George M. Butler Biography


	This biography appears on pages 707-708 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				GEORGE M. BUTLER.

	Every phase of pioneer life in the west is familiar to George M. 
Butler, who has practically always resided on this side of the 
Mississippi and is today the proprietor of one of the oldest jewelry 
establishments of Deadwood He was born in Hanava, now Montour, New 
York, near Seneca Lake, in Schuyler county October 7, 1851, a son of 
Squire T. and Rachel (McClure) Butler, both of whom were natives of the 
Empire state. The father was born at Deposit, Delaware county, March 
28, 1824, and the mother's birth occurred at Havana, New York, April 4, 
1830. Squire T. Butler learned the jeweler's trade and watch making in 
early life and in 1861 went to Colorado, residing in Denver until 1863. 
He then returned to New Yolk and took his family to Denver. In 1866 he 
journeyed across the plains to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he arrived 
on the 1st of January, 1867. Soon afterward he purchased a farm in 
Clinton county, Missouri, where he made his home until the spring of 
1877 and then came to the Black Hills, settling in Deadwood, where he 
engaged in the jewelry business, also doing manufacturing and repairing 
along that line. He continued actively in business until 1890, when he 
retired to his farm in Missouri, where he resided until his death, 
which occurred on the 28th of August, 1900 He widow passed away upon 
the home farm October 4, 1908.  

	George M. Butler was the third in order of birth in a family of 
six children. He attended the public schools of his native state until 
he accompanied his parents on their removal to Denver and later he 
attended school in Clinton county, Missouri. His educational 
opportunities, however, were somewhat limited but he has since made 
good use of his time and his advantages and is today numbered among the 
prosperous and enterprising merchants of the Black Hills country. In 
1877, when his father came to Deadwood, George M. Butler purchased a 
flock of sheep and engaged in breeding and raising sheep until 1881, 
when he returned to Deadwood to assist his father. In 1890 he purchased 
his father's mercantile interests and has since conducted the business, 
manufacturing and repairing jewelry and also selling jewelry, watches, 
clocks and optical goods. This is today one of the oldest jewelry 
establishments of Deadwood and one of the most reliable. He devotes his 
entire time to the business and carries a large and well selected 
stock, for which he finds a ready sale because of his reasonable prices 
and honorable methods.  

	In the fall of 1891 Mr. Butler was united in marriage to Miss 
Anna M. Chambers, who was born in Rochester, New York. Her people 
removed westward to lowa and later went to Deadwood, South Dakota, 
where the mother died. The father afterward made his way to Alaska but 
later returned to Oregon and now maintains his residence upon a farm in 
Josephine county, that state. He is a steam engineer by trade. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Butler have been born two children: George N., who was born 
July 18, 1893, and is now a druggist, residing at Greybull, Wyoming; 
and Hazel McClure, who was born October 9, 1894, and is a resident of 
Vancouver, Washington.  

	Mr. Butler belongs to the Business Men's Club. In polities he is 
independent, nor has he ever aspired to office. He was largely reared 
upon the western frontier and has been closely associated with many 
phases of pioneer life. He lived in Denver when it was a small town and 
came to the Black Hills when this section of the state was but sparsely 
settled. Later he became an active factor in commercial circles in 
Deadwood and is today a prominent representative of mercantile life.