MICHAEL SEIBERT BUTLER

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 512-513
Berkeley

MICHAEL SEIBERT BUTLER, M. D. Nearly half a century
of work as a physician constitutes a distinction such as
few men can attain. In the case of Dr. Butler that work
has been performed, except for the first few years, in the one
community of Hedgesville in Berkeley County. His indi-
vidual career deserves special mention, and it is noteworthy
that his family record includes some of the oldest and best
known names in the Eastern Panhandle, including Myers,
Seibert, Henshaw, Anderson, Snodgrass and others.

Doctor Butler was born on the Michael Seibert home-
stead farm in Hedgesville district. His father, Thomas
Butler, was born at Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, in 1825.
The grandfather was probably a native of Pennsylvania,
and as a young man came to Berkeley County and settled
at Bunker Hill, where he followed his trade as a cooper.
He married in Bunker Hill, and he and his wife spent their
lives there. Thomas Butler learned the tailor's trade, and
for several years was engaged in business as a merchant
tailor at Martinsburg and Duffields. On account of failing
health he removed to the Michael Seibert homestead farm,
and died there at the early age of twenty-seven. He married
Catherine Seibert, who was born in Hedgesville district, Oc-
tober 19, 1831. Her father, Michael Seibert, was born in
Maryland in 1791, a son of John Jacob and Elizabeth
(Bodarf) Seibert, and grandson of Wendell Seibert. This
branch of the Seibert family came to Virginia about 1805.
Michael Seibert bought land about a mile southeast of
Hedgesville. The only improvements on the land were a log
house and barn and a few acres cleared. Before the days of
railroads in order to get his crops to market he transported
them with wagon and team to Baltimore, spending a week
on the road. He continued working the farm until his
death, at the age of sixty-three. Michael Seibert married
Catherine Myers, who was born near the present site of
Berkeley Station, daughter of John and Mary (Kaufman)
Myers, who were life-long residents of Berkeley County.
Mrs. Catherine Butler is now past ninety years of age, and
lives with her son, Doctor Butler and is in full possession of
of her mental faculties. Her only daughter died in infancy.

Michael Seibert Butler, the only son of his parents, ac-
quired his early education in the local schools, and as a
youth began the study of medicine with Dr. George Hamil
at Martinsburg, and later with Doctor Johnson at Hedges-
ville. He finished his medical education in the University
of Maryland, where he graduated in 1874. For the first
three years he practiced in the Bunker Hill community, and
since then his professional skill and his kindly personal
service has been at the disposal of the people of Hedges-
ville. Doctor Butler is a member of the Eastern Panhandle
Medical Society and the American Medical Association.

At the age of twenty-two he married Lillie S. Henshaw,
who was born on a farm one mile from Bunker Hill, in
Berkeley County. Her father was Levy Henshaw, Jr., born
on the same farm. The Henshaws are an old English
family. There is record of a William Henshaw who was
killed at the storming of Liverpool on June 20, 1644. He
left a large estate. His two sons were Joshua and Daniel.
In 1651 the widow died, and in 1653 the executor of the
estate made a pretense of sending the boys to London, but
instead shipped them to New England and put them under
the care of Rev. Richard Mather at Dorchester, now a part
of the City of Boston. They were reared and educated there,
where Daniel died. The sons of Joshua, John and Nicholas,
removed to Philadelphia. A son of Nicholas was Capt.
William Henshaw, who was born March 16, 1736, and
was one of the earliest pioneers of Berkeley County, pur-
chasing a tract of land from Lord Fairfax, located on
Mill Creek. He built his home on land about one mile
west of the present site of Bunker Hill. He erected a
grist mill and sawmill, which were among the first such
institutions in Berkeley County. He was a man of great
enterprise, acquired extensive and valuable holdings of land,
and extended his investment to distant parts, having about
2,000 acres in Shelby County, Kentucky, and a large tract
along the Kanawha River in West Virginia. He was a
soldier in the Indian war and was at the battle of Point
Pleasant in 1774, and was also present at the signing of
the peace treaty with the Indians at Camp Charlotte at
Chillicothe, Ohio. Many of the details of this frontiers-
man's life are preserved in the pioneer history. He was an
active influence in securing the formation of Berkeley
County in 1772, served as bondsman for Gen. Adam Stephen,
was the first sheriff of Berkeley County and was a member
of Col. Hugh Stephenson's Regiment. The body of this old
pioneer rests in Christ Churchyard at Bunker Hill. He was
a justice of the peace, and was one of the first board of
trustees of Gerrardstown. Capt. William Henshaw married
Agnes Anderson. Her father, William Anderson, was a
native of Scotland, where he espoused the cause of Prince
James and after the failure of that revolution fled to Eng-
land and in 1715 came to America and was an early settler
on the South Branch of the Potomac in Hampshire County,
in the locality subsequently known as Anderson's Bottoms.
He and his son Thomas joined Braddock's forces at Cumber-
land during the western campaign. He always wore the
Scotch dress. William Anderson died in 1797, at the age
of 104 years.

Levi Henshaw, Sr., son of Capt. William and grandfather
of Mrs. Butler, was born July 22, 1769, was a farmer and a
miller and for many years operated a merchant and custom
mill, shipping his flour to Harpers Ferry with wagons and
teams. He was prominent in public affairs, -serving as
justice of the peace, and was a member of the Virginia
House of Delegates in 1821-22, 1830-31, and in 1840 was
sheriff of Berkeley County. He spent his last days on his
farm. He married Ann McConnell, who was born Septem-
ber 18, 1773. Her father, William McConnell, served on
Berkeley County's first grand jury.

Levi Henshaw, Jr., father of Mrs. Butler, inherited part
of the old estate, and continued the operation of the mill
and farm until 1868, when he removed to Hedgesville. He
bought the Tomahawk Mill and also a farm, and managed
both properties, though keeping his residence in Hedgesville,
where he died at the age of eighty-two. He married Sarah
Ann Snodgrass, who was born at Tomahawk in Berkeley
County, daughter of Robert and Sarah Ann Snodgrass.
Robert Snodgrass was a son of William and Catherine
(Patterson) Snodgrass and grandson of William Snodgrass,
who came from Scotland to America about 1700. William
Snodgrass was a pioneer of Berkeley County, locating on
Back Creek. Robert Snodgrass, who was born October 14,
1744, married, March 23, 1762, Susanne Rawlings, who was
born December 26, 1742, and died November 2, 1820. Her
son Robert was born September 21, 1792, and on March 29,
1821, married his cousin, Sarah Ann Snodgrass.  This
Robert Snodgrass commanded the sixty-seventh regiment of
Virginia Militia and was a representative in the Virginia
House of Delegates in 1832-34-36-39. The mother of Mrs.
Butler died at the age of seventy-two, having reared seven
children.

Doctor and Mrs. Butler had three children, named Charles
Claude, Catherine and Edna. Charles Claude, who was edu-
cated in the public schools of Hedgesville, subsequently re
moved to Rockland, Massachusetts, where he was in the
leather business with the firm of French, Shriner & Urner.
He married in New York City in 1900 Florence Dalzell,
and she and two sons survive him. Her sons are Charles
Claude and James Dalzell. The older of these, Charles
Claude, was a student for two years in the University of
West Virginia and late in George Washington University at
Washington, D. C. James Dalzell is now in his fourth year
at West Virginia University.

Catherine, the older daughter of Doctor Butler, is the
wife of Charles Frederick Kohpisch, and they now live at
New Rochelle, New York. They have four children, named
Catherine Butler, Charles Frederick, Louise Henshaw and
Charles Claude.

Edna Butler married George A. Smith, and they also
live at New Rochelle, New York. They have a daughter,
named Edna. 


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