Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 613
DANIEL W. BUTTS

Daniel W. BUTTS, editor of the Little Sioux Independent, first came to Iowa in 1846, before the State had been admitted into the Union, and moved to Monona County in 1852, and from there to this county in 1882. He was born in Chautauqua County, New York, April 23, 1835, and was the son of Orrin and Rebecca (LUDDEN) BUTTS, natives of Vermont, both deceased. The grandfather, James BUTTS, and his wife, Lydia, were natives of Vermont, and the grandfather on the mother's side, William LUDDEN, was also born there.

Our subject was one of a family of seven children. His early life was spent in the old Empire State, where he attended school. The family came West in 1845 to Illinois, spent the winter at Nauvoo, and in the spring of 1845 came to Kanesville, Iowa. They also lived two years in Missouri, in Atchison County, then went to St. Joseph where he learned his trade, remaining until 1852, and came to Monona County. Having just finished his trade in Missouri, we next find him printing a newspaper called the Harbinger and Organ, at Preparation, Monona County, the same being a religious journal. In 1856 he printed a weekly journal called the Nucleus and Echo. This was a Democratic local newspaper, which afterwards changed its name to the News and Messenger, and the plant was moved to Onawa in 1858, where it was known as the Onawa Adventure. It only continued there six weeks and was sold to parties at Magnolia. After the proprietor sold this paper, Mr. BUTTS went in company with A. DIMMICK, in the publication of the Monona Cordon, which they operated for two years, when Mr. BUTTS took control and changed the name to the West Iowa Gazette, which he operated for three years and then sold to Mr. HOLBROOK. He farmed for two years and then went to Magnolia (in Harrison County) and printed the Magnolia Republican, then the Western Star. He afterwards spent four years in Kansas City, on the Journal of Commerce, and returned to Iowa, and was employed at Little Sioux, Dunlap, Logan and Mapleton. In 1882 he bought the paper at Mondamin, ran it one and a half years and moved it to Little Sioux in August, 1884.

At one time he was Supervisor in Monona County for several terms. In religious matters, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and politically, he is now a Republican, of the independent order.

He was married May 15, 1859, in Magnolia, to Miss Anna E. LANYON, daughter of Thomas and Sophia (CAMPION) LANYON, natives of England. The family came to Iowa in 1858 and to Harrison County in 1859. Mr. and Mrs. BUTTS are the parents of one child, Elsie E.

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