My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Scotland County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Isaac J. Butler, Jr., a prominent farmer and stock raiser in Jefferson Township, was born November 24, 1842, in Scotland County, Mo., where he has since resided with the exception of eight months spent in Illinois, and four years he was in Nevada, during which time he was engaged in mining. The rest of his life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits. He was reared on the farm, and began life for himself when he became of age. He was then a poor man, but by his energy and perseverance is now the owner of a nicely improved farm upon which he resides, and also owns other tracts of land in the county. He has been unfortunate, and lost considerable by sickness, fire, etc. He was married April 15, 1863, to Miss Frances E. Morris, a daughter of Daniel Morris, a native of Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Butler one child, William D., was born. Mrs. Butler died March 12, 1865, and Mr. Butler afterward married, August 12, 1866, Miss Agnes Fifer, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Fifer) Fifer, natives of Rockingham and Augusta Counties, Va., respectively. Mr. Fifer is of Pennsylvania German descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Butler four children have been born: Aby Jane Elizabeth, Laura Bell, Charles Ellis, and one who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Butler are members of the United Brethren Church. Mr. Butler is a Democrat, but votes for men and principles rather than for party. He was road commissioner for six years, and has also served in other official capacities. He served about two years in the late war, in Company I, Twenty-first Missouri Infantry. He is the fifth of ten children of Isaac and Hester (Pierce) Butler, natives of Coshocton County, Ohio, who moved to what is now Scotland County, in 1838. The father was a son of Joseph and Abigail (Sovereign) Butler, natives of Virginia. Joseph Butler was a soldier in the early Indian war, and one of the early settlers of Virginia, and later one of the early settlers of Zanesville, Ohio. He has eleven children, of which Isaac Butler was the youngest.

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This family biography is one of 140 biographies included in the Scotland County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Scotland County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Scotland County, Missouri family biographies here: Scotland County, Missouri Biographies

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