For years, I have been tracking my wife’s Butler genealogy with the help of DNA testing. As some of her relatives have pointed out, some of that genealogy was in the wrong direction. I was looking in Poulrone, County Kilkenny, Ireland at an Edward Butler, but now I see that was the wrong Butler.
The Butler Story
Here is what I have:
Henry marries Anne in 1824 in Wexford:
George, the Oldest Son, Born 1826 in Wexford
I know most about the oldest and youngest sons of Henry Butler. George Butler was born in 1826 in Wexford, 13 years before Edward Butler, my wife’s immigrant ancestor.
The name is odd, in that the first choice is Adam Butler, but then in small letters, “or George”. Edward was aslo Edward Adam Butler but the Adam name did not prove to be popular perhaps as I do not see it used again. Here is a map of Wexford, showing also Kilkenny and Waterford:
George marries Mary Whitty in 1848 at Rathangan:
I think this is Rathangan:
This appears to be Mountaingate Townland:
Perhaps George was listed in Griffith’s Valuation. Here is a possibility:
This is not close to Mountaingate:
Here are some choices for Henry Butler in Griffith’s Valuation:
Seven choices are in Wexford. It is not likely that Henry would have been listed in the Tithe Applotments as these were for people that had owned or leased land. At the time of the Tithe Applotments, Henry appears to be living in the City of Wexford.
George and Mary give birth to a daughter Anne in Wexford in 1850:
What Happened to Anne Butler?
Anne is in the 1860 Census for Cincinnatti:
This shows that George Butler and family moved to Cincinnati probably in the mid-1850’s. Anne shows as 11 in the 1860 Census, though technically, she should have been 10 at the time. However, Anne was missing from the 1870 Cincinnati Census:
Henry’s first wife had passed away and Henry remarried Margaret Sinnott.
Ancestry suggests this record for Anne Butler:
Mary Ann Butler is listed as a witness. However, she would have beeb about 17 at the time of the marriage if we have the right people. I cannot make out the other witness which may be William Butler? Also as Mindall is an unusual name, the spelling could be wrong.
This appears to be St. Louis Parish:
Here is another possibility:
This may be the same Anne or Anna in 1870 in Cincinnati. Anne is also listed in the 1870 Cincinnati Directory:
Mary Ann Butler Born
Mary Ann marries Thomas Murphy in St. John, New Brunswick in 1878:
The 1901 Census shows that the couple had a large family. Some descendants tested for DNA which confirms the relationship between this family and my wife’s family. Here is my Butler DNA tree:
I see at Ancestry that there are other matches. My wife’s late Aunt Lorraine also matches Bobbi at 41 cM. Here is the maternal side of Bobbi’s tree:
There could also be other matches under Rebecca Butler born 1869. Actually, I was looking at an old Butler DNA Tree. Here is the newer one:
It goes back an extra generation to the likely father George Butler from the 1700’s. On the left side of the Tree, notice that the name Adam comes up twice:
These four people plus the son of Will have DNA matches with my wife’s side of the family. They are fourth cousins once or twice removed to my wife’s aunts and father. This side of the Butler family moved to England.
Recapping George Butler’s Life
George Butler was the eldest son of Henry Butler and named for his grandfather. He was born in Wexford in 1826. Little is known of Henry Butler except that he was probably born in Wexford around 1800. He was likely not a farmer. He had eight known children. I will copy Peter’s genealogy. He is a good Butler genealogist from England:
George marries first Anne Russel. They have a daughter, Anne born in 1850. According to Peter, she dies in 1865:
However, I mention above that there was an Anne Butler who married a Hugh [Mindall?] in New Brunswick in 1876.
We do know that Mary Ann Butler, born in 1858 in Cincinnati married aThomas Murphy in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1878 and lived there, had children and died there. She died at 196 Watson Street in St. Jon West :
Mary Ann was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery:
Questions and Observations
- Edward Butler is in St. John, New Brunswick where he marries Mary Crowley in 1855 at age 16. He has two daughters born there: Julia Ann Butler in 1857 and Ellen about 1859.
- Soon after the birth of Ellen, the Butler family moves to Cincinnati where brother George and family live.
- Is it possible that brother George was also in St. John at some point before living in Cincinnati?
- Julia Ann marries in New Brunswick in 1904 at the age of 47.
- I have that Ellen dies in 1865, however, I have no reference for that date. If this death date is right, it would have been the same year that Peter has her cousin Ann dying.
- What I find interesting is the relationship between the two families.
- How did Edward know that George was in Cincinnati?
- George’s children would have known about St. John through Mary Crowley Butler if from no one else.
- The time around the mid 1850’s was a bad time for all Irish people. For the Butler family hard times dispersed the family to England, Canada and the US.
A Short Sketch of George Butler Born 1826, Wexford and Younger Brother Edward
- 1826 – George Butler is born in Wexford, Ireland. He is baptized as Adam or George Butler. He was named presumably for his father’s brother Adam and his grandfather George.
- 1839 – Younger brother Edward Adam baptized in Wexford
- This just in for 1849:
George and Margaret have a child named George in Wexford who is illegitimate. Yet, the father George marries Mary Whitty in 1849 and Margaret Sinnott in Cincinnati after Mary dies in 1868? If that is right, it certainly seems unusual. And what happened to baby George? Was he adopted by Catherine Meany?
He is married in the Rahangan Parish in 1849 to Mary Whitty:
Presumably, Mary Whitty was from the Rathangan Parish or they wanted to marry away from Wexford.
- 1850 – The family apparently lives in Wexford, as George’s daughter Ann is born there in 1850. Ann either dies in Cincinnati or possibly moves to New Brunswick and marries.
- 1855 – Edward marries Mary Ellen Crowley in St. John, Nova Scotia
- Mid 1850’s – George and his small family settle in Cincinnati, Ohio. It appears that both brothers leave Ireland roughly around the same time.
- 1856 – Edward’s daughter Julia Ann born in St. John
- 1858 – George’s Daughter Mary Ann is born in Cincinnati
- 1859 – Edward’s daughter Ellen born in St. John
- 1859 or 1860 – The Edward Butler family moves to Cincinnati
- 1860 – Both George and Edward live in Ward 17 of Cincinnati
- George Butler has a son born in 1862 named Henry, presumably after his father.
- 1863 – An Edward Butler and George Butler enlist for duty in the Civil War. I assume that both of these are the right people. There is independent reference to Edward being in the Civil War.
- 1865 – George’s wife Mary Whitty dies
- 1868 – George marries Margaret Sinnott
- 1869 – A daughter, Rebecca, is born to George
- 1870 – George and family live in Ward 17 of Cincinnati while Edward and family are now in Ward 5 of Cincinnati
- 1872 – Edward has a son born named George Henry. He is said to be born in Chicago, though no original record has been found of the birth.
- 1875 – Edward has another son born – Edward Henry again said to be born in Chicago in June
- 1875 – George has a daughter Margaret born in Cincinnati in June
- 1876 – George has a daugther Elizabeth born in Cincinnati
- 1877 – George’s daughter Mary Ann marries Thomas J Murphy in St. John
- 1880 – George and family is listed as living in Cincinnati. His son Henry is listed as being born in Ireland – perhaps a mistake?
- 1887 – George’s wife Mary Sinnott dies
- 1890 – George dies in Cincinnati at age 64
- 1890 – There is a listing for an Edward H Butler, Clerk at 220 California Street in Newton. This is the same place where the funeral was held for Edward Butler.
- 1890 – There is an Edward H Butler listed on the Verteran schedules in Newton, Massachusetts. He is listed as a mariner on the US Ship Milwaukee and served from 1864 to 1865.
- 1891 – Edward dies in Boston at age 52 (listed as 51) as a longshoreman. Two addresses are given: Boston City Hospital and 24 Clark Street. The Boston City Hospital was in the South End of Boston and 24 Clark Street was in the North End of Boston – the home of a priest.
Edward’s Civil War Service
I looked up lists for the Milwaukee and did find Edward there on page 70 of this record:
Here is the reference link: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/134431401
Edward is listed as age 29. He was probably more like 25 at the time. He was supposedly tranferred from the Great Western, but I do not see his name listed there. So I assume that entry was incorrect. Butler researcher Peter from England already had this information, so I was a bit behind him.
1890-1891
These two years provide a lot of information for Edward, though the time between 1870 and 1890, a 20 year period appears to be mostly missing.
1890 Veteran Schedule
This is one of the only records I am aware of where Edward goes by Edward H Butler. His rank appears to be mariner or marine? The house number was 255 and family number was 290. The post office address is listed as Newtonville. This comment appears to correlate to Edward H:
Unfortunately I cannot read what it says. However, the entry confirms family lore that Edward served on an iron clad ship during the Civil War.
Where Was Edward Living in 1890?
According to the Veteran’s Schedule, he lived in Newton. Here is an entry from the Newton Directory of 1889:
A Mrs. Mary E Butler was living at 473 Auburn Street. She may have been a widow or the husband of Edward Butler.
Here is the Newton DIretctory for 220 California Street where Edward’s funeral was held:
The problem is whether the Edward H, machinist was the son or the father. My guess is that these were the two brothers, but I am not sure as the son Edward would have been only 15 or 16. I am not aware that the father was ever listed as a machinist. The son Edward is listed as a machinist living on Crescent Stree in Newton in 1900:
Assuming my wife’s ancestor was not an assistant priest, there is only one other Edward H. in Newton in the 1889 Directory.
1887 Directory for Newton
Here is Mary E Butler:
That eliminates Mary Crowley.
There were fewer Butlers in the 1887 Newton Directory:
1891 Newton Directory
George Butler is no longer at 220 California Street, but there is an Edward H Butler, now listed as a clerk. This could still be the elder Edward as he died in December 1891 and would be listed in that year.
1893 Newton Directory
Edward H is still listed as a clerk.
I see also a George Butler listed.
1890 Boston Directory
There is an Edward Butler who was a mariner in the 1890 Boston Directory:
A quick search for Erin Alley does not show anything.
1891
While the 1890 Census shows that Edward was in Newton and near Newtonville, I cannot find other proof from street directories that he was livign there. Perhaps he moved around a bit or was in poor health. Or he lived there less than a year and was not caught in the City and Town listings.
Edward died on December 16th 1891. I take it that he died at City Hospital but that he was livign at 24 Clark Street at the time in Boston.
The funeral notice corrects the age at death:
This appears to pull things together. The elder Edward was living at 24 Clark Street, Boston. The son, Edward was living at 220 California Street in Newton from the way I interpret this information. The fact that the funeral notice mentions St. John, New Brunswick indicates to me that Edward may have had connections to that City more recently than when he married there in 1855.
Some Questions Remain
- There appear to be no records for Edward Butler between 1870 and 1870 – a period of 20 years.
- Where did Mary Crowley Butler live between 1891 and 1905 when she died? We do know that she was living with her son George in Watertown at the time of her death.
- Why was Edward living at 24 Clark Street at the time of his death. This was the home of a priest from what I understand.
Summary and Conclusions
- The Edward Butler livign at 220 California Street was likely Edward the son
- The 1890 Veteran Census confirms the Navy record of Edward Butler enlisting on the USS Milwaukee during the Civil War.
- Many questions are raised as to the whereabouts of Edward Butler between 1870 and 1890.