BUTLER, Thomas W.

BUTLER, KEITH, DENNIS, RAWLINS

Posted By: Mary Dolan
Date: 10/5/2001 at 02:08:15

Clinton Age
05 Jan 1905

Mr. and Mrs. Story KEITH have returned from attending the funeral of Mrs. KEITH's father, T. S. BUTLER, who passed away at his residence at Vail.

Thompson W. BUTLER was born in Logansport, Indiana, on Dec. 3rd, 1829, and died on Dec. 27th, 1904. When a boy he came to DeWitt, Ia., with his parents, where he grew to manhood. He married Adalia DENNIS of DeWitt, and to them three children were born -- Will E. of Vail; Clarence, of Orchard, Neb., and Mrs. Story KEITH of this city, all of whom were present at his burial, which was in charge of A. F. & A. M. of which order he has long been a member.

Mr. BUTLER was a carpenter by trade, and moved his family to Clinton about 1869, where they resided until 1874 when they moved to Vail, which has since been their home. Mrs. BUTLER died in 1897, and he has made his home since that time with his son, William.

One brother, Frank BUTLER, of San Jose, Cal., and on sister, Mrs. Jane RAWLINS of Medford, Oregon, are all that remain of a large family that came to DeWitt in the early days of Iowa.

Mr. BUTLER had been to Orchard, Neb., and left the home of his son, Clarence at that place, to return to Vail. He was seen to leave the Illinois (page is torn) ... at Denison ... ing of the 27th, and his remains were found in the evening of the 27th by the side of the road from Denison to Vail, and about three miles west of Vail. It will be remembered that this was the first day of the blizzard that visited Iowa last week, and it is supposed that he tried to walk home, as trains were all late, and that an attack of heart failure, or being overcome by the cold, was the cause of his death. The fact that his watch, and purse containing over forty dollars, were found on his person, removes any suspicion of foul play, and anyone who knew him knows that he never touched anything in the form of intoxicants.

NOTE: There is a Denison and Vale in Clarence Co., IA.