Obituary of Mrs Nancy BUTLER, Madison County, Illinois This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Crystal Jensen Butler Farms were located in part of Macoupin and Madison Co IL. on the county line, another section of it in Dorchester IL. Nancy & William were my Great-Grandparents. Crystal Jensen ------- This obit from The Staunton Star-Times: MRS. NANCY BUTLER DIES LAST WEEK Another of Our Pioneers, Her Death Causes General Sorrow Here Mrs. Nancy Butler, one of the oldest and most eminently respected residents of Staunton, passed away on last Friday morning at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Baker, at 9:30 a.m., after an illness of one week. Mrs. Butler had been in failing health for the past two years, but, the last week she took seriously ill with La Grippe and that, together with her advanced age, caused her death. Mrs. Butler, was born in Madison County, Illinois, near Staunton, March 12, 1840, and resided with her parents until March 20, 1861, when she was married to William E. Butler. To this union were born six children, two of them dying in infancy. This family lived happily together until February 7, 1901, when death claimed the only son, and on February 13, 1901 only a few days afterward, the husband and father was also taken from them. On March 20, 1906, Mrs. Matttie Meintrup, a daughter, the wife of Arnold Meintrup, died Wed at her home in East ST. Louis; those left to mourn the loss of their loved mother are: Mrs. David Pauley and Mrs. Ed Baker, both of this city, daughters. Mrs. Butler united with the Christian Church in Round Prairie while she was quite young and she continued to live securely in that faith until she died. Until sixteen years ago the family lived on a farm west of this city, but since that time she has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Ed Baker, ever since. At the time of her death she was aged 76 years 11 months and 11 days. The funeral was held from the home in this city on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, Rev. Groner, of Litchfield, officiating, in the presence of large crowd of relatives and many friends. The pall bearers were: N.F. Camp, Oliver Butler, W. L. Bird, Ben Chapman of this city, and Ike and August Baker, of Alton. Those attending the funeral from a distance were: Mrs. Belle Reece, of Louisville, Ill.; Mrs. Laura Spencer of Bethalto; Mrs. Mary Jane Butler ot Worden; Mrs. Hettie Mitchell, of St. Louis; Arnold Meintrup and Henry Meintrup, of E. St. Louis; Mrs. Anna Burmeister, of Belleville, Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Baker, G. Baker and daughter, Fred Nitsche, Miss Edith Nitsche, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Yorby, and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Yorby, all of Alton. REMINISCENCES OF NANCY BUTLER, DECEASED Nancy Butler was a sturdy pioneer woman who lived on the prairies on the South of Staunton at the time when Staunton was but a village. She was a woman of courage, of conviction, selfcontained, but of an ardent and affectionate temperament. She could ride a horse as well as a man and her visits of business and pleasure were frequently made on horse back. Her neighbors respected and loved her, for she was a womanly nurse as well as a fearless and courageous pioneer. Her hand could sooth the weary, fevered brow as well as it could guide a fiery horse and good health, the result of right living, made her proficient, as a housewife as well as a trained nurse, As a boy I can look back and see her as she kindled a new fire in the fireplace of a log house of a neighbor; see her as she ministered to the wants of grandmother until that good woman regained consciousness to thank her and love her as never before. Again I see her cooking for harvesters or threshers the delicious things which only a good housewife can procure and which taste so good to the laborers of the field. Her firm hand and sound advice often steered the crooked path of my boyhood Into better and firmer ground, and although on occasions she could be severe if an occasion demanded and her rebuff was not to be forgotten, yet withal under It there appeared the same mother-manner to be found only in a true woman and a mother. Her lot was not an easy one: a sickly son nursed from babyhood to manhood, the final loss of that son; the loss of a husband and other sickness in the family caused Aunt Nancy pain and for several years past she had been quite feeble until the flnal day when death came to relieve her sufferings. We have no personal knowledge of her death, but from what we know of her life we are certain that she died as she lived, calmly, fearlessly as only a heroine can die. She was the good, old fashioned mother, the kind who could raise a family of girls right, minister to a sickly only son, take charge of, educate and raise an orphan, break down her own health for others and finally find relief in her Creator in death without a sting. We deplore her death: we reverence her memory and can never forget what she has done for the writer. To the sorrowing family we tender our sincere sympathy for the loss of mother and grandmother. *************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. **************************************************************** This file has been submitted for inclusion in the USGenWeb Archives by: Crystal Jensen