I have been working on Butler genealogy for some time. My brother-in-law is working with a professional genealogist who could use the information that has been found to date to not duplicate efforts. Here is my attempt at doing that.
Edward Butler Immigrant Ancestor Born 1825
The death record for immigrant Edward Bulter has his birthplace as Kilkenny, Ireland and gives his parents’ names:
Interestingly, Edward H Butler, his son, shows his father born in County Wexford:
Michael Butler and Margaret Croke/Croak
The death certificate for Edward Butler gives his parents as Michael Butler and Margaret Croke. Windgap Parish Registers for County Kilkenny, Ireland show that this couple baptized a son, Mathias Butler on 1 November 1824:
Here is a map of Poulrone:
Here the Townland is spelled Pollrone. Here is a current map showing Pollrone:
Here is a record of Michael Butler from 1832:
Michael apparently died around this time (1832) as his wife Margaret shows as the occupier in the note to the right. This list was important at the time as it showed who was able to vote. The Ned Duggan listed as a sponsor for Mathias above could be the Edward Duggan shown as listed in “Poulroan” above.
One guess would be that Edward Butler went to live with cousins in Wexford (the family of Henry Butler) after his father died. Perhaps that is why he knew that family well.
Here are the sons I have of Michael Butler:
Here are the children I have for James Butler:
Edward Butler Immigration
This is most likely our Edward Butler from Poulrone, County Kilkenny. A birth date is given and an immigration date is given. This may be his passenger record:
However, in 1843, Edward would have been 2-1/2 months shy of 18. I suppose that age 21 is not a far stretch. In 1910, Edward states that he immigrated in the year 1850:
This part of the petition for Naturalization has Edward living in Boston since 1843:
Here is an Edward Butler with an assumed spouse Bridget in 1850 in Boston. Ward 8:
However, is this the same couple in 1855? This is from the Boston Census Ward 7:
This Edward Butler cannot be our Edward as the Census was taken on 1 May 1855, the day that Edward was marrying Mary Crowley in St. John, New Brunswick:
Edward Butler and Hugh Gray
Looking back to one of my Blogs, I see that I had made a connection between Edward Butler and Hugh Gray. Hugh Gray was living next to Edward and Bridget Butler in the 1850 Census:
In this Blog, I have the following character witnesses for Edward Butler on Edward’s naturalization record:
This is from the second page of Edward’s Naturalization Petition.
The above information is a bit confusing, but from the records, I assume the following:
- Edward’s parents from his death certificate were Michael Butler and Margaret Croke from County Kilkenny
- This couple lived in Poulrone, Windgap Parish based on the birth of Mathias Butler and land records.
- There is an Edward Butler from Poulrone who had a Naturalization Petition in Boston in 1851.
- A Hugh Gray vouched for Edward Butler
- There is a Hugh Gray living next to an Edward and Bridget Butler in the 1850 Census for Boston.
- There is an Edward and Bridget Butler in the 1855 Census for Boston. However, at this time our Edward was marrying Mary Crowley in St. John, New Brunswick. That means that the 1855 Butlers in Boston were a different couple.
- I know nothing further of Bridget Butler. She was presumably Edward’s wife or sister.
Questions:
- Did Edward have other relatives who came to the US before he did?
- Why did Edward live in Boston for a while, then go to St. John, New Brunswick to marry?
- Why did Edward’s son have on his death certificate that his father was from County Wexford? I believe that the answer to this is that earlier Butlers may have lived in Wexford. At least Edward’s relatived George Butler and his father Henry Butler were from Wexford.
Edward Butler’s Irish Connection in Cincinnati, Ohio
Edward moved to Cincinatti with his family. Here is the 1860 Census:
Based on the age of Ellen, the family must have moved from St. John in 1859 or 1860. Edward’s Ireland connectiion in Cincinnati is George Butler. Descendants of George Butler match descendants of Edward Butler by DNA. Here is George and family in 1860 in Cincinnati:
This Census suggests that this family was living in Ireland as late as 1850. George’s daughter, Mary A. ends up moving to St. John. Here is her death certificate:
It is unclear to me why Mary moved to St. John or what connection was there. Obviously, her relative Edward Butler was no longer living there. Were there other relatives there? The Murphy descendants are one of the families that match the Edward Butler descendants.
This appears to be George Butler’s baptismal record from 1826:
His baptismal name was Adam or George. His parents were Henry Buitler and Anne Russel. Here is Ferns in County Wexford:
My guess is that Ferns is about 25 miles from Poulrone in County Kilkenny. Here is a marriage record for a George Butler and Mary Whitty in Mountaingate, County Wexford:
George’s first wife died and he married secondly Margaret Sinnott on November 11, 1866 at All Saints Roman Catholic Church in the Fulton area of Cincinnati. This couple had children also that match Edward’s descendants by DNA.
Edward Butler’s Irish Connections in the Boston Area
Edward moves to the Chicago area where his two sons are born. Following that, Edward and his two sons move to the Boston area. While in the Boston area, he had two connections with Irish Butler relatives.
Edward Butler (1839-1891)
The first connection was with another Edward Butler (Edward’s namesake?). Researcher Peter Butler found the newpaper notice:
This notice was from a Boston Newpaper in 1891. Here is the State record:
Here is my version of the family of Henry Butler and Ann Russell – made with the help of Peter Butler:
“Adam” Edward Butler was the brother of George Butler who lived in Cincinnati. Also note the connection to 220 California Street where our Edward Butler lived at the time and the connection to St. John, New Brunswick.
Here is the 1893 Street Directory for Newton (California Street):
Connection #2: Mary Butler Mellie (1858-1938)
Here is the summary I have for Mary Butler:
Notice that I have the children as Melia rather than Mellie. Mary was the daughter of James who was the brother of our Edward Butler. I don’t have a birth record for James, but I have that Mary was born in Windgap Parish, County Kilkenny. Here is half of Mary’s baptismal record:
This shows that James apparently was still on the family farm in 1858. I did some further research into Griffith’s Valuation for the Townland of Pollrone:
Interestingly, I see the names Butler, Croake and Millea (Mellie?)
Possibly all the people in Reference #2 could be related: Duggan, Butler, Croake and possibly Millea. However, Mary’s husband was from County Meath according to their marriage record:
Here is Edward living in the Mellie household in 1910:
Edward is listed as William’s father-in-law. This is not quite correct as Mary’s father was James Butler based on this marriage record:
Perhaps James had died by now and Edward was acting as Mary and Johanna’s father. Johanna was Mary’s sister.
Summary and Conclusions
- From the land records, it appears that there was a Michael and Margaret Butler in Poulrone, Kilkenny aka Pollrone around 1832.
- This land went to Margaret Butler after the presumed death of Michael Butler
- Later, the land went to James Butler, the presumed son of Michael Butler and Margaret Croake.
- Edward Butler born probably 1825 in Poulrone (baptismal record not found) to Michael Butler and Margaret Croake. He moves to Boston where he is naturalized. He is living in Boston with a Bridget Butler in 1850. He marries in 1855 in St. John, New Brunswick. He has two daughters born there and moves to Cincinnati
- In Cincinnati, Edward lives near George Butler, son on Henry Butler and Ann Russell of Wexford, Ireland. The descendants of these two families have DNA matches. It is possible that Michael and Henry Butler were brothers.
- One of George Butler’s daughters moves to St. John and marries there and has children.
- Edward Butler moves to the Chicago area and has two sons there.
- Edward and sons move to the Boston area around 1890 or so. Edward is listed in the 1890 Veteran Census in Newton, MA.
- Edward hosts the funeral for “Adam” Edward Butler in 1891. “Adam” Edward is the son of Henry Butler of Wexford. “Adam” Edward’s death notice in the Boston paper mentions that St. John, New Brunswick should be notified of his death.
- In 1910, Edward is living in the house of William Mellie. William married Mary Butler, daughter of James Butler who took over the family farm apparently in Poulrone, Kilkenny.
- Thanks to Peter Butler for his help in researching many of these facts.