Bios: JOSEPH R. BUTLER, 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens
  
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      JOSEPH R. BUTLER,
  
  [p. 571] general merchant at Wampum, has served twenty years on the
  School Board and is a member of the town council. He was born in Moon
  Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, November 9, 1840, and is a son
  of Abia and Jane (Bell) Butler.
  
  Abia Butler was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and accompanied
  his father to Allegheny County in boyhood. The latter died in 1870, aged
  seventy-eight years. When about twenty years of age Abia Butler joined a
  regiment recruited in Beaver County by Colonel Miller, for service in
  the War of 1812, and they were stationed at Erie, Pa. When marching to
  that point the soldiers passed through the present village of Wampum and
  camped at New Castle, which was then but a collection of log houses.
  After the war was over Abia Butler returned to Allegheny County, where
  he subsequently married Jane Bell. She belonged to an old and prominent
  family of Juniata County. She died on the old farm which is now owned by
  the Werner heirs, not far from New Castle, October 23, 1853, aged
  fifty-three years. Abia Butler survived until 1870, dying at the age of
  seventy-eight years.
  
  The large family born to Abia and Jane Butler is recorded as follows:
  George, who lived to the age of eighty-six years; Benjamin, who died in
  1862; James, who died in 1907; Sarah, who died in 1908, survived her
  husband, John McCague; Alexander, Elizabeth, who is the widow of John C.
  Houck; Richard, who died in 1898; Tobias, Stephen, who was a soldier in
  the Civil War and fell at Chickamauga; Joseph Roney, John B., a soldier
  in the Civil War, was killed at Gaines' Hill; Nancy, who died young;
  Mary Ann, who died aged about thirty years. There were two other babes
  that died in infancy.
  
  Joseph R. Butler was yet a boy when the family moved to Lawrence County
  and settled in Perry Township. The parents moved two years later into
  Taylor Township, where the mother died, and after this domestic
  affliction the family home was broken up. Joseph R. sought work on other
  farms and made himself generally useful either as a farm laborer or
  teamster up to the time he enlisted for service in the Civil War. The
  recruiting officer found him working on the farm of John Kelso, and not
  only induced Mr. Butler to enlist in Company H, Ninth Pennsylvania
  Reserves, under Captain Cuthberson, but also secured his three
  companions, his brother, John Butler, who was later killed in the
  service, James Piersaw and George Kelso. Farmer Kelso was obliged to
  find other helpers, as the four young men immediately left for Camp
  Right and shortly after the regiment went to Washington and then to Camp
  Pierpont. On December 13, 1861, Mr. Butler fought in his first battle,
  which took place at Drainsville, Va. He was on the firing line during
  the seven days before Richmond, in the three days of the second battle
  of Bull Run and later, under command of General Hooker, participated in
  the battle of South Mountain. Next came Antietam, this being followed by
  Fredericksburg and then Gettysburg. He left the front May 4, 1864, and
  was mustered out of the service at Pittsburg, May 16, 1864. His long and
  dangerous period of service was bravely endured and he had the great
  good fortune to escape all serious injury. He is a valued member of the
  Grand Army of the Republic at Wampum.
  
  When Mr. Butler was relieved of his military duties he came to Wampum,
  and for the next ten years ran an engine at one of the furnaces. He also
  worked at drilling oil wells at Oil City and later ran an engine at the
  cement works at Wampum, for some five years. He is the pioneer merchant
  at Wampum, having opened up his present business at the same stand, in
  1883. He is prominent in all the public affairs of the town and lends
  his influence to progress and public improvement. Politically, he is a
  Republican.
  
  Mr. Butler was married November 23, 1865, to Mary E. Hess, who was born
  in 1846 and died October 26, 1907. They had the following children:
  Jennie, David, Ella, Joseph W., Mabel and Charles. Jennie married Edward
  Cochran, of Wampum, and they have two children, Emma and Adda. David
  died, leaving a bride of one year. Ella married Frederick Cochran, the
  twin brother of Edward Cochran. Charles married Lillian McQuistan.
  
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  20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and
  Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing
  Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
  
  
  Updated: 8 Nov 2001