Bio of Butts, James J. (b.1828) Wabasha Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge ========================================================================= This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884. Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some of the bios on her pages. Butts, James J., the sixth child of Jonathan and Eleanor (Brannon) Butts, was born in Brookfield, Trumbull county, Ohio, July 28, 1828. Mr. Butts, Sr., was a farmer, and James was brought up on a farm, receiving such education as was obtainable in a country school. At the age of twenty he started out in life for himself, and for two years worked as a farm hand. He next became a copartner with William Rounds in the management of a steam sawmill, at Fowler, Ohio, and soon after engaged in the dairy business until the spring of 1857, when he came to Minnesota and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 18, in Plainview township, Wabasha county, and soon after pre-empted one hundred and sixty more on section 6, in the same township. His landed possessions now aggregate nearly four hundred acres, situate chiefly on sections 8 and 18, in Plainview, and include a portion of the western part of Plainview village, the Union school-buildings standing on land donated to the district by Mr. Butts. Mr. Butts is both a good republican and a good Odd-Fellow; is a man of great endurance and physical strength, which he displayed to good advantage during the winter of 1859 by cutting nine cords of cordwood in eight and one-half hours. He was married to Dorcas Alderman, a native of Trumbull county, Ohio, and daughter of Lyman and Lydia (Munson) Alderman, June 1, 1851. They have two children now living, namely: Lucy (Mrs. Myron Smith, of Plainview, and Addie (Mrs. John Doherty), of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. ========================================================================= This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920. Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some of the bios on her pages. Butts, James J. (page 359), one of the pioneers of Plainview Township, who left a fine record as a farmer and public spirited citizen, being, among other things a benefactor of the Village of Plainview, was born in Brookfield, Ohio, July 28, 1828, son of Jonathan and Eleanor (Brannon) Butts. He was educated in the district schools of his native town, and remained in that locality until the winter of 1856-57, when he came to Wabasha County, Minn., as a pioneers, taking a claim now known as the Feigert farm in section 6, Plainview Township. It contained 160 acres and he proved it up in 1860. On it he erected a house, barn and outbuildings and started to develop a farm, whith the help of oxen. To obtain his first team of oxen he traded his gold watch, together iwth $40 in cash, as he had not enough money to pay for them. Industrious and persevering, he made good progress and watched every opportunity to better his condition. After awhile he sold the 160 acres which he had proved up and bought the Hugh Wiley farm of the same area. Later he also purchased 320 acres in section 18 and 19, Plainview Township, making a total of 480 acres of which he found himself the owner. A part of his property included the site of the present Plainview cemeteries, and this he finally sold. Later he sold the rest of his property except 52 acres in the village of Plainview, which he deeded to his grandson, Robert J. Smith. Mr. Butts was a highly enterprising and successful man, and his success was well merited, for he worked not alone for himself but for others. He was ever ready to take part in charitable work, to help his neighbors, and to comfort and aid the sick. He planted the large tree that now stands in front of the parsonage of the Christian church in Plainview Village, and deeded to the village the land on which the high school stands, with the stipulation that it should be used only as the site for a school. In addition to the tree above mentioned, he also planted many others in and around the village, which have since grown to be fine large shade trees, useful and ornamental. He was physically strong and active, and on one January day, between sunrise and sunset he cut nine and a quarter cords of wood, a feat rarely, if ever, equaled. Universally respected and esteemed, he lived the life of an exemplary man and citizen, and his death on May 15, 1916, was an event deplored by the entire community. Mr. Butts was married in 1852 to Dorcas A. Aldeman, and they were the parents of two children: Lucy B., born March 28, 1853, who is the wife of Myron Smith, of Huron, S. D.; and Addie L., born March 24, 1863, who is the wife of John Doherty of the same place. Mr. Butts' religious affiliations were with the Christian church of Plainview. He belonged to the Odd Fellows' lodge in Plainview, of which he was a charter member. His wife Dorcas Butts was a woman of rare business ability and of many womanly virtues, a good wife and neighbor, and a great helpmeet to her husband and family. She died in 1910 and her death was mourned by her large circle of friends.