New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-14


taktnx a prominent part in It's affairs and welding
an Influence that has bean potent for good until the
weight OF extreme age torbad. him from great
activity.
Charles Butler was born at Undertook LANDING
nov stuyvssant Columbia County, ". T., on reo-
ruary B isa He was tho ffth son OF hedad BUT
Ter and Hannah Tylee and wa one OF a fanny OF
.wsIve children. His father WAS descendant OF
Jonathan Butler who settled at Sayhrook Coma
and whose descendants subsequently established
themselves IN Columbia County. He hther was
a wel-kno merchant and ~as the hrst judge
OF Columbia County. and a man oi cohs'erAo'e
local prominence Benjamin + Butter eldest son
OF Medad Butler one Of the revi'ers OF inc
statutes Of tho state Of New-iork. and af"rward
A,,orn.y-CenAral ~ the tnited States In the 'hbi-
nets Of Jackson and Van Buren,
Charles received HE education from the numer-
Gus tutors who came 20 Undertook Landing ana
suhseouentlv entered the once ~ Judge Aaron van
derpo~l at Undertook About the year ND ~he"
HI. brother BENJAMIN r. Butler. hecSne law
mariner n, Martin Van Puren At Albany WHO
the latter war Attorney-General or TINS s'AIe'
Charles Butler lived with Mr.. Van burenr fhmiy
and was a student in his law hrm He WAS al
r,,,ed 70 the bar IN lEi and in lSs he married
Fl,,, A Ogden Of Walton. Delaware County
NY and shortly after his marriage he went 20
Geneva Y and there formed partnership
With Bowen Whiting who after"ard oeo.ne
Justice Of the Supreme Court Of tho state OF new
Yort.
shortly after settling in Geneva MI Butter Dc
cam. Assistant Distrirt-Atto-nsy OF "ene"o~
County and took part In several important uiAs
among others the prosecution of certain perrons
nrominent In Masori, circles. growing out OF mo
mysterious disappearar"e ~ Morgan MI h""er
continued 10 practise law In Geneva for ten years
acting as agent and attorney In Western Ne~-iork
Tor tho S.v-York Life Insurance and Trust Com
many Of thla city and It's behalf he loaned 10
tho IN rnrrs Of the western part ot the state 'rse
sums Of money. which enabled mem 70 Improve
and develop their properties. ann paricuH'y !"
convert tho leasehold interests which they he'n
from, the owners Of tho Holland Patent mo e'-
,a,.s IN fee simple He thus largely instru-
mental in building up that part ~ the state.
work in which he interested John Ja'oo hN'o' III"
Isaac Bronson
~ rriends 10 mako visit 20 Chicago. AT thh' ''''e
known Fort Dearborn. ana spent Por'o' "
Tho summer OF 1893 In examining mo cohhUo'H
which he found there A. result. he ihVe1leu
largely In lands In what Is now the city OF 'H'-
caro- some Of which he still held Al me time ot ms
| d.ath on his return 10 Geneva he Induced VIII
| tam u ogden a brother of his wife. then Young
na, who had been elected member OF the Leg
,.,sture Of the State Of NewYork TO go 10 chicago
for the purpose OF looking after ana offering TOT
.ale the lands In which Mr.. Butler had invested
Mr. Ogden reluctantly went TO Chicago, ana the
r.,ut az hts trip there led to hts establishing him
.at IN Chicago and 70 his subsequent importance
| a., nronin.nce AS q citizen Of that place. becom-
| ing its FIRST Mayor ,
Mr. Buffers attention was drawn later 10 the de
velopment OF what u now the city OF lolrdo' O'''o
| Here ne bought much land. ana "h"h 'h' e'a ot
! ,,na,,on arrived he did great deal to proven,
| ~. nubrc from being swindled 10y unprihcipeo
| ,ocu,ators and to regulate the price OF Ioled'
! .l estate upon an equitable basis. TWO churches
! "a an industrial scnool now stand on ground
! in Toledo that was given by Mr.. Butler
In 1ss5 Mr. Butler at the instance OF certain mon
largely Interested In tho company whose business
| =. 80 conducted AT Geneva and who had been as
.oc,a,ed with him In his investments In ILLINOIS,
came 10 New York and began the pra'nce OF Jaw
Among the important negotiations or htlshuonS Il.
| which he was employed were those growing out oI
the adiustment Of the debts Of the States Of Mich'
| gan Indiana and Illinois In all Of these matters
NJ pu,ler WAS retained by and in behalf OF the
| r.o,,ors and after long and difficult negotiations
he succeeded In finally erecting an hnJus''"o'.
,btcb wes satisfactory to all conccTf"h an" S"'''
| 80 ,bA creditors large sums OF money. lie was
aftervard interested In railroad enterprises III uo
Nor,bvest which resulted In the formation OF the
| Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company nc
was also Interested In the Michigan southern hdi-
way Company In the chicago ROCK isithI ana
| Pacific Railway Company ana III the d. LOUIS
Terre Haute and Alton Company. and took promi-
| =. nar, In nromoting and advancing many other
,,,.rests in the West. he having had an unfaterlng
belief in the growth and prosperity OF inc country
re WA one of the founders OF the Union Theo-
| logical Seminary Of New-Yo and was one OF the
earlest patrons OF tho New-forh University, OF
both OF which Institutions he was the president OF
the governing boards at the time OF MS death lie
hecame a member OF the Council OF the New-fork
University in the year 1885, and continued to serve
| in Il until the time OF his death Among the other
| institutions with which Mr.. Butler was largely
| Identified and In which he took great interest
| were the Protestant Half Orphan Asylum OF the
| City OF New-York, of which he was one OF the
founders and for many years the president. and
the Westchester Temporary Home for Friendless
| Children. In which he occupied like position Mr..
| Butler received the degree Of LII. ID. from Wabash
| University In 1853 and 1t was more recently con-
| ferred upon him by the New-York University.
| MIR Buffers benefactions have been many; His
benevolent gifts Included one OF $4,000 to Union
| THEOLOGICAL Seminary for the founding OF chair
Of Biblical theology, and an addition OF 10000 to
| the endowment fund OF the New-fork University,
! both OF which gifts were made In 1890
Mrs Charles Butler died in ls'S about three
wears after the celebration Of their golden wedding
| In October, 1875. OF the family OF seven children
single daughte- Miss Emily Ogden Butler. sur
yives Mr. Butler. She actively shared her fathers
interest and activity in all OF the institutions OF