John W. Butler; Bienville, then Caddo Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ************************************************ John W. Butler. A native of Louisiana, John W. Butler as a youth enlisted and served four years in the United States Navy, being with the navy in the hazardous service of the Atlantic during the World war. Since his honorable discharge he has taken up the profession of law, and is one of the rising attorneys of the Shreveport bar, with offices in the Simon Building. Mr. Butler was born at Gibbsland, Bienville Parish, in 1891, son of L. P. and Hattie (Burkhalter) Butler. L. P. Butler, a native of Madison Parish, Louisiana, and a resident of Shreveport for over a 'quarter of a century, has been throughout that period one of the prominent officials of the Woodmen of the World in Louisiana. He is past head consul of the state. John W. Butler was about seven years of age when his parents moved to Shreveport in 1898. In that city he attended grammar and high schools, and he had some varied business experience during his youth. In December, 1915, he enlisted at New Orleans in the United States Navy. His service was for four years. While America was an active factor in the World war, he was on duty on the United States Ship Pennsylvania, the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet, employed in convoy and other service. Mr. Butler rose to the rank of chief petty officer of this ship, and prior to his discharge in December, 1919, had been commissioned with the rank of assistant paymaster. Such leisure as is permitted to a man in the navy, John W. Butler industriously employed in the study of law. After his discharge and return home, he entered the office of clerk of the District Court of Caddo Parish, and as a deputy continued the study of law, at the same time getting practical experience every day in court procedure. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1922, and soon afterwards engaged in practice. Soon after, he was appointed as assistant district attorney for the First Judicial District, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, in which office he served with distinction for a period of approximately one year, after which he tendered his resignation for the purpose of entering private practice in his profession. A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 186, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.