My Genealogy Hound

I. H. Butterfield, secretary of the Michigan State Agricultural Society, has been prominently identified with the agricultural interests of the State for many years. He was born in Macomb County, where his father was a pioneer, and Mr. Butterfield was reared on his father’s farm there and later in Lapeer County. He was educated in the district and academic schools.

Few men have had more practical preparation for responsible positions like that held at present by Mr. Butterfield and few by nature and inclination are more eminently qualified. His long residence at the Lansing Agricultural College gave him such thorough knowledge of scientific farming, that his continued selection for important agricultural positions in the State seems but the fortunate placing of the right man in the right place. He was member of the State Board of Agriculture from 1889 to 1893 an d secretary of the board and college from 1893 to 1899, and postmaster at the college from 1898 to 1902. In the fall of 1902 he came to Oakland County, since which time his home has been at Pontiac. He was first elected on the board of the State Agricultural Society in 1881 and has been a member continuously since that time. In 1892 Mr. Butterfield was elected secretary, an arduous position he still holds satisfactorily, having served seven years. The officers of the State Agricultural Society are the following: E. Howland, president; Stephen Baldwin, of Detroit, vice-president; C. W. Young, of Paw Paw, treasurer; I. H. Butterfield of Pontiac, secretary. The executive committee is made up of these prominent men: E. W. Harley, of Howell; Frank Maynard, of Jackson; H. R. Dewey, of Grand Blanc; H. H. Hinds, of Stanton; F. E. Skeels, of Harriette; F. G. Jacobs, of Pontiac; W. W. Collier, of Detroit; B. E. Hall, of Port Huron; John Marshall, of Cass City; George H. German, of Franklin; Eugene Fifield, of Bay City; L. W. Barnes, of Byron; W. P. Custard, of Mendon; E. N. Ball, of Hamburg; W. E. Boyden, of West Bay City; M. L. Dean, of Ingham County; J. E. Rice, of Grand Rapids; C. A. Waldon, of Tecumseh; John McKay, of Romeo; and John A. Hoffman, of Kalamazoo.

The successful exhibition which took place September 7th to September 11, 1903, was the 54th Annual State Fair and was the third fair held at Pontiac. Much of its satisfactory success must be attributed to the unceasing labors of Mr. Butterfield, who devotes all his time and attention to furthering it and kindred interests.