This view is looking East from where I live.  I call my place Château de Derrière.  This is a Fall

sunrise at  Château de Derrière on  Buzzard Ridge Road in  The Big Woods in  Brandon Township, Jackson County, Iowa.

I'm looking East to Licking County, Ohio, Berkeley County, West Virginia, down the Potomac to Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, Maryland, across to Kent County, Delaware, up to Dutchess County, New York, up further to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and across the Atlantic to England whence my paternal and many other of my ancestors came.

Welcome!

The Mayflower landed on this continent on 11/21/1620.  Of the 102 passengers on board, 66 were "Separatists" of the English Church.  The Separatists were also known as "Pilgrims".  The best I can discern is that my earliest BUTT/GREEN ancestors arrived on this continent around 1660/1680 respectively.  Subsequently, these two families inter- and intra-married extensively.

My BUTT/GREEN family history on this continent is rich indeed.  Volumes have been written about both.  Yet it is amazingly incomplete as well; my known, paternal BUTT line truncates in the late 1700's with my gr gr grandfather, Bazil Butt.

This site is dedicated to identifying the unknown parents, or father at least, of my gr gr grandfather, Bazil Butt, b. 3/13/1797, and to keeping all my ancestors "alive".  Bazil was always referred to by his Iowa descendants, both in writing and verbally, as Bazil Baker Butt.  Perhaps there was a BAKER family connection.  Without hesitation I can say there was some reason to include the name BAKER.  What it was, I simply do not know.  This is also an effort to bring as fully up-to-date as reasonable, with all the most current information available and using the most current techniques, my BUTT and GREEN family histories.  You might not understand that...it's an "Indian Thing".  This is a working document.  Please come back often as it will be updated frequently.  Thanks for coming.

I am very much interested in any comments you might have about this site.  I am particularly interested in what you do NOT like, and how you think it can be improved.  I want this site to be interesting and easy to use.  Please send your comments to:

dennisbutt@hughes.net

This site is far lengthier than I had anticipated.  It is not possible to get through it in "a short time".  Hours are required to get through it all. 

It is currently:

FIND FUNCTION:  This section is lengthy.  It includes ALL the information about Bazil Butt that I have collected and been provided by many others.  If you have interest in a particular name/word, you can hold down the Control Key and simultaneously type "F".  This will give you a window into which you can type the name/word of interest.  Clicking on the "Find Next" button will take you to the first occurrence of that name/word.  Continuing to click on the "Find Next" button will take you to subsequent occurrences of that name/word.  This may allow you to avoid reading/viewing EVERYTHING.

who was Bazil Butt (AKA Bazil Baker Butt), b. 3/13/1797 - d. 11/16/1854?

Below is a picture and some information about Bazil Butt and wife Mahala* (Green) Butt.  It's a scan of a page of information I copied while once visiting the Johnstown, Ohio Historical Society.  This is the only known picture of Bazil Butt.  At that time, this Historical Society was selling "Mahala Dolls" commemorating the assertion herein that Mahala "...was the first White child born in Monroe Township...", Licking County, Ohio.

*The name Mahala in an unspecified Indigenous word meaning: woman; tenderness.

Our quest here is to identify the parents, or father at least, of this guy right here.  There is a story about a Bazil Butt having part of an ear cut off in some kind of accident.  When Bazil enlisted in the military, he was 5' 8" tall and had blue eyes and light hair....`makes one wonder how his son Morgan Green "Morg" Butt, my gr grandfather got so tall...Morg was well over 6' tall...and how my grandfather Squire George Butt got so dark.

As mentioned in the Summary Page, I have a Shawnee ancestor at a distance of about 200 years or approximately 8 generations.  Using birth dates, this Shawnee ancestor would have been born in ~1740.  My estimate is that Bazil's parents were alive sometime during the 52 years between 1758 and 1810.  This Shawnee ancestor therefore, seems to have lived contemporaneously with Bazil's grand parents.

There was a Samuel Butt, b. 1/14/1777, who is mentioned variously throughout this work, who we know from several documents and DNA, was very close personally, and very closely related to Bazil.  In the letter below, Demas Hoover states as a matter of fact, that this Samuel, John Butt, b. 1788 and Bazil were brothers.

I have not been able to prove these brother relationships.  In any event, the parents of this Samuel Butt would have been born around 1757, too late for Samuel's father to have been the Shawnee ancestor being discussed, but about right for this Shawnee to have been Samuel's grandfather.  This would put this Shawnee ancestor at a distance of 7 generations.

We know from DNA as well, that I have many Shawnee relatives at a much closer distance than 200 years or 8 generations.

My DNA test was that known as a yDNA test.  As I understand it, this test measures characteristics of males only, more specifically, only those characteristics that are passed on from fathers to sons.  The characteristics that are measured mutate in only minor ways every 30 generations or so.  It seems to me that we can conclude at least one thing for sure from all this; that being that if we were able to test the DNA of Bazil Butt, it would be found to match mine exactly and, accordingly, that he too would be found to have alleles of Eastern and Piqua Shawnee.

The two sisters, Caroline Sofiiah and Charlotte Goodrich married Kasson brothers, Orrin and Royal respectively.  Kevin Kasson who is a gr gr grandson of Orrin and Caroline Sofiiah (BUTT) Kasson recently supplied me with a Kasson Family History.  Here it is:

KassonFamilyGenealogy.pdf

Kevin descends from the following down to his gr gr grandfather Orrin.  None of Kevin's more recent family are in this book.  

Adam Kasson, 
1st gen: Capt. Samuel Kasson (youngest son of original family) pg.7 , 
2nd gen: Samuel Jr. pg. 8 (settled in Johnstown, Ohio, 1813),
3rd gen: Daniel Kasson, pg. 11, 
4th Gen: Orrin Kasson (not in book), 

As indicated, this Orrin Kasson was the husband of my gr grand aunt Caroline Sofiiah (Butt) Kasson and Royal Kasson, a brother to Orrin was the husband of my gr grand aunt Charlotte Goodrich (Butt) Kasson.  Both of these women are pictured below.

Below is a scan of another picture I copied during this visit to the Johnstown Historical Society. These are children of Bazil and Mahala Butt.  There is some very, very slight doubt about the two I have identified as Noah Fasset "Woof" and Henry Stansbury Wilson "Will".

As best I can determine, Leroy Hamilton is not in this picture.  Leroy Hamilton was the oldest child of Bazil and Mahala.  He died February 15, 1907.  The oldest here appears to be the one to the right of Morgan Green and that would be Reason Marlay as I have it labeled.  I'm sure this picture was taken in the Johnstown, Ohio area.

Here are two newspaper notes about trips Morgan Green Butt made to Ohio to visit friends and relatives.  These dates coincide with Morg's January 19th birth date.  Perhaps they were celebrating the occasion.  I doubt that this picture was taken during one of these trips.  Had it been, one would think Leroy Hamilton would have been in the picture as well.

Jackson Sentinel, Maquoketa, Iowa, Thursday, January 16, 1902

Daily Jottings.

SATURDAY--…Among our callers were Mrs. J. H. Doty of Baldwin, and Mrs. Butt of Monmouth, who informed us that next week, accompanied by Mr. Butts, they were going to their old home, Johnstown, Ohio, for a winter’s visit.

 

Jackson Sentinel, Maquoketa, Iowa, Thursday, January 12, 1905.

Monmouth. Wednesday, January 11, 1905.

Morgan Butt departed for Ohio, Monday morning, to visit friends and relatives.

Morgan Green Butt died in 1909.  My guess is that the above picture was taken around the time of, or perhaps even at, Leroy Hamilton's funeral in 1907.  This would make Morgan Green Butt 65 and Reason Marlay 75 years old at the time this picture was taken.

The picture below is another of eight of the eleven children of Bazil and Mahala.  This picture was inherited from my father Henry Morgan Butt.  It was given to dad by his cousin Carl Morgan "Tim" Ripperton.  Tim was a son of Lutie Mahala Butt and husband Frank Ripperton.  Lutie was a daughter of Morgan Green "Morg" Butt and second wife Clarissa Catherine (Green) (Gould) "Katy" Butt and a sister to my grandfather Squire George Butt.  The picture originally belonged to Lutie, Squire Butt's sister.

Morgan Green Butt is third from the left.  As best I can determine, from left to right, these are: Noah Fasset "Woof", Reason Marlay "Reese/Reeze", Morgan Green "Morg", Henry Stansbury Wilson "Will", Hazel Rignal "Tode", Charlotte Goodrich, Caroline Sofiiah and Leroy Hamilton.  The other three children were Addis Porter, Marie Jane, and Aby Adelia who died in 1849, 1859, and 1888 respectively.

My estimation is that this picture was taken in ~1895.  This would make Morgan Green Butt 53 years old when this picture was taken.  Leroy Hamilton, the oldest here would have been 68 and Henry Stansbury Wilson, the youngest would have been 51.  My guess is that it too was taken in Johnstown, Ohio.

The sideways article at the bottom of this picture is an Obituary for Clarissa Catherine Green, Morg's second wife.  I have included it upright and enlarged in the "All About My Great Grandmother Catherine Clarissa "Katy" (Green) (Gould) Butt" section of this site.  Here's a link that will take you to that section and that newspaper article Katy's Obituary.  I have included a link at the bottom of that newspaper article that will bring you back here.  

I've listed above the nicknames I know of the boys of Bazil and Mahala.  With respect to the nickname "Tode"; there is no doubt that this is the spelling used for Hazel Rignal's nickname.  R. M. Green, renowned Historian who wrote the landmark, 800 page book titled "A Branch from The Green Tree", which includes much information about my BUTT family, spells it this way in his book.  He also spelled it this way in all the various letters and accompanying material I received from him.  The wife of Hazel Rignal "Tode" Butt was Nancy Ann Tippett.  Her nickname was "Tidy".  Here's an except from a letter I received from R. M. Green shortly after he and I met.

"I was surprised to learn that I run across more on Morgan Green Butt and his son Squire, than appears in my book 'The Green Tree'.  Actually, I remember his brother Hazel Rignal 'Tode' Butt, and his wife Nancy (Tippett) Butt, very well. They used to attend our Green/Willison reunions there at Johnstown, every year.  You see, I was born in 1906, myself, and in those days, 'family' was about all people had to talk about at a get-to-gether.  Fortunately, I had a good memory, and remembered grand-dads and the older ones talking about 'poor old blind Ky Green; Hair-lip George Green, Tode and Tidy Butt' and other such nick names."

I have searched all the dictionaries and encyclopedia's I know of for a definition of these words and have found nothing.  In particular, I searched for old English meanings thinking the Butt and Green people of that time were familiar perhaps, with some old English words or slang that have since been lost.  Again, I found nothing.  It could very well be that they just didn't know how to spell Toad.

Here's a newspaper article about my father, the Model T ford he assembled and the nick name.

Below is an enlargement of the newspaper article on the sides of the above picture.  Note the name spellings.  This was my first introduction to written verbiage about my gr gr grandfather Bazil Butt and accordingly, I have used this spelling all my life.  I have also all my life, used the pronunciation of Bazil's name my father, his brothers and their mother used.  I am fully aware that others prefer different spellings and different pronunciations.

Part of Diadema* (Willison) Green's name is missing on the bottom of the first column and top of the second column.   Below is a transcription I've done of the above newspaper article that includes all the words.

*The name Diadema is an interesting one.  My understanding is that it's a Greek word that means headdress.  The Romans, and Persians used the word in that context.  I've found that the Pope's Tiara was called a diadema.  The indigenous people on this continent sometimes wear feathers in a headdress which could be called diadema as well.

Here's a scan of a photo copy of this article that may be more suitable for downloading.

Here's an 1875 map of Monroe Township, Licking County, Ohio where some of these people and some significant others lived.  The town being Johnstown.  I have outlined in red, the property of Mahala Butt.  Note Raccoon Creek ran thru the corner of her property. 

Bazil Baker Butt

My father, his brothers that I knew, and their mother always referred to Bazil, not just as Bazil, or Bazil Butt, but ALWAYS both verbally and in writing, as Bazil Baker Butt, as if it were all the one word; BAZILBAKERBUTT.  I have school books that belonged to my father and his brothers.  One of the younger brothers of my father was Benjamin Joseph Butt.  Inside the front cover of one of his books he wrote:  "Benjermin Joseph Bazil Baker Butt".  The "r" in "Benjermin" is his, not mine.  He was about 10 years old when he wrote this line.

In the "Writings of my father Henry Morgan "Toad" Butt" section you will find some family history.  You'll note there that dad refers to his gr grandfather as Bazil Baker Butt. 

According to my father, the name Bazil Baker Butt was used by his father, Squire George Butt and wife Hattie Eva Nettie (Willman) Butt, and that it was also used by Morgan Green Butt, son of Bazil and Mahala, and his wife Katy.  My father remembered Morgan Green Butt and his wife Clarissa Catherine (Katy), but only vaguely, so, my father was not able to confirm the latter from first-hand knowledge.

My father's nickname was "Toad", or "Tode", or "Toady", or "Todey, or "Totie", etc.  As mentioned, Hazel Rignal Butt, a brother of Morgan Green Butt had the nickname "Tode".  This was passed on by Morgan Green Butt, first to his son, my grandfather Squire George Butt, and then to my father Henry Morgan Butt.  The name Bazil Baker Butt was surely passed on to the rest of us by Morgan as was the name "Tode" exactly in the same way.  My guess is that Morgan Green Butt actually called is father Bazil Baker Butt.

In any event, the name BAKER has a particular significance.

Here is a 435 page, extensively end noted document titled "Descendants of William Green" supplied by Linda Booker.

William Green.pdf

This is an excerpt from that document:

Child of GEORGE GREEN and DIADEMA WILLISON is:

i. MAHALA⁴ GREEN, m. BAZIL BAKER.

Here's a newspaper clipping that may be the source of the above.

MORGAN GREEN BUTT   CLARISSA CATHERINE GREEN

Morgan Green Butt, son of Basil Baker and Mahala (Green) Butt, was born on 19 January 1842 in Licking Co., Ohio. He died on 8 May 1909 in Jackson Co., Iowa and was buried in Monmouth Cem., Monmouth, Iowa. He married 2nd Clarissa Catherine Green, daughter of Rolla and Isabel (Huston) Green, on 10 March 1879. Catherine was born on 1 January 1850 in Licking Co., Ohio. She died on 7 March 1909 in Monmouth, Iowa and was buried in Monmouth Cem., Monmouth, Iowa.  Morgan married 1st Mary Isobel Sinkey. Morgan and Mary had one daughter, Byra Ann.  Catherine married 1st Elijah Gould on 5 December 1870. Elijah and Catherine had three children.

Morgan Green Butt and first wife Mary Sinkey actually had two daughters; Ida June and Byra Ann.  Ida died in infancy.

Leroy Hamilton Butt, the oldest child of Bazil and Mahala named a daughter Mahala D. Butt.  She was born in 1858.  I do not know what the "D" stands for.  My guess would be Diadema, the first name of Mahala's mother.  Clearly though, she was named after Leroy Hamilton's mother.  Leroy Hamilton also named a son Bazil Baker Butt.  He was born in 1865.  This Bazil Baker Butt is some times referred to as Baker Bazil Butt.  This perhaps, to differentiate him from his grandfather.  In the 1870 and 1880 census' he was referred to as Bazil Butt and Baker Butt respectively.  In the BUTT family reunion minutes for year 1931 he was referred to as "Baker".   This son was clearly named after Leroy Hamilton's father.  Here's an 1870 census that includes Leroy Hamilton, wife Clarissa E. (Overturf) and their family, including Mahala D. and Bazil B. 

Morgan Green Butt and 2nd wife Clarissa Katherine "Katy" (Green) (Gould) Butt named a daughter Lutie Mahala (Mrs. Lutie Ripperton in Katy's obituary) and another Lydia Adelia (Mrs. Delia Nowachek in Katy's obituary).  Morgan had a sister named Aby Adelia.  My father's next older brother's name was George Addis.  Morgan had a brother named Addis Porter.  Both of my fathers names along with his nickname were passed on from family members.  Family names were frequently passed on from generation to generation.

A burning question is, and has always been for me; why was Bazil ALWAYS referred to by his Iowa descendants as Bazil Baker Butt?  Middle names were used prior to the Civil War, but not always, and for that reason I've never consider the name "Baker" to be Bazil's middle name.  I would not be surprised, if "Baker" was Bazil's mother's maiden name.  The name Baker is found frequently in the area's where Bazil and his relatives are known to have been.  But, I've never found a direct nexus between Bazil and any BAKER family.  I'm still looking for such a connection.  This may be the best clue we have about who Bazil's parents might have been.

You will have noted in the above "Bazil and Mahala Butt Family Record" newspaper article that a stone was placed on the spot where Bazil was killed.  Below is a picture of that stone.  This picture has been in my family since I can remember.  Again note the spelling, "Bazil".

The stone was not in its original spot in this picture.  It was moved from its original spot to this fence line in ~1916.  It was later removed from this spot (and broken in the process) to Green Hill Cemetery where a part of it is now located.  Below is an excerpt from a letter to me from R. M. Green, the author of "A Branch from The Green Tree".

"I don't want to seem like I'm trying to take any praise or honor from Bud Butte for having moved the Basil Butt stone to Green Hill Cemetery.  Actually, I approve of the move in every way, and I was the one to show him a picture of the stone taken by Everett Buck, a grandson of Hazel Rignel Butt, in the first place.  In Bud's last letter, he included a copy of a letter to you from a Mrs. Janice Large, whom I am not familiar with, in which she mentioned that the stone had been moved from its original resting place to its new place in Green Hill Cemetery.  The stone hadn't been in the original place for at least 75 years.  I do not know who owned the property when Basil was killed on it, but Charles Pratt owned it when we lived nearby in 1913.  Charles Pratt sold out to Charles Stemen probably in 1915 or 16.  Stemen bought a new Huber tractor, and found that big stone out in his field caused him a lot of trouble and extra time working around, so decided it had to go, so using his new tractor, and his two sons, Dwight and Victor, they moved the stone out of the field into a  woods lot, where the maple sugar camp was located.  That would have been about 1916, for I have a 1916 White School picture showing we three Green kids and the four oldest Stemen kids were in White School at the same time.  The usual way of moving such obstacles from fields in those days was by using a stick of dynamite, so I always thought Charlie had done a very honorable thing.  He lived to 105 and I was a pallbearer for his funeral."

Bud Butte (Charles D. "Bud" Butte) who is mentioned above as having been the one who moved the stone is like me,  a gr gr grandson of Bazil and Mahala Butt.  Bud descends thru Hazel Rignol "Tode" Butt (mentioned above) and wife Nancy Ann "Tidy" Tippett, then their son Miles Edward Butt and wife Cordelia (Chase) Butt, and then finally thru their son Cecil Orr Butte and wife Hazel Catherine Richert.  Bud is a retired Army officer who at the time of this writing (Sept., 2007) lives in Florida.

Bud published his memoir.  Here's a portion of page 57 of that book.

The mention here by Bud of the "jug of corn", aka, "Moonshine", "White Lighting" or "Triple Twist" is significant.

The "Mahala Doll" has been mentioned previously.  Bud mentions it here again.  Here's a picture sent to me by De Vaughn of her Mahala doll.

Below is a picture of what remains of the Bazil Butt stone that is now in Green Hill Cemetery.  The stone was broken when it was removed from the fence line in the picture above, to Green Hill Cemetery.  Again note the spelling of "Bazil".

These are the original stones in Green Hill Cemetery of first Bazil and then Mahala.  Here it's spelled Basil.

Note in the above, the stone in the right background.  That's the Bazil Butt stone.

The "Bazil and Mahala Butt Family Record" newspaper article also says Bazil Butt was born March 13, 1798 and that he was 14 years old when serving in the military.  Some of this may be incorrect.  By other accounts, Bazil was born March 13, 1797.  He served in the military as a Private from 8-26-1814 thru 12-10-1814 and, accordingly, if the latter of these birth dates is correct, then he was from 17 years and 5 months to 17 years and 9 months old when he served.

Below is a copy of a letter from the Veterans Administration that says in 1850 Bazil Butt was 53 years old, making his birth year 1797.  It also gives the dates of Bazil's service.  This letter was scanned by me from "A Branch from The Green Tree" By R M Green.

It's interesting to note that Bazil enlisted in "Charlestown, VA".  I'm not sure I know where that town is/was.  There is a current Charles Town, WV that is ~16 miles South/South-East of Martinsburg.  Perhaps this is the town referred to in the letter below.  For what it's worth, I am of the opinion that it is.

The "Caroline Butt" mentioned in this letter was Caroline Sofiiah Butt, one of Bazil and Mahala's daughters.  "Rezen Green" was Mahala's brother.  Reason Marley "Reese/Reeze", son of Bazil and Mahala was obviously named after Rezen Green, Mahala's brother.

Here's a document I received from Howard Butts of Martinsburg, W. V. that grants Mahala two plots of land; 40 and 120 acres for Bazil's military service.  If I'm reading it right, Mahala sold the 120 acres to Bethuel Evans of El Dorado, Hunter County, Kansas.  

A clarification of the above:  The current Washington D C was referred to in the 17th century as "Washington City".  Accordingly, we know Bazil was mustered out of the Militia in the current Washington D. C.

The above "Bazil and Mahala Butt Family Record" newspaper article says about Bazil:

"He came to Licking County, Ohio when about 25 years old (1823.)"

This date is the same as noted in 1916 "Butt Reunion" newspaper article, written by Horton J. Butt, which is directly below.  This came to me in a folder of Butt Family Reunion minutes.

Horton J. (James) Butt was a son of Hazel Rignal "Tode" Butt and therefore a grandson of Bazil and Mahala.  The above and above mentioned "Bazil and Mahala Butt Family Record" newspaper article was written in August, 1917.  Perhaps the newspaper reporter had a copy of the 1916 article written by Horton J. Butt.

The author of the below document is unknown to me.  It was included in a folder of "Butt Family Reunion Minutes".  It can be determined that this document was written in 1939 and the author was either a great grand son or great grand daughter of Diadema (Willison) Green, and either a grand son or grand daughter of Bazil and Mahala, the latter of whom the author refers to as "Aunt Hale" and "Mum".  "Mum" being very British.

It's clear from this document that, in 1881, the year she died, Diadema (Willison) Green, Mahala's mother wrote a family history.  I have never been able to locate that document.  R. M. Green included some family history in "A Branch from The Green Tree".  It's not clear to me that any of that came from Diadema's writings.  I would be very surprised if this document does not still exist and as surprised if it does not reside somewhere near Johnstown, Ohio.  It would be very interesting reading indeed.

It is also clear from the above document that the author did not know who the parents of Bazil Butt were.  Quoting from the document:  "So this young man [Bazil] who married her eldest daughter [Diadema and Mahala] may have been a son of a friend or neighbor."  It's not clear from this document that Diadema's family history stated specifically that Bazil came from "Berkeley County, VA now WV", but it is clear, for what ever the reason(s), this author thought that to be the case.

It is startling really, that even Bazil's grand children did not know who his parents were.

Below are two obituaries I acquired from the Johnstown Historical Society.

You'll note that these obituaries say that Diadema and husband George Green settled in Licking County in 1806, the same year as did George Washington Evans the first White settler there.  Below is a map of land sessions from 1795-1809.  I've place a red arrow on this map pointing to the approximate location of Johnstown, Ohio.  The land on which Diadema and George Green settled on (1806) was ceded in 1795.  A short 50 miles to the North West of where they settled was "Indian Country".  As noted elsewhere herein, the Fort Dearborn Massacre (Chicago) occurred in August of 1812.

Note below that Samuel Butt, b. 1/14/1777 (husband of Fanny Brake and father of B. S. Butt/Butts) is said to have "settled in Ohio in 1799", well before the GREEN's and George Washington Evans who is generally considered to be "the first White" to settle in Licking County, Ohio.  We know this Samuel was very close and very closely related to Bazil.  They are buried very near one another in Green Hill.  We know Samuel was in Licking County for a very long time before he died.

I have checked the muster rolls of the people who served under Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe.  There is no one named Samuel Butt/Butts/Butte on those muster rolls. 

Of major significance here is the name Capt. Jake Baker.  Who was this guy.  As pointed out elsewhere herein, the name BAKER is a clue to who the parents were of Bazil Butt.

Here's a newspaper article, the origin of which I do not know, that among other things, lists the 17 children of George and Diadema (Willison) Green.  This also came to me in a folder of Butt Family Reunion minutes.  George and Diadema wrote a poem about these 17 children.  It can be found in R. M. Green's book.  To my knowledge, this was the first use in my family of the name Morgan.  As noted, my fathers name was Henry Morgan Butt.  I have a grand daughter who is named Morgan as well.

Below is the 5/21/1810, Berkeley County, Virginia will of Richard Butt.  It's a scan of a document provided me by R. M. Green.  In this will, four boys named "Richard Butt, John Butt, Rignall Butt and Basill Butt" are referred to as "...my four nephews that I raised...".  It is thought by most, or many at least, that the John Butt, Rignall Butt and Basill Butt named therein are the one's who ultimately settled in Ohio, and that this Basill Butt is the one who married Mahala Green.  R. M. Green was absolutely sure this was the case.  There is a more complete and accurate copy of this will below this one.

Note the name Martin Bilman, one of the three subscribers.  This is an error that has led many researchers, including me, astray.  This will be addressed below.

There is a highly respected view on this matter that contends that the John, Rignall and Basill mentioned in this will were indeed the one's who wound up in Ohio.  The logic of this contention is that if the boys who are mentioned in this will were not the ones who settled in Ohio, then they could and would have already be found elsewhere, and this is not the case.  Even though the Rignal Butt who settle in Ohio settled in Dayton, Montgomery County which is almost 100 miles West of Johnstown, Licking County, Ohio where John and Bazil settled, this is a very compelling argument.  And I have recently been convinced that this is the case. 

The Richard Butt who wrote the will was not a land owner in Berkeley County but Howard Butts of Martinsburg, WV has supplied the following and notes that this Richard did own a family - father, mother and three children - of slaves that wife Mary inherited.

This is a partial copy of the 1810 Census Index I copied from a web site.  The original has all the people in the census listed alphabetically.  Below is part of the page of people whose surname starts with "B".  I've included here only the BUTT and BUTTS people on the list.  It may be where Howard obtained his information.  In any event, they are the same.

I discuss only three of the boys named in the will as "nephews" who most believe ultimately settled in Central Ohio.  This because practically nothing is known about the "nephew" named Richard.

As mentioned above, the "subscribers" to the above will were John Marlay, Martin Bilman and John Williamson.  This is a mistake.  Here is another interpretation of this same will.  This one provided by Howard Butts of Martinsburg, WV, to the wife of my fathers first cousin, Everett Nowachek.

Note that the entire will has been interpreted here and most importantly that the witnesses are John Marlay, Martin Bilmire (not Bilman as in the above) and John Williamson.  Two of the names of the four "nephews" are spelled differently here as well.

Note also that Richard's wife Mary "...refused to take upon herself..." the responsibilities of Executrix and that John Williamson, upon providing sufficient security, was named Executor.  John Williamson is an important fellow, that's for sure.

The birth dates of the four "nephews" are intriguing.  They are 1788, 1789, 1790 and 1797 for John, Richard, Rignal and Bazil respectively.  Were there other siblings born between 1790 and 1797????  When did Richard start raising the boys?  Was he "raising" the three younger ones when the latter was born?  Were these four boys full brothers?  The questions to which these birth dates give rise are many.

Here's another document I received from Howard Butts of Martinsburg, WV.  This seems to be the estate sale and final settlement of the above May 21, 1810 will of Richard Butt.  It is signed by John, Rignal and Basil Butt....note that none of them could write their name.  Note also that John Williamson, the Executor of the Richard Butt will is here referred to as "Administrator" and that the witness here was John Marlay.  You will recall that Bazil and Mahala had a son named Reason Marlay Butt.  

This document would seem to indicate that the wife Mary named in the 1810 Berkeley County will of Richard Butt died shortly before September 21, 1816.  The sale of all her property at the time of her death was conducted the following year then on May 1, 1817.  And then finally, a year and 4 months later, on September 14, 1818, the May 21, 1810 Berkeley County will or Richard Butt was finalized.

The "nephew" Richard Butt is not mentioned in the above.  Perhaps he died between 5/21/1810 when the "uncle" Richard wrote his will and September 21, 1816 when "uncle" Richard's wife Mary died.  

Here is an 1820 census of Middletown, VA provided by Polly Horn.  Middletown is right on Hwy 81, just South of Winchester.  That Hwy runs right by Martinsburg, WV, the Berkeley County seat, as well.  It is 36.7 miles from Middletown, VA to Martinsburg, WV.  It is 35.4 miles from Middletown, VA to Charlestown/Charles Town, VA, where Bazil enlisted in the military.  This will be discussed later.  36 miles on a good, well tended to horse is an easy two day ride.  One might make it in two days with a good, well tended to team and a buckboard, as well.  25 miles/day was what military people made with large armies during the war of 1812 era.

I've highlighted here, William Williamson, John Williamson, Larkin Baker, John Marley, Francis Marley, Mary Butt, Delila Butt and Swearingen Ray.  There is also a Joseph Green on this list.  The John Williamson and John Marley on this list could well be two of the subscribers to the above will.  If the above paragraph about the death and property sale of Mary Butt is what I think it is, then this Mary Butt could not have been the widow of the Richard Butt whose will is being discussed.  That Mary seems to have died shortly before September 21, 1816 - this is an 1820 census.  This Delila Butt seems to have been the wife of Richard Butt, a son of Richard Butt and Sarah Green, the couple who founded Buttstown..  If so, she was the daughter of Swearingen Ray who was the Suretor at the November, 1811 wedding of Richard Butt and Delilah Ray.  In any event, these people are some of the people we've been looking for.

This map is from Howard Butts of Martinsburg.  No enhancement of the notes Howard put on this map are required.  Howard supplied the below Martinsburg Gazette newspaper article as well that says that the Richard Butt who raised the four nephews lived on the road he has highlighted between Swan Pond and Martin Bilmire's Mill.  Note also that Martin Bilmire's Mill was in Jefferson County, not Berkeley.  I am convinced that it was this Martin Bilmire who was one of the subscribers to the 1810 Berkeley County will of Richard Butt.

Here are the newspaper articles supplied by Howard that tell us where the Richard Butt sale was held, plus, that some time between June 14, 1811 and June 2, 1814, Joseph Foreman become Administrator.

Here's a map that reflects this information.

.

Here's a military map of the upper Potomac from October, 1865.  Note Ruttstown and Billmire.  Swan Pond is noted as well.

There is a town called Bakerton, WV that is located along Bakerton Road between Shepherdstown and Harpers Ferry.  It was founded by the son's of Daniel Baker a German who immigrated in the mid-1700's.  It is doubtful that the BAKER was involved with Bazil's ancestors.  Here's a map that illustrates the location of Bakerton with respect to other notable locations in the area.  Bakerton is in the lower right-hand corner.

This  an 1820, Jefferson County census from Polly Horn.  Note the second and third names are Martin Billmire and John Butt.  John Butt the "nephew" married Gracey Marlay in Berkeley County September 16, 1815.  She died July 30, 1828 in Licking County, Ohio  The fourth name is Jacob Williamson, then on further down we find Van Swearingen, and what may be another Williamson whose first name I cannot discern.  In any event, this is a huge find.  Some of the people we've been looking for were in Jefferson County, VA in 1820.  

We have by no means settled any of the above.  There is conflicting information in the various documents that is yet to be resolved.  I include it all, knowing full well that there are a variety of opinions about what is correct and what is not.  I am collecting information and presenting it for what it is.  At some point, if enough information is collected, there will be no need to speculate, but instead, the truth will present itself.  We are not yet at that point.  It is my hope that everyone will continue to collect information, keeping always in mind what we already have.

Here's a map of the current West Virginia that includes Martinsburg and Charles Town, WV and Winchester, VA.  I've added Middletown to it.  Note Front Royal.  Here's some history of that town:

Originally called LeHewtown (after Peter LeHew, a French Huguenot who purchased 200 acres here in 1754), the Town was later purchased by a group of real estate speculators who arranged to have it incorporated as Front Royal in 1788.  Front Royal was also known as "Helltown" in the 18th century, due to the supposed readiness of its residents to fight at the slightest provocation.  This was possibly due to the abundance of rough and wild mountaineers and river travelers in the area who came into town looking for alcohol and women.

I include this to add a little humor.  But also, one would be hard pressed to better describe the BUTT people and other of my relatives around whom I grew up!  This description of Helltown would also perfectly describe the little town of Canton, Iowa, very near where my ancestors settled here in Iowa.

Research of all this area continues in an effort to find more information about Bazil Butt, and he who was his father.

This map also shows the proximity of Columbus, Ohio, which is just Southwest of Johnstown and Licking County.

The Williamson's were prolific.  They were involved in the Ohio River Valley expansion.  Allan W. Eckert in his book "That Dark and Bloody River", discusses Col. David Williamson at great length.

In the same book, Eckert discusses a John Williamson who was a member of Cap't. Samuel Brady's Rangers.  This John Williamson was from Philadelphia.  Eckert wrote that this John Williamson was one of Brady's "... most  experienced and trusted Rangers...".

Indeed, there are heaps of information available about the Williamson's, yet I've not been able to determine just who the John Williamson was who was a subscriber to the Richard Butt will.  There certainly must be some information somewhere that confirms that he discharged the Executor responsibilities. Yet, again, to my knowledge, nothing has ever been found.

It's important to note also that the grave of the Richard Butt who raise the four boys has never been found and that Bazil Butt would have been 13 years old when this will was written.  The John Butt who we know from DNA was genetically related to Bazil would have been 22 years old at the time of "Uncle" Richards death.  Because of this age difference, some think Bazil was not John's brother but a cousin.  Yet, Demas Hoover, an early BUTT/GREEN family biographer believed that Samuel Butt, b. 1/14/1777, John Butt, b. 1788 and Bazil Butt, b. 3/13/1797, all from VA/WV, and all buried in Green Hill Cemetery in Johnstown, Ohio were brothers.

Below is a letter from Demas to Elsie Longshore, which states this specifically.  We know from DNA that these three men were "very closely related" genetically.

Elsie (Butt) Longshore was the daughter of Hazel Rignal Butt and wife Nancy Ann Tippett.

It is also good to remember that "nephew" has at least three meanings, one being "illegitimate son".

Some believe the wife Mary, mentioned in this will was Mary Dickey.  Below you will find page 614 of a "Butt Excursus", wherein you will find a reference to a Mary Dickey.  You will also find therein a reference to a Don C. Wood.  The latter is an error, it should be Don C. Woods.

This page is copied from the original book mentioned below, that is no longer in print, and which Tom Butt of Richland, California, scanned, formatted and made available on the internet.  This is the same Tom Butt who is a co-administrator of the FamilyTreeDNA BUTT group.  He and I are not related.  He is an outstanding source of information about his BUTT family and others.

Residence 312, Houston, TX 77024-3826, 713/686-1950, jgr@excelonline.com . The book is no longer in

510/237-2084, tom.butt@intres.com. It is hoped that this will lead to further identification of the Butt lines

that shared residence in Botetourt County, VA in the early 19th Century.

As mentioned above, some believe the wife "Mary" mentioned in the 1810 Berkeley County, VA will of Richard Butt is Mary Dickey.  The "...Rockbridge County, Virginia, marriage bond dated 7 March 1797 for a Richard Butt to marry Mary Dickey, daughter of Robert Dickey", mentioned in the above, could be the source of that belief.  And this may be so.  I've found the family history of a Dickey family from Pennsylvania.  I've discussed this Mary Dickey with the author.  That author does not know of a Mary Dickey who could have been the one who is mentioned in the "Butt Excursus".

The June, 1989, "The Berkeley Journal", Issue 13, published by the Berkeley County Historical Society in Martinsburg, WV, included an article titled "Buttstown".  This article was written by the same Don C. Woods mentioned on page 614 in the above "Butt Excursus".  The Buttstown article can be found on pages 60, 61, 62 & 63 of this journal.  In that article, Mr. Woods notes that Buttstown, VA was founded on 200 acres that was very near the Potomac River and that had been purchased by Richard Butt from Joseph Franceway in November, 1771.  This Richard Butt was the grandson of the Richard Butt and wife Mary who owned Batchelors Delight in Darnalls Grove (aka Willow Grove) in Prince Georges County, Maryland.

The wife of the Richard Butt of Buttstown was Sarah Green (aka Sarah Ann Green).  When his book was published, R.  M. Green was uncertain about who the parents were of this Sarah Green.  He wrote in the book about her; "SARAH GREEN, apparently the oldest daughter of William and Dinah (?) Green...".

In a letter to me in 1997, Mr. Green stated with certainly that this Sarah Green was the half-sister of Rignal Green Sr.  and full-sister of William Green Jr., the latter of whom, along with wife Ann Butt founded Greensburg, VA/WV.  There are other siblings he didn't list.  Rignal Green Sr. and "Sarah (?) - wife 2 of Rignal Sr." were Bazil's wife Mahala Green's grandparents and accordingly, this Sarah Green was Mahala's grand Aunt.  And if I have it right, Sarah Green, who with her husband Richard Butt founded Buttstown, is my 5th great grandmother.  DNA testing has shown that I am not a father-to-son descendant of the Richard Butt of Batchelors Delight, nor the Richard Butt who founded Buttstown.  I descend from Richard Butt of Batchelors Delight thru his daughter Dinah who married "Old" William Green.

This Richard Butt and wife Sarah Green were both born in the current Washington D. C. area, very near the current Andrews Air Force Base.  All four of their parents were as well.  It seems that Richard and Sarah simply moved up the Potomac River, dropped anchor and founded Buttstown, VA.

Here are some documents about all this that I received from Howard Butts of Martinsburg, WV.

Below is an illustration of the various people mentioned in the above mentioned Don C. Woods Berkeley County Journal, "Buttstown" article, and their relationships to one another.  Note that the Richard Butt who founded Buttstown did have a son named Richard (Richard Jr.) - this is the Richard who married Delila Ray - but that he died in 1812.  This casts more than serious doubt about this Richard Butt being the one whose 1810 Berkeley County will is included above.  The comments about Don C. Woods in the above "Butt Excursus" also distances the Buttstown, VA people from the BUTT people discussed therein.  I have become convinced that the Richard Butt who raised the four "nephews", was not the son of Richard Butt and Sarah Green, the couple who founded Buttstown. 

I think the correct spelling of the name Darkie Butt is Dorcas, not Dorcus as above.   Tabitha was a woman in the New Testament, who was restored to life by Saint Peter.  Tabitha means "gazelle" and is translated into Greek as Dorcas.

Here are some photo's of the Buttstown area taken in 2008 by a distant cousin.

Here's the will and some supporting documents of the above mentioned Barick Butt, husband of Dinah.  Barick died in 1825.  His family is currently being researched.

Here is a copy of the above chart of Buttstown people to which I have added some notes.  This can be found as well in the Barrack Butt section where I present the information I have about him.  Here's a link to that section: Barrack Butt

The above mentioned Edward Butt was a son of Barrack.  Edmund Randal witnessed various of the wills of the siblings of Dinah Butt, Barrack's wife.  The other will's Edmund Randal witnessed included Richard Jr. and Issac.  (See the Don C. Woods  "BUTTSTOWN" article in The Berkeley Journal; Issue 13 1989.  Published by the Berkeley County Historical Society.  Second printing June 1998.)

There is more information (supplied by Amy Patterson) about the military service of Barrack Butt farther on down in this document. 

Here's a document I received from Howard Butts of Martinsburg.  This Archibald Butt was indeed, the son of Isaac Butt Jr.

Here's another interesting note from Howard Butts that is pretty much self explanatory.

The condition of Sina (seemingly called Sarah in the Don C. Woods Buttstown article) Butt may have been the result of her parents, "Isaac & Cassander Butt" being too closely related.  I am thoroughly confused though about the marriages of Isaac Butt.  His first wife was Cassandra.  They had a daughter named Verlindy.  Then Isaac's second wife was Verlandy.  In the below list of Berkeley County marriages there is a marriage of Isaac Butt and Vealanda Butt.  All very, very confusing.

Information recently supplied by Amy Patterson makes it clear that at least one husband of Dorcus Butt was William Turner.  Don C. Woods states specifically though in his Buttstown article that "Elisha Butt was a son of William and Dorcus Butt (DB 34, p. 411)".  Dorcus seems to have been married twice.

The son Archibald Butt seems to have been married 4 times.  This is also very confusing and needs much more research.  His first wife is unknown but he seems to have had a son by that wife named Richard who some believe married Delilah Ray, daughter of Swearingen Ray.  Again, all this is very confusing.

In any event, the second wife of this Archibald Butt seems to have been Rebecca Franceway.  Wives number three and four it seems, were Sarah Souder and Drusilla Harris respectfully.  See the list of marriages below.  This list was made up and provided to me by Howard Butts of Martinsburg, WV.  It has been impossible to date for me to fully understand who all these various people were.  In particular, I cannot figure out which of the below listed Archibald Butt's was the son of Richard Butt of Buttstown.  The Buttstown article by Don C. Woods says that this Archibald was married to Sarah Souder.  But it lists no other wives for him.  R. M. Green lists four wives for this Archibald.  Below this list is the corresponding page from "A Branch From the Green Tree" by R. M. Green.

You will note the marriage records of some of the other Buttstown people on this list as well.  This list is of vital importance to all BUTT family researchers.

This is a copy of page 98 and the top of page 99 from "A Branch of The Green Tree" by R. M. Green.  Much of this is incorrect and serves to indicate how confused was even R. M. Green.  I hope some day to get this all understood and correctly published.

Note also on the list of marriages above , the 9/23/1820 marriage of Catherine Butt and Swearingen Ray, the Suretor of which was John Butt.  I have it that this was a subsequent marriage and that Deliah Ray was the daughter from a former marriage.  There is yet much to be learned about all these families and how they inter-married.

Note also the marriage of Reginal Butt an Rebecca Fist.  This is one of the "nephews".  The Suretor here was John Fist, who was probably Rebecca's father.  This couple ultimately settled in Dayton, Ohio and their descendants became prominent citizens there.  I tracked down that family a few years ago hoping I could find a father-to-son descendant of this Reginal Butt/Rebecca Fist whose DNA I could test.  My information until March, 2008 was that this couple ultimately "daughtered out" and accordingly that there was no such male to test.

I have created a page dedicated to Rignal Butt, b. ~4/1/1790.  Here's a link: 

Rignal Butt

Here's some additional information I received from Glenn Kinser of Shepherdstown, WV.

Dennis,

    I have a copy of a book entitled West Virginia Estate Settlements, by Johnston.  The Butts listed are:

Butt,                Berkeley County

    Arch         Est 6/12/1815

    Joseph     Will 4/16/1793    Dev.: Eliz, wife; Israel, son; Infant

    Rich          Will 6/64/1799(sic) Dev.: Sarah, wife; Isaac, Arch, Rich, sons; Ruth, Susanna, Dinah, Darke,Mary, dau

    Rich        Est 2/21/1803

    Rich        Will 6/18/1810    Dev.: Mary, wife; and others

    Rich        Inv., 6/10/1811

    Rich        Will 4/13/1812    Dev.: Delilah, wife; Sarah dau; others

    Rich        Est 3/13/1815

    Robt        Inv 12/23/1805

    Arch        Est 9/8/1823

    Barrick   Will 912/1825    Dev.: Dinah, wife; Benj., Ed., Jos., James, sons; Martha Green, Mary, dau.

    Delilah    Est 3/9/1830

    Isaac      Est 5/9/1820

    James    Will 9/9/1844    Dev.: Cassender, wife; others

    Rich        Est 9/14/1818

    Ruth        Will 4/12/1847    Dev.: Zephniah Butt, nephew; others

 

                Greenbrier Co.

    Thomas Sr. Will  3/1833  Dev.: Polly, wife; Geo, Ed, Thom, sons; Lydia, dau

 

Here's the will of Richard Butt of Buttstown will along with corresponding information.  This taken from "A Branch from The Green Tree".

There was a Luke Ray, b. 1735 who married Elizabeth Butt, daughter of Samuel Butt and wife Elizabeth Swearingen.  In 1812, property (slaves) of a Luke Ray from Bedford County, VA was inventoried and appraised.  On 1/18/1814 this inventory was again appraised and also allotted.  At that time a Luke Ray, who seems to have been the son of the formerly mentioned Luke Ray, was allotted a slave girl named "Let".  The 1776 will of "Old" William Green was witnessed by a Luke Ray.  (See below)  The will of Dinah (Butt) Green, widow of "Old" William Green was witnessed by Mapy Ray, Swearingen Ray, Richard Butt and Thomas Swearingen.  Obviously, the RAY and SWEARINGEN families were co-mingled with both the Buttstown and Greensburg, VA people.

The above mentioned book "That Dark and Bloody River" by Eckert is replete with discussions about an Andrew Van Swearingen who was born in 1742 and died 12/2/1793.  I have not been able to determine if this guy was related to Elizabeth Swearingen, nor have I been able to make a connection between any of them and the Van Swearingen Butt who married Ellen Souder, a grand daughter of the Richard Butt who founded Buttstown.

It must be mentioned here in passing that there is a well known controversy that was started by a guy named Thomas Jefferson Larsh when in 1877 he made the claim that Blue Jacket, the Shawnee War Chief, who was the victor at St. Clair's defeat, was in fact, Marmaduke Van Swearingen.  This claim was published on 2/15/1877 in the Ohio State Journal.  Larch claimed in grandmother was Sarah Van Swearingen, a sister to Marmaduke.  Later, in 1934, WIlliam Albert Galloway published an historical work titled; Old Chillicothe in which he included the claims of Larsh.  Then finally Allan W. Eckert made the same claim in his 1967 work titled; The Frontiersmen.  Eckert made these same claims in several other of his later works.

Van Trees took this claim on head-on and with a vengeance, and with DNA was able to make a convincing argument that the claims that Blue Jacket was in fact, Marmaduke Van Swearingen, were dead wrong.  Yet, Eckert is no fool!!!  He is among the most prolific writers of our time and for his work was awarded the Pulitzer.  To my knowledge, Eckert has never commented on the work of Van Trees or any other opponent of the claims he made about Blue Jacket/Marmaduke.  In any event, my information, much of which I gleaned from a "Van Swearingen Family" Web Site, is that this Marmaduke Van Swearingen was Elizabeth Swearingen's brother and that their mother was Mary Ray.  From the DNA study of the descendants of both Blue Jacket and Marmaduke, I've learned that Elizabeth was not Marmaduke's sister, but instead, his aunt.  In the end, the controversy that surrounds all this makes me very skeptical about it all.

Here's what R M Green had to say about all this.

"I've heard all about Blue Jacket and the Swearingens. Supposedly, Blue Jacket was from Berkeley Co. Va., but how he lived so long with neighbors such as William Darke, Peter Williamson, Charles Bilderback, Samuel Butt, Vatchell Metcalf, and Jacob Baker, I still haven't figured out."

R. M. Green referred to William Darke, Peter Williamson, Charles Bilderback, Samuel Butt, Vatchell Metcalf, Jacob Baker and perhaps others as well as "The Berkeley County Warriors".  This Jacob Baker could be the one who is elsewhere in this document referred to as "Captain Jake Baker".  It is well documented that both William Darke and Peter Williamson were at the battle known as "St. Clair's Defeat".  Williamson was wounded there.  Darke was the only White hero at that battle.  He lost a son there.

This list of "neighbors" is a very important list of people.  They surrounded Bazil Butt.  They all had to know Bazil Butt and who his parents were.  We know now from DNA that this Samuel Butt and Bazil were very closely related genetically.  And here's that name Jacob Baker again.  We know quite a lot about some of these men and not much at all about the others.  There is a gold mine here in this list of names and it needs to be thoroughly explored.

Here are some interesting charts and maps.  When the 1776 will of "Old" William Green was made, there were less than 3 million White people on this continent and more than a half a million, around 20% of them were in Virginia.  The Samuel Butt R. M. Green refers to was born in 1777.  My gr gr gr grandfather Andrew Houston was born around this time as well.  The Richard Butt and wife Sarah Green who founded Buttstown, did so in 1771.  Richard Butt of Batchlor's Delight purchased that property was born in 1680 (White population = 151,400) and purchased Batchelors Delight on January 3, 1700.  Nearly 60% of all the White people on this continent at that time were in Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts.  To find a detailed discussion of Batchelors Delight and that Richards family go to the "My Theory" section of this site.  

Here's the distribution of the White population taken from the first census of 1790.  The population center then was 23 miles West of Baltimore, MD which would be about half way between the current Baltimore and Fredrick, MD.  Berkeley County, VA/WV is almost directly West of Baltimore.  It's about 75 miles between the two.

67% of the White people on this continent in 1790 were in the 6 states of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts.  It would be interesting to know what percentage were within 100 miles of the Atlantic coast.

I cannot add more to the above illustration of the Buttstown people.

At the very end of the Buttstown article, Mr. Woods writes:

"Another Richard Butt who did not own land died in 1810.  He left everything to his wife Mary for her life then to be divided between the four nephews that he raised Richard Butt, John Butt, Regnall Butt and Bazil Butt (WE 4, p. 246).  Bazil Butt born March 13, 1798 was a soldier in Capt. Conn's Virginia troops in the War of 1812.  He went to Licking County, Ohio, in 1828.  He married Mahala Green who was the first white child born in Monroe Township, daughter of George and Diadema Green.  Bazil Butt was killed by a fallen tree while hunting 16 November 1854."

There is a mistake here.  Mr. Woods says Bazil moved to Ohio in 1828.  Bazil married Mahala in Ohio in 1826.

Clearly, Mr. Woods intended to distance the Richard Butt who raised the four nephews from the Richard Butt Jr. who was the son of the Richard Butt who founded Buttstown.

R. M. Green believed that the Richard Butt who raised the four "nephews" was the son of the Richard Butt who founded Buttstown.  In a letter to me, Mr. Green wrote:

"Richard Butt who raised the boys, and in his will calls them "my nephews", was the son of Richard Butt and Sarah (Green) Butt."

In another letter to me he wrote:

"In the enclosed map of the Swans Pond area of Berkeley Co. Va. you will find the metropolis of Greensburg.  This was the home of William Jr. and Ann (Butt) Green, while the City of Buttstown, had been founded by Richard and Sarah (Green) Butt.  It was at this Buttstown address that our Basil and the three other boys were raised."

Don C. Woods worked with (or for) Christine Bergen, the lady from Berkeley County who did much of the research there for R. M. Green.  In 1962, Ms. Bergen listed her address as:  800 Winchester Avenue, Martinsburg, West Virginia.  Don C. Woods seems to have uncovered information his former boss had not found.

Howard E. Butts of Martinsburg, West Virginia, in the late-1990's did a search in Berkeley County for documents of any kind that might shed light on who the parents were of the four "nephews" raised by Richard Butt and/or why the four boys were raised by "uncle" Richard.  He found nothing.  R. M. Green was fully aware of this search and these findings.  Howard continues to this day to search.

As a result of telephone conversations I had with Don C. Woods in 2006, a dialogue between the just mentioned Howard E. Butts and me commenced.  In sum, Howard E. Butts has verified the information in the Buttstown article by Don C. Woods.  As mentioned, Howard E. Butts informed me verbally that the Richard Butt who raised the four "nephews" owned a family of four slaves.  He has informed me as well that he has passed on to Tom Butt, the co-administrator of the BUTT group of FamilyTreeDNA, all his BUTT research.  Howard strongly suggested to me that research be done in the Handley Library in Winchester, VA.  That research was done in the Fall of 2007.  Nothing of significance was found there.  As a side note, this Howard E. Butts does not believe he's related to any of the other BUTT/BUTTE/BUTTS people discussed here.

In a 1997 letter to me, R M Green wrote: 

"We do not know what Richard's wife Mary's maiden name was, it could well have been Butt also, and actually the boys were HER nephews, but legally they were his nephews also.  If she was a Mary Butt, where would one start looking?  That's when I gave up. 

My belief is that we have a break in the Butt line at this place, and the four boys were not from the same line of Butts."

I believe R. M. Green was dead right in this last sentence.  DNA testing has now shown that Bazil Butt, b. 1797, John Butt, b. 1788, Rignal Butt, b. 1791, Samuel Butt, b. 1777, Samuel Butt, b. 11-13-1797, Thomas Butt (Rev War), b. 9/18/1763 and Thomas Didimus*, b. 2/15/1801 (and his father Archibald, b.~1775 - d. 5/14/1822) were NOT of the same genetic family as the Richard Butt, who founded Buttstown.

*For what it's worth, the names Didymus and Thomas are both biblical.  Some say both Didymus and Thomas mean twin.  St. Thomas is sometimes called Didymus the Twin or the Apostle of India or more often Doubting Thomas.  Thomas (called Didymus), was one of the Twelve disciples.  I have other information that would indicate that Thomas Didimus Butt as a twin.

I'm including here a marked up map of what is often referred to as the Swan Pond area or Swan Pond region of the current state of WV.  There you will find Martinsburg, Shepherdstown, Swan Pond, Greensburg and Buttstown, the latter of which no longer exists.  You'll also find the locations of Terrapin Neck, Horseshoe Bend on the Potomac, and the Martin Bilmire Mill.  At the bottom I've listed the mileage between various places.  As mentoned, Buttstown was very near the Potomac River and less than 90 miles upriver from the current Washington D C where, as also mentioned, the founding couple were born and where their four parents resided.  One can see much of Berkeley County on this map as well.  Terrapin Neck of course, is where Vatchel Metcalf had land surveyed by George Washington in 1752.  As noted, Richard Butt bought the Buttstown property in November 1771.

Don C. Woods also authored an article about Greensburg.  It was titled "Smoketown and Greensburg".  This article appeared in "The Berkeley Journal, Special Issue Eighteen, 1994", published by the Berkeley County Historical Society.  Here's a paragraph from that article:

"William Green, Jr., purchased a Greensburg tract of 82 acres 15 July 1780 from John Linder, Sr., and wife Grace (BCDB 5, p. 743). These 82 acres had been granted to Jacob Morgan on 9 Jan. 1768 (Land Grant Records, Richmond, Va.). William Green acquired an additional 42 acres at what became known as Greensburg."

Below is an illustration I made of the people named in the article along with some information about them.

Here's another map of Greensburg, Smoketown, Martinsburg and Buttstown along with another of the division of the William Green Jr. land.

This is another document I received from Howard Butts of Martinsburg, WV.  Here it says that on April 2, 1795, John Butt marries Mary Green, widow of Wm. Green Jr.  The above article by Don C. Woods says that Wm. Green Jr. died in 1799.  One of these dates is obviously in error.

The author of the above mentioned "Butt Excursus" discusses therein, the ease of traveling in those days between the Virginia Counties East of the Potomac where her research centered and Berkeley County where Buttstown, VA was located and where "other" (my quotes) BUTT people settled.  All one needed to do she said, "...was cross the Potomac, at Harpers Ferry...".

Here's a map of that area that illustrates her point and provides another perspective of that area.  Harpers Ferry is located at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers.  Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia meet at that point.  The ferry there was established in 1761. 

Note on this map, lower-left, the town of Winchester, VA.  This is where the above mentioned Howard E. Butts recommended that research about the Richard Butt who raised the four "nephews" and the nephews themselves be done.  As also mentioned, this research WAS done in the Fall of 2007 and nothing of significance was found.

Note also the town of Charles Town.  This may be (almost certainly was) the town where Bazil Butt enlisted in the military.

In the discussion above about the 1810, Berkeley County will of Richard Butt, an 1820 Middletown, VA census recently found by Polly Horn was presented.  Middletown, VA is at the intersection of Hwy's 81 and 66, both of which can be found on this map.  The intersection and Middletown, are just off the lower left-hand part of this map.  I point out again, it is 36.7 miles from Middletown, VA to Martinsburg, VA/WV, it is 35.4 miles from Middletown, VA to Charles Town and it is 43 miles from Middletown, VA to Harper's Ferry, WV, the latter of which is the crossing point mentioned in the "Butt Excursus".  

I would point out that there was a crossing of the Potomac at "Opackon" (various spellings) Creek as well and perhaps at Shepherdstown.  Here are two maps, the former of which in an 1822 map showing the "Opackon C. Ferry" and perhaps a crossing at Shepherdstown, the latter of which is an 1874 rendition showing a railroad crossing the Potomac at about the same place as did the "Opackon Ferry".  This railroad ran from Martinsburg to to Hagerstown.   So, by no latter than 1822 people could easily cross over the Potomac from Maryland to Virginia and vice versa.

Below is a map of two other Buttstown's I know of.  They are in the approximate center of this map.  I have placed red stars on the map where these towns were located.  You will note they are both in Pennsylvania.  The one nearest Harrisburg is now known as Franklintown.  The one near the PA/WV border is now known as Pennville.  I've placed a red star on the map where Buttstown, VA was located as well.

It's 24 miles between Franklintown and Pennville, PA.  It's 73 miles between Pennville, PA and Martinsburg, WV. and ~70 miles from Pennville, PA and Buttstown, WV.  While it seems clear to me from my studies, that the people who founded and lived in the Pennsylvania Buttstown's, were not related in any way to the BUTT people of interest to me, it would still not be surprising to me if there exists some confusion about which Buttstown is being discussed.

If you came here from the Family Group Sheet for "William Butt b. 1749, York County, Pennsylvania", in the Table Of Content and would like to return there, here's a link.

    William Butt b. 1749, York County, Pennsylvania

As mentioned above, the DNA of a father-to-son descendant of the Richard Butt who founded Buttstown, VA and of Richard Butt and wife Mary of Batchelors Delight, Darnalls Grove, Prince Georges County, Maryland has been tested.  His DNA does not match mine.  This gentleman and I are apart by a genetic distance of 2.  This means that the probability that he and I have a common male ancestor within the past 10 generations is ~40%.  It also means that my gr gr grandfather, Bazil Butt, the subject of this sketch, along with John Butt, b. 1788, Rignal Butt, b. 1791, Samuel Butt, b. 1777, Samuel Butt, b. 11-13-1797, Thomas Butt of the Rev War, b. 9/18/1763 and Thomas Didimus*, b. 2/15/1801 (and his father Archibald, b.~1775 - d. 5/14/1822) did not descend thru father-to-son relationshiips from Richard Butt of Buttstown, nor from Richard Butt of Batchelors Delight, Darnalls Grove, Prince Georges County, Maryland.

As also mentioned, I know practically nothing at all about the Richard Butt who was referred to as a "nephew" in the 1810 Berkeley County, VA will of Richard Butt.  He seems to have evaporated.

The DNA of a male father-to-son descendant of John Butt, b. 1788 and 2nd wife Sarah Houston has been tested, and that gentleman's DNA matches mine exactly on all 25 markers tested.  We have verification therefore, that this John Butt and my gr gr grandfather Bazil Butt had a common male ancestor.

I have created a page dedicated to John Butt, b. 1788.  Here's a link:

The tall "grayish" stone in the ~rear-center in the diagonal row of 6 stones is that of Sarah Houston.  A larger picture of that stone is below.  The two stones on either side of the tall one are those of John Butt.  Pictures of each stone on either side of the Sarah Houston stone are below.  Note the Bazil Butt stone in the foreground and Mahala's stone in the top left.

In the foreground of the above picture of these plots is the stone of Bazil Butt that is pictured above as well.  The tall "whitish" stone on the left-center with the top broken off, directly in a diagonal line with the Bazil Butt stone, is that of Mahala (Green) Butt, Bazil's wife.  The small green colored spot on ground level just to the other side of Mahala's stone is a bronze plaque that indicates that Mahala was the first child born in Monroe Township, Licking County, Ohio.  Here's a picture of that plaque.

You'll note Mahala's mother's name is spelled "Demma".  Her name was Diadema.

Here's a picture of Mahala in her later years.

Here's an obituary for Mahala:

Here's a time line.

It includes what I know about Bazil Butt until he married Mahala Green at age 29.

3/13/1797        Bazil Butt is born.  Birth place unknown.  Parents unknown.

  ii     No information for these 13 years.  Whereabouts unknown.

5/21/1810        "Basill" Butt referred to as a "nephew" "that I raised" in the 1810, Berkeley County will of Richard

                       Butt.  To my knowledge, there is no actual proof that this is the same Bazil Butt who married Mahala

                                 Green.  

  ii 

1810                Richard is dead. Mary in Berkeley County has 3 people and 5 slaves living with her:  1 male 10-15  

                        would be Bazil = 13.  You KNOW within 2 miles where Basil lived in 1810!!!!!!!  1 male 16 thru 25 and one 

                        female 16 thru 25.  This from Polly Horn, 11/25/2007. 

  ii       No information for these 4 years.  Whereabouts unknown.

8/26/1814        Enlisted in the military in Charlestown, VA.

  ii     Served in Captain James Conn's Company of the VA militia.  Whereabouts unknown.

12/10/1814      Released from military service in "Washington City", the current Washington D C.

  ii     No information for these 9 years.  Whereabouts unknown.

2/1/1821          John Butt of County Jefferson for $500 hand paid by Basil of the County of Berkeley - not deed for     

                       land but goods. - This from Polly Horn, 11/25/2007.

  ii 

1823 ??????     Moved from Virginia to Ohio probably on this date.  Had practically nothing but hounds when he

                       moved.

  ii     No further information for these 3 years.

5/25/1826        Marries Mahala Green in Ohio.

Indeed, the only thing we know for sure about my gr gr grandfather Bazil Butt until at age 29, he married Mahala Green is that on 8/26/1814 he enlisted in the military in Charlestown, VA, and that he spent the subsequent ~3-1/2 months in the VA militia.

Goto  Top of the page

The links below will take you directly to any of the 28 pages in this site.  Clicking the "Back" button in your browser will always take you back to where you came from.

Goto Summary

Goto  NEWS 

Goto  Table Of Content

Goto Who Was Bazil Butt?

Goto Berkeley Journal; " Buttstown" Article

Goto Berkeley Journal; " Smoketown and Greensburg" Article

Goto John Butt, b. between 1/1/1788 and 6/30/1788

Goto  Rignal Butt, b. ~4/1/1790

Goto  Rignal Butt, The Hatter, b. 8/10/1802

Goto  Thomas Didimus Butt, b. 2/15/1801

Goto  Samuel Butt, b. 11/13/1797, father of Senan Butt, b. 12/14/1827

Goto  Samuel Butt, b. 1/14/1777

Goto  Thomas Butt, b. 9/18/1763 - Rev War veteran

Goto  Butt Family Reunion Minutes, Obituaries, Death Certificates and U S Census form

Goto Descendants of Isaac Mitchell, son-in-law of John Blamer and wife Mary "Polly" Houston

Goto  Additional Photo's, Newspaper Articles, Maps, etc.

Goto  Barrack Butt, b. 1755

Goto  A Trip From My Father "Toad" back to Bazil

Goto  Writings of my father, Henry Morgan "Toad" Butt

Goto "Toad's Book", Dad's book in it's entirety

Goto All About my Great Grandmother Catherine Clarissa "Katy" (Green) (Gould) Butt

Goto  Andrew Houston and family

Goto  Family Groups Sheets

Goto Miscellaneous Items of Interest

Goto The DUKE Family of Shepherdstown, VA

Goto  Introduction

Goto  My Theory About My BUTT/GREEN ancestors

Goto A Timeline Of The History Of This Content From 1450 - 1909 That Includes My Ancestors