Letters are in fragile condition.
Peter Butler was born in 1789 in Polaski County, Kentucky, and later moved to Barren County, Kentucky. He served in the War of 1812 and the Black Hawk War of 1831. He helped survey and founded Monmouth, Illinois, where he served as sheriff, surveyor, mayor, county commissioner, and served in the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate. He came to Oregon in 1853 at the age of 64 as the head of the Butler Wagon Train along with wife Rachael Cook Murphy Butler and some of his children (Ira Frances Marion Butler, Margaret Butler Smith, Elijah Davidson Butler, Elizabeth Hannah Hutchinson, Eliza D. Butler Ground and Isaac Butler). Peter Butler died in 1856 and is buried with his wife Rachel in the Butler Davidson Cemetery near Monmouth in Polk County, Oregon.
John Murphy Butler was born in 1818 near Bowling Green in Warren County, Kentucky. One of the sons of Peter and Rachel Butler who stayed in Monmouth Illinois, the bulk of the letters are addressed to him along with his wife Eliza; he later shared them with his other brothers and family in Illinois. His family includes his wife, Eliza Smith and children McDowell (died in infancy), Lavina Matilda, Erastus, Granville, Isaac Smith, Ralph Otis, and Peter Franklin (Frank). He and his wife are buried in Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois. He died in 1864 after Eliza who died in 1858, leaving their young children in the care of a maiden aunt, Matilda Smith, sister of Eliza.
Ira Frances Marion Butler was the oldest son of Peter and Rachel Butler, born in 1812 in Barren County, Kentucky and later moved to Illinois. He served in the Black Hawk War with his father; as the county clerk (1841-1848) and county sheriff (1836-1840) of Warren County, Illinois and mayor of Monmouth, Illinois before joining his father leading a wagon train to the Oregon Territory. He served as president on the founding Board of Trustees for Monmouth University (1855-1882) and signed the charter creating Monmouth University, helping to bring the vision of establishing a Reformation college to life. He is credited for breaking the tie vote to name Monmouth and served as the first mayor in 1881. He also served three terms in the Oregon Legislature (Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1857-58) and as circuit judge for Polk County from 1878-1882. He lived to be 97 and is buried with his wife and most of his children in the Butler Davidson Cemetery near Monmouth in Polk County, Oregon.
Elizabeth Hannah Butler Hutchinson was one of the daughters of Peter and Rachel Butler who moved to Oregon with the wagon train in 1853. Elizabeth, (known as Lissie), was born in 1829 in Kentucky and married Thomas Hanna Hutchinson in 1851 in Warren County, Illinois. They had one son in Illinois (James Butler), one son in the Cascades before reaching Oregon (Robert Cascade), and one son in Polk County (Tom Otis). Her husband Thomas surveyed and platted Monmouth, Oregon, in 1855. He also signed the charter to establish Monmouth University and served as the secretary of the Board of Trustees. Lissie died in 1866 leaving custody of her young boys to her younger brother Isaac and Sarah Butler.
The letters were handwritten by members of the Peter and Rachel Butler family, and their friends and relations who left Monmouth, Illinois in 1853 to cross the Oregon Trail and settle in Polk County, Oregon. There, they joined friends--all of whom belonged to the Disciples of Christ church-- who had left Illinois earlier in 1850 and 1852 for the purpose of establishing a town and a university in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Addressed primarily to John M. and Eliza Butler, their relatives back home in Illinois, the letters over insight into the challenges of daily life faced by Oregon's early pioneers. The letters describe homesickness and constantly complain about not receiving enough letters from home in Illinois; wheat, oat crops and grasses planted; the abundance and cost of livestock; prices for wheat, butter, eggs, pork; politics and forming state government and opinions on national government; the Indian wars; regional mining discoveries; and chronicle the earliest development of homes and businesses in Monmouth. They instruct their relatives about how to sell the land and farms they left behind. Like all family letters, they chronicle births, sicknesses and deaths, brag about their children's endeavors, describe the numerous illnesses that beset the pioneers. Many talk about how much they have benefitted from moving to Oregon and how much they like it but also how much they miss their relatives still in Monmouth, Illinois.
Also included in the collection is one official deed of sale for land purchased in 1858 by Jonathan Cattron from the Monmouth University Board of Trustees signed by Ira F.M. Butler as the president of the Board of Trustees.
The collection is contained in one box and arranged at the item level. The collection is arranged into three series: Deed of Land Sale (1858), Business Correspondence (1835, 1848), and Family Correspondence (1835-1863). All materials are arranged chronologically.
Each letter has been scanned and is available on internal staff computers for research.
Collection is available for research
For further information, see the Western Oregon University Archives Research Rules.
Copyright Information: Researchers are hereby cautioned that materials within archival and manuscript collections may be protected by copyright laws (Title 17, U.S. code). Researchers who plan to eventually publish their work are responsible to inquire about publication restrictions before beginning their research. Researchers wishing to quote from materials in any collections held by University Archives should consult the University Archivist. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original.
Butler Family Papers, MSS 2, Western Oregon University Archives
This collection was donated in 1993 by Dr. Lawrence Butler of Atchison, Kansas.
Some of the letters were transcribed in 1976.
Letters that were transcribed in 1976 are locally published under the title
Materials related to the founding families of Monmouth Univeristy and the city of Monmouth are located in University Archives records.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Regarding money owed by Patrick Watt, Wm. T. Bush and Wm Thompson
Regarding the sale of John Talbot's land
The bulk of the remaining letters are primarily to John M. and Eliza Butler in Monmouth, Illinois.
Regarding conditions on the Oregon Trail through Iowa, Mormon houses and settlements, cost of supplies in Kanesville, creation of a militia to defend from Indians
Regarding conditions in Polk County and family health
Regarding travel along the Oregon Trail including costs for provisions and poor condition of livestock, weather, river levels, and wagon breaking
Regarding farming, family health and death of family and friends
Written soon after reaching the Willamette Valley describing conditions along the Oregon Trail of overall good health save mountain fever, loss of a mare and mule over a waterfall, loss of a wagon, birth of a son and need to accommodate to environment of sun, rain, mud, dust and sleeping on the ground
Written soon after reaching the end of the Oregon Train describing their health, losing two animals in the Deshoots (Deschutes) River and one stolen, losing a wagon, roads generally good, good grass for grazing, good timber and water at destination
Regarding generally health of the new country, purchase of land along the Luckiamute River, crop princes, and adjoining land claim and owners
Regarding the general health of family, birth of a son, friends loss in a different party and conditions of his party on the Oregon Trail including drowning of a mare and mule, loss of a wagon, and the favorable conditions in the new country. Most likely from Peter Butler.
This letter is somewhat illegible due to heavy foxing and faded ink.
Regarding improved health of family, request to sell land in Illinois and send money or cows to the Oregon Territory with William Murphy and request for more letters with news of family and friends
Regarding family health, describing the trip to the Oregon Territory, lack of timber/wood, berries found along the way, gardens growing and current harvest. Addendum to Uncle dated December 26, 1853 from William B. Grounds (Bloomington) regarding the death of four children with whooping cough and two with flux brought by emigrants, overall good health, mild weather, good crops and costs for livestock, produce and crops.
Provides a child's perspective of the Oregon Territory, new livestock, building furniture and gates, missing friends and family in Illinois. Addendum to Aunt Matilda dated February 8, 1854, from Rufus M. Smith, regarding new baby livestock, missing cousins in Illinois, and building a gate
Regarding the death of their Uncle Henry, thank you for the gifts sent and a dry pleasant winter
Regarding condolences for death of friends in Illinois, general family news, requesting news of James and Williams businesses, and questioning sale of tax titles in Illinois for cattle to be sent to Oregon
Sending condolences for deaths in Illinois, general news of family health, homesickness for Illinois and description of the winter weather.
Addendum to Uncle [P.M. Butler] dated March 5, 1854 from Wm. B. Ground describing his father's 320 acres claim on the Luckiamute River and the prices for livestock and produce.
Sending condolences for the deaths in Illinois, general family health and recovery after winter, description of lots owned in Monmouth, request to sell or rent the prairie land and send the money, description of land owned, to pay taxes on, in Warren and Henderson counties, and giving up a claim for university lands
Regarding general family welfare, instruction on Illinois land and property sales, and a description of tactics in the Oregon Indian Wars
Regarding welfare of family a year after arrival in Oregon Territory. Addendum to Eliza dated June 24, 1854, from Elizabeth M.B. Hutchinson regarding the welfare of family and friends, homesickness for Illinois, progress of the children. Addendum to Matilda from Lissie asking for news from Illinois and condolences for Uncle Williams death.
Regarding general welfare reporting bad colds and lung fever, poor school interest for children, instruction of land management in Illinois, reporting prices for livestock and produce, scarcity of money, request for 'The Western Fruit Book' and the Atlas newspaper, and the start of a griss mill. Addendum dated May 7, 1854, regarding Berryman's leg disorder.
Regarding waiting for a money draft and general well being of family and neighbors in the Oregon Territory. Addendum dated September 7, 1854, regarding land business and the urgency of needing money
Regarding the arrival of the money drafts, explaining the numerous transactions for finalize the payment for the land claim in Oregon, instructions for land sales in Illinois, description of a massacre of emigrants near Fort Boise on the Snake River and mother is homesick and the general health of family
Regarding the general health of the family and giving power of attorney to sell property in Illinois before going to the Indian War
Describing general family health, description of Portland, arrival of William Murphy via the Oregon Trail with livestock, scarcity of money, boys off to the mines, serving on jury duty, killing a panther, general weather and crop conditions
Regarding general weather conditions, livestock, equipment and land changes and instructions on selling land in Illinois
Expressing gratitude for news from Illinois, expressing homesickness and a longing to return, description of land claim and possessions, and asking advise on investment lands
Regarding conditions in Oregon, discovery of gold mines on the Columbia River and the price of crops
Regarding the family welfare, crops new, another request for the Western Fruit book by Eliot and news of a school. Addendum from Margaret B. Smith regarding family news and expressing thanks for a gift sent
Regarding family health and well being, a gold mine discovered along the Columbia River, financial and land business
Regarding general welfare and family news.
Addendum from Peter Butler inquiring if timber land in Illinois was sold and other land sale business
Regarding the good health of the family, news of other settlers and news of a gold mine discovery
Regarding family health, news of Indian attacks along the Columbia and Rouge Rivers, raising a volunteer militia and an informal last will and testament to deal with lands in Illinois
Regarding general good health of family, expressing sympathy for death of Berryman Murphy, news of birth of a son, news of Indian attacks in Oregon and Isaac M. Butler joining the volunteer militia, school opening near the Thomas H. Lucas land, land business in Illinois and Monmouth, elected as Polk County Surveyor. Addendum to John, Eliza and children from Lissie regarding news of the baby.
Regarding intension to move back to Illinois to take over their father's farm
Sending condolences for Berryman Smith death and describing sickness in Iowa
Regarding the weather and health keeping him from moving back to Illinois to run the Peter Butler farm
Addendum to Brother John from sister Lissie
This letter is somewhat illegible due to burned holes in the paper.
Informing of father's death [Peter Butler] and funeral at the Monmouth schoolhouse with John E. Murphy presiding; addendum to Brother and Sister dated August 21st from John M. Butler passing along the letter to other family members
Regarding the death of their father [Peter Butler] describing the illness and the burial place; addendum to Brother and Sisters, unsigned regarding their fathers end days
Describing her grandfather's end days [Peter] and asking for leaves from Illinois to give to grandmother [Rachel]. Addendum to Erastus from Aunt Lissie thanking for the baby's name, Thomas Otis and news of cousins. Addendum to Grandville and Isaac inviting to come when they are older and the Pacific railroad is complete
Regarding the estate and heirs of their father and national politics
Regarding land involved in their fathers estate and general economy news
Regarding national political news of the next President and the Black Republicans, visit from James Butler and a new baby in the family
Regarding boarding at Squire Whitman's while going the Monmouth school, teachers and subjects taught. Addendum to Cousin from R.S. regarding the new baby, John Butler Smith.
Addendum to Brother and Sister from Isaac Smith regarding the mothers visit when the baby was born, general economic news, politics of possible statehood and Indian war ending, and fertile crops.
Regarding family news, the need for power of attorney to settle the family estate, stop the Atlas newspaper, politics of statehood and becoming a slave free state, cost of livestock and general farming news. Addendum to Brother, Sisters and Children from Margaret B. Smith regarding family health, quilting, general wish for news from Illinois
Regarding farming, livestock and asking for clarification for money owed and to sell land in Illinois to pay the estate
Regarding family health, general farming and livestock news
Regarding general harvest and crop prices, the upcoming slavery vote, plans to for the University building
Regarding family health, bountiful crops, constitutional congress in session and slavery still in question
Regarding details on family health, livestock and harvest prices and the growth of Monmouth and a plan for a school building
Regarding the urgency to sell the estate land in Illinois, poor health of Elijah D. Butler, breaking banks and the lack of paper money
Regarding the death of a child Charley and husband Elijah, birth of a girl Rachel, renting the farm to Tarnt Davidson and living with Tom Lucas, executor of Elijah's will
Regarding the health of the community and typhoid fever, waiting for congress to release money to Oregon for loss in the Indian war and general harvest and livestock prices. Addendum to Brother, Sisters and Children from Margaret B. Smith regarding general family news
Regarding payment received for land sale in Illinois, a blight in fruit and oak trees, anxious for statehood decisions, state politics forming three parties including National Democrats and Black Republicans, Ira [Butler] is now a judge, Isaac Smith a County Representative, Tom Hutchinson Clerk of the Court, self [I.M. Butler] the County Assessor and news of the children
Regarding condolences for death of his wife, birth of another girl, Frazier River gold mine driving prices up in Oregon, the town of Monmouth growing and probate issues with Elijah's estate.
Addendum to Son dated August 23, 1858, from Rachael Butler (Monmouth) regarding family health and wellness. Addendum to Cousin from Paradine Butler regarding quilting, school and youth activities.
Regarding the healthiness of Oregon climate, Monmouth has 25 buildings and a good school and general farming news. Addendum to Uncle John Butler dated September 6, 1858, from Beryman M. Smith regarding school studies and younger siblings. Addendum to Brother, Sister and children from Margaret B. Smith sending condolences, news of family welfare, quilting and abundant produce.
Regarding receipt of the draft sent, condolences for loss of wife, description of the university building in Monmouth and the growing town and news of family and friends
Regarding health issues keeping him from returning to Illinois
This letter is somewhat illegible due to faded ink.
Regarding continued poor health, description of the Missouri countryside and a land claim on Crow Indian prairie land
Regarding a move the Monmouth to open a goods store, the effect of the Indian War on the economy, lack of equal pay to volunteer soldiers and a migration of younger people to Eastern Oregon with livestock
Regarding family welfare, children going to school in Monmouth, Isaac Butler moved to Monmouth to go into business with Boon who is reported as a gambler. News of the first murder in the neighborhood and general economic news. A post script has tracing of the size and variety of apples grown in the area.
Regarding health of family, general livestock and harvest sales, still waiting to be paid by Congress for war debt and description of war conditions
Regarding a flood that damaged farm buildings and livestock. Addendum to Brother from Isaac and Margaret Smith regarding family health and welfare, giving one year free rent on the farm in Illinois, and news of general feelings of Oregon men about the war between the North and South
Regarding health of family, economy troubles due to the North and South war
Regarding the welfare of family and friends, serving as sheriff in Polk county and news of two parties governing Oregon Union party and the Secession party.
Regarding general family health and welfare, young men going to work in the mines east of the Cascades, local opinions and news of the civil war, opinions of the Peace Democrats on the actions of the President and personal opinions of the Union and Rebel struggle.
Regarding the health of family and neighbors death by typhoid fever, the last days and death of Elijah after a long illness, Ira appointed as judge, and the growth of the church membership. Addendum from Margaret B. Smith regarding Elijah's will and the Monmouth school.