- WILLIAM G. BUTLER, whose home is on section 26, Harmony Township,
was born in Berlin,
- Germany, on the 10th of December 1839, and is the son of
Michael and Tiney (TESNER) BUTLER, who were also natives of Germany.
The paternal grandfather was an extensive land-owner and farmer
in the Fatherland, his possessions aggregating 4,000 acres at
the time of his death. Michael BUTLER also engaged extensively
in farming, being a very enterprising and successful business
man. He was born in 1811, and his death occurred at Hamburg in
1856. Mrs. BUTLER was born in 1811, and was a widow at the time
of her marriage with our subject's father. Her first husband
was a Mr. HANELT, and to them were born two children: August,
who is living in Appleton, Wis.; and Tiney, wife of Charles SHOLTZ,
who is also a resident of the same city.
- To Mr. and Mrs. BUTLER were born three children: William,
of this sketch; Minnie, wife of
- Frederick HANKEE, who is living in Harmony Township; and
Amelia, wife of August ZYLK, a resident of Fillmore County, Minn.
In 1876 the mother emigrated to this country, making her home
with her daughter, Mrs. ZYLK, until her death.
- Until about fifteen years ago our subject remained upon his
father's farm assisting in its cultivation,
- but at that time accompanied his father's brother to America.
Boarding the sailing-vessel "Johonas," which sailed
from the port of Hamburg, they crossed the broad ocean, landing
at Quebec after a voyage of forty-five days. From that city they
went to Milwaukee, Wis., but later removed to Watertown, in the
same State, where William remained about three or four years,
during which time he was engaged in working by the month on the
farm of H. E. HUMPHREYS, who was a native of Wales. Leaving that
employ, he came to Rock County, in the year 1860, and engaged
as a farm hand with a Mr. STONE, with whom he continued for a
period of two years. At the expiration of that time he rented
a farm, for which he paid cash rent, and two year later became
its owner. In connection with the cultivation of his land, which
is eighty-seven and one-third acres in extent, he engages in
stock-raising, including sheep, cattle, horses, and hogs. Enterprising
and progressive, he is one of the leading farmers of Harmony
Township. In his political sentiments, he advocates the principles
of the Democratic party, and is held in high regard by all who
know him. He is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
in which his father and mother were both members, and he is a
self made man in every respect.
-
- Taken from "Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock
County Wis.," (c)1889, p. 200.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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