Letters from the 
Butler Sisters
In the 1830’S followers of Alexander Campbell, founder of the church known as Disciples of Christ or the Christian Church, moved from Warren County, Kentucky, to Warren County, Illinois. These followers (sometimes referred to as Campbellites), turned their backs on slavery and founded both a town and a college named for the ancestral home, Monmouth, in Wales. Peter Butler surveyed the town in 1831. After twenty years, many of the members of the church were determined to go even farther west to the great Oregon Country, to establish another town and college devoted to the principles of their faith.
During the late 1840’s and early 1850’s family meetings were held in the home of Ira and Mary Butler. Generally, women were not as eager for the long journey as were the men. With reluctance they stated that they would move only if there would be a town, a church, and a school. The idea was for families to settle and give portions of their claims for support of the school, and the women insisted that the school be open to both men and women.
An advance migration investigated the land out west in 1850. Elijah and Margaret Davidson, Squire S. and Elizabeth Whitman, Thomas and Sarah Lucas, and their families, as well as a number of single men, headed out on the Oregon Trail. They reached Polk County, Oregon, in August and settled on claims not far from the little river town of Independence, on the west bank of the Willamette. The area was eventually known as the Davidson Settlement.
It was not until April 16, 1852, that another wagon train headed west. John E. and Frances Murphy, Elijah and Sarah (Lucas) Butler, Carter and Elizabeth Davidson, Albert W. and Frances Lucas and William and Margaret (Davidson) Mason made this journey. There were also some single men: teamsters and drovers. They arrived in the Willamette Valley in mid-August. The Monmouth, Illinois Atlas on April 16, 1852, described the gathering and departure of this wagon train. In following issues, the newspaper also published several letters written during the trip and in Oregon by John E. Murphy.
The final concerted move of Monmouth, Illinois, families occurred in 1853. The following letters were written after this trip. If the group was known as the Butler wagon train, there was good reason for such a name.
Ira F.M. Butler was the elected leader. His wife, Mary Ann (Davidson) Butler accompanied him. They had been married on August 5, 1835, and five children (three boys and two girls) accompanied them: Newton, age 16; Paradine, (a girl), 14; Asa, 10; Augustus, 8; and Margaret, 1. Ira lived on to become a member of the Oregon legislature for three terms; speaker of the House of Representatives, 1857–8; and Polk County Judge, 1878–82. He and Mary Ann were active in the founding of Monmouth, Oregon, and in the establishment of a college in that city.
Although Ira Butler was the chosen wagon-master of the train, the “old man,” Peter Butler, appears to have been the real leader. One descendant remembered that “Not a wheel turned in the morning until all hands had gathered while the old man offered prayer. On Sunday they camped. But, on the unlucky day when the Butler cow was swept away by the North Platte River, to the loss of the Butler breakfast coffee cream, the old man was human enough to ‘cuss out’ both cow and river …”
Grandmother Rachel (Murphy) Butler was greatly beloved by all. This is evident in the Elizabeth Hutchinson letters below. In a note on June 24, 1854, Elizabeth says “Mother is grieving herself to death about leaving home. She has failed so much that she hardly looks like the same person. You must write to her particularly. She feels bad because there is nothing written to her. She thinks if she could write she would not treat you all so. You know, it makes one feel more like they were remembered if their name is mentioned.” After the death of Peter (b. March 9, 1789) on June 24, 1856, Elizabeth in Letter III below says, “Your grandmother takes his death very hard and I am afraid She will grieve herself to death.” That did not happen, however, and Rachel lived for many more years, dying on January 10, 1874.
A word more about Grandfather Peter Butler. In addition to being a farmer, he was also a surveyor. He had surveyed the new town of Monmouth, Illinois, in 1831 at 22½ cents per lot. At one time he had been asked to survey the new town of Chicago, but refused. He did not think the city possessed a future in the swampy area on Lake Michigan. Ralph B. Eckley, a local historian in today’s Monmouth, Illinois, says that when Peter Butler was asked to survey Upper Yellow Banks in Mercer County for a town to be known as New Boston, he was too busy and hired Abraham Lincoln to do the job. Like Lincoln, Peter Butler served as an officer in the Black Hawk War in 1832.
The daughters of Peter and Rachel Butler wrote the letters in the following chapter.
Eliza Butler (Dec. 2, 1816-Dec. 24, 1864) was married to Edward Ground on Oct. 30, 1834, in Warren County, Illinois. They traveled west in 1853 with five children: William, age 17; Robert, 13; Luther, 11; Peter, 5; and Franklin Pierce, 1. The surname is spelled both “Ground” and “Grounds” even by members of the family. They settled in Polk County, Oregon, about five miles south of the new community of Monmouth near a tiny center, Bloomington, on the Luckiamute River. The name of the crossroads was later changed to Parker, its current name. Their neighbors to the north were Eliza’s sister, Elizabeth Hutchinson, husband Thomas, and family.
Margaret Butler (Feb. 2, 1822-Dec. 8, 1871) became the wife of Isaac Smith on Dec. 9, 1840. They journeyed overland with their children: Rufus, age 12; Silas Wright, 9; Berryman (a boy) 7; Flora Alice, 5: and Mary Elizabeth, 1. They settled near Bridgeport, 8 miles west of Monmouth at the foot of the Coast Range where they had an abundance of what the overlanders always hoped for: wood, water, and feed for the cattle. In a short biographical essay published under the title of “Pioneer Bridgeport Families,” John J. Brown, a neighbor, described Margaret thus:
Mrs. Smith was one of the few women of the Bridgeport vicinity who constantly worked in all kinds of weather during the Civil war to make the life of the soldier on the field of battle more humane and less dreary. She died of cancer.
Elizabeth Butler (April 9, 1829-Jan. 2, 1866) married Thomas H. Hutchinson on July 1, 1851. He was both a bright teacher and a surveyor and was educated at Abington College in Abington, Illinois. He eventually became one of the dominant figures in the founding of the town of Monmouth, Oregon, and of a new college as well. He surveyed Monmouth, marking out the lots and streets, in 1855. He was Polk County Clerk at the time of his death in i860. On the 1853 overland trek, Elizabeth Hutchinson traveled with one small child, James, and was also pregnant. The baby was born as they approached the end of the trail on August 3rd. They had taken the “short cut” — the infamous Barlow Trail. The baby was born near the incredible Laurel Hill grade, and was named Robert Cascade in honor of the locale of his birth.
Once the third migration from Illinois to the “Davidson Settlement” in Polk County, Oregon, was complete, these devout families began working out their plans.
During a meeting, Ira F.M. Butler cast the deciding vote that named the new community Monmouth, rather than Dover. The town was founded under a condition that it would forfeit its charter if any place of business was granted a liquor license. Several gave portions of land. Sixty persons and/or families made gifts of cash ranging from $5 to $300 for the establishment of “Monmouth University.” The first educational building, also used as a church, measured twenty by thirty feet. Generally the same persons supported all endeavors. In addition to surveying the new city, Thomas Hutchinson served as secretary of the university’s board. The school later became a state institution. The sequence of names that followed was Christian College, Oregon State Normal School, Oregon College of Education, and Western Oregon State College.
The men promised the women that a school would be a place “where men and women alike might be schooled in the science of living and in the fundamental principles of religion.”
These letters do not spend a great deal of time on the journey to Oregon, but dwell line by line on the destination. We, however, feel that the destination and the reaction to it was an important aspect of the journey. Such letters either encouraged people in the east to make the long journey west, or discouraged them from the trek.
The documents here reproduced are from a large collection of Butler letters in the possession of Mrs. Iris Powell of Monmouth, Oregon. Mrs. Powell is a family historian, and has been most helpful in this project. At the time these typed transcripts were made, the originals were with Miss Edith Butler of Monmouth, Illinois. This lady is now Mrs. Edith Brooks, still living in the Illinois community at age 91. She remembers that many years ago she loaned the originals to someone who made typewritten copies. We have not been able to locate the handwritten originals. Several others have aided our search: Larry Butler of Atcheson, Kansas; Jill Butler Smith of Burlington, Iowa; President Bruce Haywood of Monmouth College, and Alice Martin, an Archivist of that institution.
SOURCES
Principal sources for the Butler Wagon Trains have been as follows:
The voluminous Butler family papers in the hands of Mrs. Iris Powell, Monmouth, Oregon.
Ellis A. Stebbins, The OCE Story (Monmouth, Oregon, 1973).
Helen Butler Jones, The Contribution of Certain Leaders to the Development of the Oregon Normal School, 1850–1930, Thesis, Master of Science in Education, University of Oregon, June, 1947.
The columns of Ralph B. Eckley in the Daily Review Atlas of Monmouth, Illinois, over many years.
“Autobiography of George Miller West,” manuscript in the library of the University of Oregon. West traveled with the Butler Wagon Train.
Wesley L.J. Mullenneix, Plymouth Rock to the Pacific (Yakima, Washington, 1983). This involves particularly the Butler Wagon Train.
Monmouth Illinois Atlas for the year 1852. This involves the letters of John E. Murphy and the 1852 journey.
ELIZA A. GROUND: LETTER I
Bloomington Dec the 25 1853
Dear Brother and Sister
we all arived at oregon safe and sound we was somewhat tired but we are a giting a little restid we are all well and harty, the children all look hearty esspeceily peter he is as fat as a pig his cheeks is red as a rose and his eyes as black and bright as you please the trip was tolerably tiresom but knot so mutch so as I expected to find it I was well the most of the way through though I did not have to lay down to rest any time whilst I was a geting breakfast that was more than I could do in the spring and summer at home or feeling like it at least I was verry weak along on snake river the fore part of the trip is nothing if the weather was warme and pleasant the weather was verry cold and wet for a long time after we started the latter part of the trip is hard there is so many long steep hills to climb up and down crossing the cascade mountains used me up wors than all the rest of the trip we saw a great many curiositys on the road, we did not suffer mutch for the want of wood and water we filled our water kegs where we did knot expect to find water and we sacked up wood anough to do us two hundred miles there was no timber in that distance except one lone tree so we had wood and sage brush all the way to cook with we found a great many currants on the way they was verry exceptable they was the best I ever tasted there was red yellow and black ones in the mountains we found rasberry dew berrys and thimble berrys we live close to a lake thare are hundreds of geese and ducks swimming in it our folks kills one every once in a while and sometimes a pheasant we have all of the Cabbages beets squashes and such things as we can use one of our neighbours tells us to send to his garden and help our selves he wants the cabbage cut off ove the stalks so that he can raise a nother crop on the same stalks they have excellent cabbage and beets here. I think that people can have plenty to live onn with but very little work though I cannot help thinking a great deal about old illinois I would like to see it about this time the connection are all well, thomas hutcheson is gone to the umqua [Umpqua] with his brother robert1 to look at the country he has been gone over a month mack timmons2 lives three or fore miles from here they say he is rich he has seven sones charles wells3 lives out here one of his sones was at our house yesterday hendrilks4 lives in oregon the singing teacher this is a great place for wild roses the prairies are red with the berrys at this time the snow drop groes wild here thousands of them, we want you to write to us we allway like to hare from you all and all the old neighbours give my best respects to matilda smith James and mary Butler and all inquireing friends and tell them to write
Eliza A Ground
John M & Eliza Butler
MARGARET B. SMITH: LETTER I
Bridge Port OT Feb 8th 1854
Dear brother and sister
I have waited a long time very impatient for a letter from you but have come to the conclusion we never shall so I will write a few lines to let you know we still exist amonst the living we are all well except Berryman5 he has a sore throat they is a great deal more sickness here than I expected to find they has bin a good menny children dyed this winter with a sore throat I have heard of a good menny Deaths since we got in the vally our children has been some what healthier than usial my health is some better but grieve so much about you all and my native land I cannot gain very fast I cannot tell you much about the rest of the folks they was all well the last I heard except Lissy [Hutchinson] she has had the rheumatism very bad two or three weeks but she is better they are at Fathers as usial and have bin for some time John I would like to see you very much it would do my very soul good to see you all and talk with you I could talk so much better than I can write the children talk a great deal about you all and contrive a great menny ways to git to go back Lavina you must write to them often they are very lonesome they have no associates here little Mary6 can talk so plain and sweete she implys some their time I wish you could hear her say Uncle Johhny aunt Matilda and tell me to get a chair and give her titty tell Mary if she could see her she would be willing to own the name you siad John Crawford wife and Nancy Lomax had gone to Kentucky on a visit I want you to write to me the particulars about their visit write all about the Knox folks and evry boddy els I want you to write all about my old home I want to know evry little improvement they have made I want to know where the clock stands cupboard and so on I shall not tell you ennything about the winter I will leave that for Mr Smith as he likes O T better than I do he will give the trouth we went to Lides7 a few weeks ago they was not at home so we went to Mr Haleys8 they was all well and Miss Haley said I must send her respects to you she likes O[regon] very much Sarah9 is at Portland they tore the blanket as they come to O and she does not live at home nor Monroe.10 I have cut and the Boys a coat I had to rip up Wrights11 cotton coat and cut all by it evry body has to be their own Tailor here I have made six pair of pants five aprons five sheets three bed frills two white ones and one calico one dress pillow slips and tablecloths I have a great deal of sewing to do yet I went to the store the other day and bought nine yards of calico a pair of stockings for Mary one paper of pins with four dozen eggs the children has three dozen more they are fifty cents a dozen butter is five bits a pound socks one dollar a pair Tilda I would like to know what you are about that you cant write the next time I see you I will pull your ears good tell Mary Jimmy I want to see them as bad as I can tell them to write often and kiss little Teldon for me give my love to all of my old neighbours especially Betty Lucas and Ellin and Ann P the mail goes out today so I must come to a close write soon and often so good by John Eliza and Matilda
Margaret B. Smith
ELIZABETH M. B. HUTCHINSON: LETTER I
Luckamute Apr 1854
Dear Elisa;
It is a little more than a year, since we left home, and you, and all the rest of our dear friends, and started on that almost endless journey, to this great land of Redskins, and wild cat.
But luckily we all reached in safety, as you have long since heard; no doubt. This great journey with its numerous inconveniences, and dangers; take man, and beast, through a material change yea and even women — it seems to arouse, and set to work all the selfish and beastly passions, a natural consequence, when all restrictions are taken from over them
We reached Elija’s12 on the 10th day of Aug with our two little ones. Robert was just a week old, he was born on the Cascade Mts on the 3d of Aug
We stayed with Elijah 3 weeks and then started up country about (excuse this blot for I was killing a musketo on my hand and made the pen give down a little too much ink) two days drive from E’s while on the road Mr. Hutchinson took the ague and a few days after we stopped I took it also there we were both sick with our little babe four weeks old and living in a house without door floor or chimney and cracks in the wall large enough for a dog to creep through. Well I had several hard shakes and then got well, but Mr. Hutchinson had it five months
June 24 1854
Dear Eliza
You see by the previous page that I have in days of yore commenced a letter to you. But I have almost forgotten what I had intended to write, no difference, all has probably been written previous to the date of that, and this, even the crying of the babes of trouble.
Excuse me for taking the same sheet, poverty told me to You wonder what the reason is that we do not write more positive and tell you all about the country and how each one is satisfied. Well, one reason is we dare not write the truth and conscience wont let us write lies. So we write nothing. Perhaps I am mistaken, may be we dont know the whole truth and are afraid to write a part, lest we be mistaken and thrown in the lie. But Eliza what I am now going to say to you, pray take for the truth, to the best of my judgement.
We are all well and all of the kin folks except Berry Smith, he has had something like a white swelling on one of his legs his doctor says it is worse if such a thing can be. I have not heard from him since a week ago last Monday. Eliza Mother and I went to see him we think it doubtful whether he ever gets well Mother told me that he said if he died he did not want to buried here and if he ever gets well he intends to go back to Illinois. Mother is grieving herself to death about leaving home She has failed so much that she hardly looks like the same person. You must write to her particularly. She feels bad because there is nothing written to her. She thinks if she could write she would not treat you all so. You know, it makes one feel more like they were remembered if their name is mentioned. I am shure this letter will do you more good, than if your names had not been mentioned. The day before yesterday Mary Ann13 came to see us for the first time. She talked so much about Monmouth Illinois and the folks there that I could almost think myself there. She is the worst whipped woman you ever saw — She says she wonders — that she could be so blinded to her own interest. She says if they do not go back to Monmouth it will be Ira’s fault. Pauline14 has grown more since she left home than she had for several years before. She looks considerably like a woman and every hair on her head is full of ambition. She begins to talk of Silks, Spanish side Saddles young Lawyers etc. But But Giee’s giees as the red man says are ad Swampus non comatum that is men of the first standing.15 I must tell you something about the Mrs of Oregon16 they are from eleven to twenty years old, from eight to twelve hands high, and some a lilly white, others a light chesnut sorrel and dark brown hair. dressed in all sorts of pretty prints, from Geise and dirt — made in bright to come about half way between the wire bender and their delicate walkers. just below each wire bender is tied a part of the leg of their dady’s breeches or something similar. Now, when all this rigging gets under good headway of a moderate walk — it presents an aspect worthy of note.
now in my next, (if you do not chastize me for this) I will tell you about the Silks and nicer things. I have omitted to give a specimen of their knowledge. I will state one case which came immediately under my own eye.
One evening while sitting in the presence of one of the afore mentioned personages, it came about that I asked her how old she was. She said she did not know though she thought she was about sixteen, her husband spoke and told what year she was born. She was near twenty I think Oregon will sometime be a very pleasant place to live, the folks will very soon become aristocratic though on account of the wealth and beauty of the valley, there are a great many rich men here
It appears we are destined for years to mingle in one common herd with the sap heads of every country and clime—schools and society are in the lowest degree. The climate is very different to what I expected it has been very cold this summer we have been obliged to keep a good fire all the time and sleep under three or four covers every night. Our gardens are backward we have not had any vegetables yet except lettuce times are very hard, there is very little money in circulation this makes it very hard for new comers to take a start. I must tell you about our camp meeting which commenced two weeks ago last Thursday and lasted until the next tuesday morning we heard some good Sermons though there was but very few conversions they were Cumberland Presbyterians there is more of that denomination than any other in this vicinity, though I speak with some uncertainty, for I have never heard the numbers of any but they seem to be in the lead, if you ever get this letter I wish you would answer it and tell us all the news tell me all about what you are doing what improvements the children have made tell Lavina to write to me tell me what has become of Nancy G
Your affectionate Sister
Elizabeth M. B. Hutchinson
ELIZABETH M. B. HUTCHINSON: LETTER II
Oregon Aug 26/1855
Dear John & Eliza;
I have just been thinking how well I could enjoy myself if I were at your house to day but of this pleasure I cannot partake at present. We must wait patiently until the God of mammon renders himself propitious, and then I hope to partake freely of this pleasure. I suppose we have a small claim on Illinois yet, and this pleasure. I feel very much like holding on to it. We would be very glad if you would tell us all about our place when you write again. Mr. Hutchinson has been wanting to write to you for some time but has been hindered by sickness and many other unavoidable occurrences. I think he will write to you in a few weeks, he is very busy now and will be fore some time, he is away from home all the time except now and then a day or so that he has a very poor chance to write to you or even think on any subject except that pertaining to his business. We are about two hundred dollars in debt which must all be paid this fall, he has not collected but very little money yet for surveying money is very hard to get at this time.
We have 19 head of cattle two mares and colts I dont know how many hogs two dogs and two children, so this is the amount of live stock Eliza you must write to us when you feel like it and I would be glad if these feelings would come on you very often tell us all about Lavinia for I see she cant afford [to] tell us anything herself. We want to hear about the little boys also give my respects to all who enquire after and would be pleased to hear from me.
Your loving Sister
E.M.B. Hutchinson
As there is some blank paper left I thought I would ask you whether you and James think it would be better for me to sell a part of the timbered land off or sell it all together likewise whither you think the price of land will rise or is it at a stand if you think that land will rise, then maby I had better not sell the old place fora while. I want you to write to me whither you think Wilson will pay off that note when it is due if I had it I could makout fora while especially if you can sell the place I got of Isaac. Isaac is very anxious for you to sell the place near your uncle Wms Also Hutchinsons wants it sold we want you to write to us what you think the chance will be to sell it write what was done with Hutchinsons farm East of Isaacs last year Also what you have done with both of them this year
Your father
Peter Butler
ELIZABETH M. B. HUTCHINSON: LETTER III
Bloomington Polk Co. Oregon
Aug. 3d 1856
Dear Niece;
I have delayed writing to you for some time owing to Sickness trouble and some other things which are not profitable to mention. I have written a long letter to your Father in which I gave a full discription of the sickness and death of your good grandfather17 he is no more his Spirit has gone to him who gave it and his body layed in the damp cold grave it seems as though he had been preparing for this and Some time previous to its coming he has lately read the New testament through twice and was reading the Old But I think he did not quite finish it previous to his death, he seemed to be much more patient in the latter part of his life, than he was in his younger days he Said to us while lying sick that he had probably done many wrongs to us in his life time but he could not see it at the time he said he wanted us all to forgive him as far as we could Your Grandmother takes his death very hard and I am afraid She will grieve herself to death She wants us to get tombstones and put to his grave tell your Father if we dont get some at San Francisco we will Send back there for some and he must see that the largest and very finest quality are procured we went to get a good deal of writing put on them. Lavinia I want you to go to that little hickory grove on the west of the old home and pick two of the nicest oak leaves you can find and send them in your next letter also two hickory ones at different times along. I wish you would continue to send until you send every kind of leaf that grows in the old granate State Send me a leaf off Grand Ma’s favorite walnut also one off the rose bush by the front door your letter of the (20 Jan) I believe was the first I have ever received from you but I hope you will not make it the last the children are all pretty well though they have all been sick with colds there are a great many children dying with the flux the lung fever is raging in Oregon at this time I received a big fine and interesting letter from P. M. Murphy some days since give my respects to all and believe me as ever
loving Aunt
Lissie
Dear little Erastus your very pretty little letter came safe to hand it is indeed a neat letter I will save the card until the baby gets old enough to take care of it himself he is truly a little treasure his face is as sweet as the honey dew and his eyes are a pearly brightness I want to have his miniature taken this summer and send back to Illinois I dont know but I will have to beg off from the name as his Pa asked for the name before he started to the war18 We have concluded to call him Thomas Otis we think the name you selected was a very pretty one and would be pleased to the little judge by patronizing his name Jimmy sends his love to you Robert is out in the orchard singing at the top of his voice or else he would send his love you must write to them again
Your Aunt
Lissie
Now Grandville
you and Isaac are last but not least we would be just as glad to see your little faces as if you were as large as Jarvis be good boys and write us a letter as soon as you can When they get the great Pacific railroad done we will go to see you
Good Bye
Tell Aunt Nancy Butler if she dont answer my letter she need not expect another
Tell your mother she must take this letter as written to her also give my respect to all
Your Aunt Lissy
Our territorial meeting commences this week at Monmouth there is great preparations being made for it and I hope much good will be done.
1 Robert Hutchinson, brother of Thomas, and his wife, also named Elizabeth, settled in Douglas County, OR. Their claim, #1707, was filed ac the Roseburg office. They traveled the trail in 1850. Genealogical Material in Oregon Donation Land Claims, III (Portland, 1962), p. 122. This reference will hereafter be abbreviated as Genealogical Material.
2 This was Lambert McTimmonds, a 56-year-old Scotsman farmer. He was born in Ireland and had a wife, Ann. They arrived via the Oregon Trail from Missouri in 1845. The 1870 census lists them as having seven children. Genealogical Material, II, #4524, p. 100.
3 Charles and Elizabeth Wells made the western trek in 1852 and settled in Benton County, OR. Genealogical Material, II, #3883, p. 71.
4 This was probably Samuel E. and Sarah Cordelia Hendricks, who traveled to Oregon in 1852 to settle in the Salem area. His birthplace was Warren County, K Y, where the Butlers resided at one time. Genealogical Material, II, #4420, p. 96.
5 Berryman was the 8-year-old son of the Smiths, born in Warren Co., IL, in 1850. He became a farmer like his father and later, a pharmacist. H. O. Lang, History of the Willommette Valley (Portland, 1885), p. 819.
6 Mary Elizabeth was born to Margaret Smith in 1852. She died on Octobr 10, 1858, at age 6. Addie Dyal, “Davidson Cemetery in Polk County, Oregon,” Beaver Briefs, X I, No. 1, p. 12.
7 Unidentified, probably a nickname.
8 Two Haley brothers and their wives crossed the plains with the Butler wagon train in 1853: Bedford and Mary; Patrick R. and Jane. They settled southwest of Independence in Polk Co. Genealogical Material, II, #4624, p. 105, and IV, #7790, p. 26.
9 This Sarah who “tore the blanket,” i.e. separated from her husband, is so far unidentified.
10 Monroe is also unidentified.
11 Silas Wright Smith was the Smiths’ second son, age 10.
12 Elijah D. Butler was Elizabeth Hutchinson‘s older brother. He and his wife, Sarah, had crossed the plains in 1852. Helen Butler Jones, The Contribution of Certain Leaders to the Development of the Oregon Normal School, 1850101930, Master of Science Thesis, Education, University of Oregon, Eugene, June 1947. p. 9.
13 Mary Ann (Davidson) was the wife of Ira Francis Marion Butler, son of Peter and Rachel Butler. The following obituary appeared in the Polk County Observer of Monmouth on July 7, 1888: “Mary A. Butler, wife of Judge Ira F. M. Butler, died at her home in Monmouth surrounded by family and friends, one o‘clock Friday morning, June 29, 1888. Mrs. Butler was born in Warren county, Ky., Apr. 22, 1814, married Nov. 5, 1835 in 111., crossed the plains in 1853, settled in Polk county where she has resided ever since, till the day of her death …”
14 This is probably a misspelling of Paradine, 15-year-old daughter of Ira and Mary Ann Butler.
15 This conglomeration of words is probably a localized form or distortion of the Chinook jargon, trade language of the Pacific Northwest Indians. None of the Chinook authorities, however, list any of them.
16 Due to the shortage of women, many were married as young teenagers, and are sometimes referred to as “child brides.” They were both white and Indian.
17 Peter Butler.
18 The mid-1850‘s were years of Indian-White conflict in the Pacific Northwest.