Elmer Ellsworth Butler, 1866-1941

The Seymour Herald – 11 August 1941

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ELMER E. BUTLER TAKEN SUDDENLY

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  This community was deeply saddened Tuesday morning when it was learned that Elmer E. Butler had passed away suddenly at his home about four a.m.  Two severe heart attacks, which came within two hours of each other, were attributed to the cause of his death.

  The passing of Mr. Butler removed from this vicinity another member of a pioneer family.  He had been on the streets a number of times Monday talking and joking with his many friends.

  Funeral services will be held from the Christian church in Seymour, Thursday afternoon, Sept. 11, at 2:00 o’clock.

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The Seymour Herald – 18 September 1941

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E. E. Butler Funeral In Christian Church

  Final rites for Elmer E. Butler were held Thursday afternoonat 2:00 o’clock in the Christian church with the Rev. W. M. Cleeton conducting the ceremony.  Mr. Butler passed away suddenly on Tuesday morning about four o’clock at his home, following two severe hear attacks.

  During the service “Rock of Ages” and “No Night There” were sung by a mixed quartet composed of Mrs. H. S. Eckels, Mrs. R. E. Jamison, Pearl Hart and P. H. Jarman.

  Sup’t. P. H Jarman sang “Somebody Knows” as a vocal solo. The quartet and Mr. Jarman were accompanied on the piano by Mrs. Gertie Smith.

  Flower bearers were:  Mrs. H. Cates, Mrs. Jap McKee, Mrs. George Pister, Mrs. Cora Jones, Mrs. Cora Osborn and Mrs. Glen Grant.

  Paul bearers were:  Jap McKee, Charles Spindler, Wade Wright, H. J. Doman, F. A. Kincade and John W. Contra.

  The body was interred in the Jerome cemetery

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Obituary

  Elmer E. Butler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paschal Thomas and Jane Butler, was born Nov. 2, 1866 in Appanoose county, Iowa and departed this life at his home in Seymour, Iowa, Sept. 9, 1941 at the age of 74 years, 10 months and seven days.

  On January 20, 1901, he was united in marriage to Minnie Barton and has lived his entire life in Appanoose and Wayne counties. He came to Seymour 26 years ago where he made his home until his passing.

  He was an energetic and honest man in his dealings with his fellow men.  During his long life he won to himself a host of friends.  He was always interested in everything that had to do with the upbuilding and betterment of his community.

  In March, 1922, he was elected member of the Seymour school board and remained a member for 17 years.  In 1925 he was elected president and server in that capacity until his retirement in March, 1939.

  He was a loving husband, a good neighbor and true friend.  He was loved, honored and respected by his neighbors and friends.

  He leaves to mourn his passing, his loving companion, three brothers, Jesse Butler of Des Moines; Lafayette and Asa R. Butler of Seymour; three sisters, Mrs. Belinda Willis of Seymour; Mrs. Emma Hiatt of Centerville and Mrs. Verna Johnson of Silvia, Ill., other relatives and a host of friends.

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Shall claim of death cause us to grieve,

And make our courage faint or fall?

Nay, let us faith and hope receive

The rose still grows beyond the wall.

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CARD OF THANKS

  I wish to express my sincere thanks to neighbors and friends who were so kind and helpful to me during my recent bereavement.  The many beautiful floral offerings and funeral services were all so much appreciated.

Mrs. Elmer E. Butler

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Gravestone of

Elmer Ellsworth and Minnie Butler

in the Jerome Cemetery

Belinda Julia Butler Darrah Willis, 1869-1956

The Seymour Herald – 2 August 1956

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  Mrs. Belinda [Julia Butler] Darrah Willis, a life-long Seymour resident, died at the Wilson Nursing home in Corydon [Wayne county, Iowa] Tuesday morning [31 July 1956].  She had been in failing health for several years and had been a patient at the Wayne county hospital and Dustin nursing home here.

  Rites for Mrs. Willis, 87, were to be Thursday, today, at 2 o’clock at the Seymour Methodist church with the Rev. J. C. Turner officiating.  Mrs. Willis had been a life member of the church.  Burial will be at Southlawn cemetery.

  Born [3 January 1869] east of Seymour [daughter of Paschal T. Butler and Lucintha Jane Morlan], she had lived in this community and was a member of the Rebekah lodge ad American Legion Auxiliary and past president of both.

  Her survivors are two sons, Roy Darrah of Seymour and Fred Darrah of Emmetsburg; three brothers, Jess Butler of Des Moines, and Ace and Lafe Butler of Seymour; and two sisters, Emma Hiatt of Centerville and Verna Johnson of Silvis, Ill.

  There are seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

William Newton Butler, 1864-1934

The Seymour Herald – 5 July 1934

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W. N. BUTLER, DIES JUNE 26 IN AMES 
AT AGE OF 70

BORN IN APPANOOSE CO. AND 
WAS REARED NEAR SEYMOUR

  The following is the obituary of W. N. Butler, who died Tuesday in Ames.

  William Newton Butler was born in Appanoose county, Iowa, May 27, 1864, the son of two hardy pioneers, Pascal T. Butler and Jane Morlan Butler.  He grew to manhood at the family homestead northeast of Seymour.

  On the 21^st of September, 1887, he was married to Etta B. Wright, who was the daughter of pioneer parents in the same community.  To this marriage were born six children, all of who survive their father, and their mother, who preceded father in death five years ago.  The children are:  Will, who is engaged in he practice of law at Mason City, Iowa; Carl, who is in business at Caldwell, Idaho; Lee of the faculty of Iowa State college at Ames, Iowa; Ralph, who is with the auditing department of the Equitable Life Insurance company of Des Moines; Alice, Girl Reserve Secretary of the Y.M.C.A. at Harrisburg, Penn.; and Oma, who is a teacher of music in the public schools of Boise, Idaho.

Goes to Indianola

  Mr. Butler engaged in farming until 1908, when the family moved to Indianola, Iowa, in order that the children might have the advantages of a college education.  At Indianola Mr. Butler engaged in the feed and grain business until the death of the wife and mother in July 1929.  Since that time he has resided in Caldwell, Idaho and at Ames, and has also spent much time in the companionship of his brothers and sisters who reside in the vicinity of the old home.  He is survived by five brothers and three sisters, Elmer Butler, Lafe Butler, Charles Butler, and Asa Butler, of Seymour, Iowa; Jesse Butler, Des Moines; Mrs Belinda Willis of Seymour; Mrs. Emma Hiatt of Centerville, and Mrs. Verna Johnson of Silvis, Ill.; also other relatives and a host of friends, for he was a man who made friends wherever he went.

Ill For 5 Weeks

  He joined the Methodist church early in life, was for many years a member of the church at Seymour and at the time of his death he was a member of First Church at Ames.

  To his children father was kind, unpretentious, sincere and a constant living example of the principles which he strove to instill into their lives.  To his friends he was true, a good man, always recognized as a trustworthy citizen and of Chistian character.

  During the past few years he has been in failing health, but he always remained courageous and uncomplaining.  He was seriously ill for five weeks at the home of his son Lee at Ames, where he received the kindly ministration of the members of the family and many friends who had known of his illness.  On Tuesday evening June 26, he slipped quietly to the great beyond, to meet mother who was waiting him there, and in turn to await those who today pause to remember and pay their respects to a loving father, a faithful brother and a true friend.

  Services were held from the Seymour Methodist church, Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock conducted by the Rev. W. A. Morgan pastor of First Church, Ames, and the Rev. R. C. Buchanan pastor of the local Methodist church.  Burial was in the Southlawn cemetery.

Gravestone for William N. Butler

in Southlawn Cemetery, Seymour, Iowa

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  The Editor thanks Jocelyn Faris for sharing this obituary through the findagrave.com site.

Morlan Families Had 33rd Reunion

The Seymour Herald - 30 June 1955

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  The 33rd annual reunion of the Morlan families was held at the Webb Sales Pavilion east of Corydon Sunday, June 26, with 56 present.

  The noon dinner was served to Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Butler, Mrs. Belinda Willis, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Darrah, E. A. Van Benthusen, all of Corydon, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Morlan and Sara and Linda, Mr. and Mrs. Will Elam, Mr. and Mrs. Laten Atwell, Mr. and Mrs. Emmons Atwell and Lorene and Florence, all of Plano.

  Also Cecil Stephens of Chariton, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Baughman and Barbara and Michael and L. L. Morlan of Indianola, Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Hiatt, Mrs. Mae Robertson and Lona, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Morlan, Mr. and Mrs. G. B. Elgin of Centerville, Ed Jeffries, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Dixon and Emma, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Smith and Gregory, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Thompson and Carla, Marilyn and Gary, all of Promise City, Tommy Demry, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Van Benthusen, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dixon, Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Robison, Mr. and Mrs. C. V. Webb and Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Jeffries and Jay of Corydon. 

Paschal Thomas Butler, 72, 1840-1913

  Paschal T. Butler was born near Scipio, Jennings County, Indiana, December 13, 1840, and died May 15, 1913, aged 72 years, 5 months, 2 days.

  He moved with his parents to Iowa in 1853. He was united in marriage to Lucintha Jane Morlan on August 28, 1862. To them were born ten children, all of whom are living: Wm. Newton of Indianola, Iowa; Elmer E.; Belinda J. Willis; Lafayettee L.; Charles H. of Seymour, Iowa; Jesse E. of Centerville, Iowa; Viola Barton, Jerome, Iowa; Asa R., Seymour, Iowa; Emma E. Hiatt, Moravia, Iowa; Verna May Johnson, Seymour, Iowa.

Paschal Thomas Butler & Lucintha Jane Morlan Butler

  [P. T. and] his young wife settled near Milledgeville in Independence Township, Appanoose County, and in 1865 moved to Lincoln Township where they have resided ever since.  All the children and grandchildren are living and the wife who shared all his labors and was with him in the last moments of his life, survives him.  Deceased was a man of honor, true to his home and every obligation, loved and respected by all his acquaintances and endeared to his loved ones by ties that death cannot break.

  The community feels the loss of a citizen of ... worth and join one bereaved family in its grief for him.  It is not often that a man lives to see his family grow to maturity, married, happy, and he attain the age of three score years and ten, without a death in the family.  But this was the fortunate lot of the deceased. His is the first death in all the family.

  There was a short funeral service held at the late home, conducted by A. F. Clemons yesterday, May 16, at 10 a.m. The funeral proper was conducted by Elder Jones at the Union Church and the body was laid to rest in the Jones Cemetery near by [South Fork Township, Wayne County, Iowa]. A large company of friends of the family accompanied the remains to its last resting place.

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Card of Thanks

  We wish to thank the friends and neighbors for their kindness and assistance at the death and funeral of our husband and father, P. T. Butler, and also for many beautiful flowers.

  -- Mrs. P. T. Butler, W. N. Butler, E. E. Butler, Mrs. John Willis, L. L. Butler, C. H. Butler, J. E. Buter, Mrs. Joe Barton, A. R. Butler, Mrs. Clyde Hyatt, and Mrs. Carl Johnson.

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Paschal T. Butler's Farm in Lincoln Township

Plat Map of Northeastern Lincoln Township 1896

North West Publishing Company

Plat Map of Northeastern Lincoln Township 1908

W. E. Walter & Co., Des Moines, Iowa

Plat Map of Northeastern Lincoln Township 1915

Midland Map Company, Knoxville, Iowa

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  The editor sincerely appreciates the contribution of the above obituary and picture to The Jerome Journal by Leona Patton of Loveland, Colorado.