gallatin County, Ill. His grandfather, John H. Butts, was a native of Georgia, and there, also, James Butts, the father of our subject, was born, and came with his parents when quite small to Gallatin County, Ill. In that county the father lived until manhood, and married a Miss Julia Ann Webb. By this union there were eleven children, and of this number our subject was the third, and was born April 8, 1837. His father died when he was about thirteen years of age, and he had to assume the cares of the farm, he being the eldest son; but during the falls and winters he was permitted to go to school some, and obtained a fair education. He remained at home with his mother until 1864, when, having married, he started out in life for himself, first renting a farm of forty acres. He next purchased a farm of 130 acres in that same county. He came to this county in 1879, and settled first near Goose Island. In October, 1882, he purchased his present location, a farm of eighty acres, of which forty acres are cleared. Mr. Butts was married in Gallatin County, October 4, 1864, to Mary Catherine Holt, who was born January 8. 1844, and is the daughter of Thomas and Artemesia (Goldsmith) Holt. She is the mother of seven children, four of whom are living — Margaret Ann, born December 23, 1866; William Edgar, born February 20, 1874; Walter Henry, born April 14, 1876; Charles Pickney, born June 27, 1878. Our subject enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Col. Ferril, Capt. Stone, in August, 1862, and remained out until April 21, 1863, when he was honorably discharged on account of disability. Both Mr. and Mrs. Butts are members of the M. E. Church at Elco. In politics, subject is a Democrat.

Extracted 29 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union, and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, page 219.


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