BUTLER, HYMAN D.

BUTLER, BURT, SIMMONS, DAGGETT, ANNIS

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/1/2005 at 17:03:31

Biography reproduced from page 462 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

Hyman B. Butler, son of Moody and Lydia (Burt) Butler, was born in Greenfield, N. H., Jan. 1, 1827. He was reared on a farm, having such educational advantages as the district school afforded, with the opportunity of reciting latin for a time to the village physician. At seventeen years of age, he was sent to the Lebanon Liberal Institute at Lebanon, N. H., and for the next four years was at school most of the time, either here or at Mount Caesar Seminary, at Swansey, N. H., with one term at a Military Academy, established by Gen. Pierce, at Marlow, N. H. When grown to manhood, he was for a time in the paper manufacturing establishment of his brother and brother-in-law, at Bennington, N. H. He was, in the meantime, married to Milliscent K., daughter of Caleb C. and Lydia (Simmons) Daggett. Mr. Butler now commenced studying for the Universalist ministry which he had been for sometime contemplating. In 1852 he began preaching as an occasional supply for other clergyman, and in April of the next year (1853), became pastor of the Universalist parish at Bernardston, Mass., being ordained in September of the same year, at a meeting of the Chesire County Association at Marlboro, N. H. He was pastor in Bernardston until the fall of 1867, a period of nearly fifteen years, when he removed to Monroe, Wis., and became pastor of the Universalist parish. While residing there, he purchased land in Kossuth Co., Iowa, and in 1872, sent two of his sons to occupy it and open up a farm. The next year (1873), he removed his family to Algona, Kossuth county, organizing and becoming pastor of a Universalist Church at this place. After preaching here four years, he went to Owatonna, Minn., and was pastor of the Universalist Church there for three years, his wife and children remaining on the farm. Becoming weary of this separation from his family, he came back to Iowa to live on the farm, where he at present remains with his sons. Their farm comprises section 17, township 94, range 29, Cresco township. They are engaged in stock raising and dairying, chiefly, having the only Holstein cattle in this part of the State—keeping from thirty to forty head of milch cows, and from eighty to 100 head of cattle in all. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have five children—H. W., a railroad conductor; Frank P. and Fred K. (twins), proprietors of “Prairie Stock Farm;” Edgar B., a graduate of the Iowa State University, in the class of 1878, and Minnetta, wife of G. M. Annis. Mr. Butler is a republican, and is now chairman of the board of supervisors. He is a Royal Arch Mason and a strong temperance man.