The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-07-18
An Interview With a Gentle.
man Who Resided Here
in 1897.
he Manufactured the First
Piano Ever Seen in This
Section of Country,
And Returns After an Absence Of
Thirty-two Years and Tells
His Experience.

Yesterday BAzoO reporter had tn,
pleasure oi meeting Mr. Benjamin ID. But
i.r. OF Washington territory, wh- is visit
ing for 4 few DAYS with Mr.. ID. ID. Fear
IN acquaintance OF fortv-hve years stand
Jug. Learning that Mr.. Butler had re
sided in Pettis county long before tn,
Queen City existed, and had only returne,
after an absence OF thirty-two years, IN.
idea occurred that an interview with hin
! Would prove interesting to the readers o
the BAZoo, and he was requested to relat,
a portion of his experience in the
EARLY DAYS OF THE COUNTY.
Although sistv-,hree years of age, Mr.
Butler Is enjoying the hest OF health, ant
Is As hardy specimen of the true west
erner As one could find in days travel
MOde>ty, however. i, one of his virtues
and he he>itated to grant the request, bui
finally Consented that the reporter might
take lew notes regarding the state of al
:airs I'm this section in the years long ago
Mr.. Butler was born in Irdle county
North Carolina, i'm the year 1919. In
| lS31, or while only Is years OF age, i'm com
pany with his mother, three brothers and
! three sisters, he came to Georgetown, ia
his country, and took up his residence.
The place was then 4 mere village Where
Sedaiia now stands WIS a vast prairie, and
IL was not thought at that time the land
would ever prove valuable. Those who
came TO this portion OF Missouri chose Ia
settle in the timbere, districts, and
PRAIRIE LAND WENT A-BEGGING
Deer were then plentiful, and Mr. Butler
saws he has on many occasions, while re-
siding in Georgetown, heard the rattle Of
their horns As they were fighting in the
brush. Wolves. too, were numerous. AMI
their howl> in droves was of nightly &C
currence.
On his arrival in Georgetown. young
Butler apprenticed himself TO q cabinet
maker named Mortimer Collier, deceased
something more than forty wears. With
Collier he worked a year, and subsequent
" with VIM. OBannon and james Tanner.
finishing his trade with the latter gentle
man. He proved 4 master mechanic, and
worked journey work in Georgetown I'M
til the year 1915, when he determined To-
paw a visit tn his cousin. VIM. G.. Butler,
resident OF Petersburg, Tenn. This cousin
was extensively engaged in the
OF pianos. and with him
Ben las he was familiarly calledl deter
mined 10 cast his fortune for a brief period.
He surmised that he would like the
business and felt assured lie would have
To- remain but short tine until he Wa,
able 10
MANUFACTURE A PIANO
nn his own hook. He remained At Peters /
burg Tor only a brief period, however. |
when he concluded To return To- Missouri. I
bnt before doing So procured from his |.
cousin the necessary draughts, patterns. !
etc, Inr constructing an instrument In his 1
then wild western home. On his return he <
stopped in ~. Louis and purchase, an /
outfit OF mafogony for piano casings I
which he had shipped by boat up the 4
Missouri river and then by wagon to
Georgetown. The ivory, ebony, tuning I
pins. springs etc. for the inside OF the
instrument were purchased ior him in ,
by Messrs. Watson and .
Clifton Wood, then engaged in the general
merchandising business at the county seat }
Il Pett;>
The idea of constructing piano In this
wilderness was hOOted at by MANY, but MIR.
Butler had
UNLIMITED CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY
% achieve success, and at once set about
lis labers. He commenced with the raw
and although he had none of the
machinery and few Of the tools required
or the successful production of an under
aking of this magnitude, he labOred faith
lilly, never Tor q moment giving way To
despair. For two months and three
reeks did he work maniully
N the instrument, at the end OF which time
{ stood before him completed. To say that
he work was considered wonderful, would
e mild, Indeed. 1t was the talk of this .
Thole section of the country. and Butler
'as pronounced a genius by all
In the eastern markets pianos were then
cling for from $500 TO 800. Batter, how s
yer. did not expect to compete with these ,
and when he was offered |
las for his instrument by Mr.. ID. d. Fear,
ne gentleman with whom he is now visit ,
ng, he concluded to dispose of it. In |
peaking of the instrument now, Mr.. But
n saws II was I
CRUDE PIECE OF WORK, 4
ut no one at that time anticipated musi-
al instruments would ever reach their I
resent state of perfection. 9
Encouraged by his success, Mr.. Butler !
tarted ON a second, and number of im- Z
rovements were made and considerable c
me saved in the matter of construction 4
Though he had no customer in view, he
etermined to proceed, and, when the in
was constructed, placed it upon .
ne market In this case only two months 5
IN, uuired for IFS omnletion and the q
lstrument was so much superior to the Q
rst that he found no difficulty in disposing a
it for $500 to MIR. Eli COrum. Years
tier it did ser.ice In music school in
lafayette county, and subsequently was v
,st track OF. The first instrument was e
sed for many years, and was finally 4
urned in this city, the building being de- d
royed in which it was stored. a
In the wear lS47 Mr.. Butler was work /
IN at his trade in Georgetown, when he 4
Il II . n