My Genealogy Hound

Dr. W. H. Butler, physician, Paris, Ark. One of the most familiar and welcome faces in the home of the sick and ailing of Logan County is that of Dr. Butler, who administers to the physical wants of his fellow-man, in a highly satisfactory and successful manner, as his many patients, now living, can testify. The Doctor was born in Henderson County, Tenn., in 1829, and was the fourth in a family of eleven children born to Henry and Frances Hopkins (Webb) Butler, the parents, natives, respectively, of Tennessee and Virginia. The paternal grandparents were of English-German descent, and the maternal grandparents were natives of the Old Dominion and of English descent. Henry Butler, father of subject, was a farmer, and resided in Tennessee until his death, in 1845. The mother received her final summons in 1871. Her people were among the oldest settlers of Rutherford County, Tenn. Both parents were members of the Primitive Baptist Church. It fell to Dr. Butler’s lot to grow up with a farm experience, and his early education was received in the common schools. At the age of twenty-four years he was elected bailiff of his county, and served for five years in that capacity. In 1858 he began merchandising, continued this for one year, and then began the study of medicine, reading with some of the prominent physicians. He began practicing at Camden, Tenn., in 1862, in partnership with Dr. R. B. Travis, continued with him for a year, and then went to Kentucky, thence to Illinois, where he remained until October, 1868, graduated in the medical department, University of Nashville, in 1869, then went back to Gibson County, and from there to Arkansas, locating in Logan County, at Ellsworth. He bought 180 acres of land, and farmed in connection with his practice; moved to Paris the spring of 1887, and is owner of property near this town. He was married in 1855 to Miss Susan J. Todd, of Tennessee, who died on May 12, 1856. His second marriage was to Miss Amanda A., daughter of Silas Travis, of Tennessee. She died in 1868, leaving three children: Lilly Irene, Flora Jane and Frances Josephine, all deceased. In 1869 Dr. Butler was married to Miss Louisa A. Walker, of Gibson County, Tenn., and twelve children were born to this union, four of whom are living: Sarah T., Susan Diana, Martha Morton and Benjamin C. Eight died in infancy. The family are members of the Primitive Baptist Church, in which the Doctor is an elder. His farm is good valley land, with eighty acres under cultivation, six acres in strawberries, two acres in vineyard, and two acres in apples. He has cleared and improved his place, and now has one of the best homes in the county