Alexander Butler
Alexander Butler, a farmer, and prominent citizen of Van Buren Township, Grant County, Indiana, is one of the successful and influential men in this section of the county. He has been a farmer all of his life and from a small beginning is now, through hard work and wise management, counted one of the prosperous men of the community. This has meant that he has had to be a very busy and hard working man, but in spite of this he has always found time to give in behalf of his fellows and the interest of the general public, and as a trustee of the township accomplished much toward the upbuilding of this section.
Alexander Butler was born in Rush County, Indiana, on the 9th of March, 1846, son of Alpheus and Rhoda (English) Butler, both of whom were born in Kentucky. Alpheus Butler, who was born in 1807, was the son of Nathan and Mary (Davis) Butler, who were natives of Virginia, and early settlers of Kentucky. Soon after his marriage to Rhoda English, in 1831, Alpheus Butler emigrated to Rush County, Indiana, where he bought a farm. He improved this place which was then in the wilderness and here he lived and reared a family of eight children. His death occurred in 1889. He moved to Van Buren Township, Grant County, Indiana, in 1875, and died on his farm in this township. His children are as follows: Andrew D., who is dead; Nathan, who is also deceased; John, a resident of Van Buren Township; Alexander; Rhoda and George, both of whom are dead; Artemesia, who is now Mrs. J. B. green; and Eda, who is deceased.
Alexander Butler received his education in the district school which at that time were very primitive institutions. As soon as he was old enough to earn his own living he went to farming and after his marriage he bought a farm of eighty acres in Rush County. Here he lived until 1872, when he sold this property and removed to Van Buren Township, Grant County, Indiana, in October of that year. He first bought eighty acres and in 1889 added forty acres to his first purchase. In 1907 he made a third purchase of forty acres. He bought his first land for $22 an acre, the farm having a small clearing and a log cabin upon it. He has cleared and ditched and fenced the land, built a house and barn and in other ways improved it and now the land is valued at $150 an acre. He erected his home in 1874 and in 1899 built an addition to it, making it a modern and attractive dwelling. Altogether Mr. Butler owns 160 acres , 80 of which is contained in the home farm, 40 acres lie across the road from the home place and 40 acres is located on the county line. In 1912 Mr. Butler raised 1,200 bushels of corn and 1,200 bushels of oats. His acreage in 1913 was 20 acres of oats and 45 acres of corn. He also devotes considerable attention to raising swine, his average output being 75 head yearly. Mr. Butler has the assistance of his son in the management of the farm.
In politics Mr. Butler is a member of the Democratic party and has taken a prominent part in partly affairs in the township. He was elected township trustee in 1878 and served in this office for two years. He was again elected to the office in 1886 and re-elected in 1888. It was while he was in office that the first two-room brick school house was built in the township, it being located at Van Buren. He has also served as a member of the Township Advisory Board for Van Buren Township, and is now on his thirteenth consecutive year as such, and is chairman of the board.
Mr. Butler was married on the 8th of August, 1867, to Ann Maria Alexander, a daughter of John Alexander, a native of Kentucky, but then a resident of Rush County, Indiana, where Mrs. Butler was born and raised. Her death occurred on March 17, 1881. They had six children, of whom four are living: Winnie E., wife of Clinton R. Witmer, of Van Buren Township, and they have five children; Lacy G., who manages the home farm, married Luetta Wearley, and they live in Illinois and have five children; Josie W., wife of E. W. Cook, an oil worker, resides in Illinois, and they have one child; the two deceased children were Esca A., who died aged one year, and an infant, who died unnamed.
Mr. Butler, on October 30, 1882, married Mary E. Alexander, a daughter of Azel Alexander of Rush County, Illinois. there were four children by this marriage; Morris, who died aged about one year; Lena, wife of H. F. Haupthof, and they have two children; Sallie, wife of J. O. Shafer, of Oklahoma, and they also have two children; Mable, wife of Mark Coon, and they have one child.
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.