Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-09-21
BUTT OF yIR0QUA
By Henry Casson


A sterling, honorable and pictures
qGe character of western Wisconsin
passed sway last Saturday night when
Col.C .MButt of Viroqua, lawyer, iur-
list and warrior laid down his srms.
Born in Ohio some IS years ago he
came to Wisconsin as a young man,
being admitted to the bar in 1859.
The outbreak of the great conflict in
1861 found Col. Butt eager and willing
to bear arms in the service of his
Late in 1861 Jeremiah NJ. Rusk,
member of the assembly from Vernon,
rode up and down southwestern Wis
consin under governors warrant or
ganizing the 25th Wisconsin, which
regiment was fully recruited and ready
for duty in 1862. The unit from vi
roqua was designated as Company A..
Butt was made first lieutenant of the
unit, shortly after stepping into the
captaincy. 1t was certainly a cos
mopolitan regiment composed of bust
ness and professional men of the ur-
ban communities of the neighborhood.
tall, vigorous backwoodsmen from the
Kickapoo and blue eyed Norwegian
lads from the fertile prairies of Yer
most the close of the war Butt re =
manned with this organization, when
he was appointed colonel of the 4Sth
Wisconsin.
After peace was declared he return
ed to the practice of law and soon
built up a large clientele. In 1869 he
was elected to the state senate as a
republican and was twelve years eoun-
ty Judge. In 1882 he was the nomi-
nee of his party for congress from
the seventh district. Conditions that
autumn were not favorable to the re-
publicans and election day put the
brilliant and able Col. Gilbert Wood
ward of Lacrosse over as the winner.
In 1884 the political sensation of the
year was caused by Col. Butt openly
espousing the cause of democracy and
its gubernatorial candidate, N. ID.
Frat of Racine and its presidential
nominee, Grover Cleveland of New
York. Rusk was the republican cam
didate for reelection as governor of
Wisconsin and the democratic papers
and campaign orators made much of
the defaction Of his old comrade-in-
arms and party co-worker. Thus was
political and personal friendship Of
more than quarter of a century rup-
tured. The father of the writer was
Rusk's most intimate friend and ! vio-
late no confidence when ] say that the
Butt detection was a personal grief.
Then both of them fought as hard
against him as they had ever fought
for him. IL was fair and manly fight
ing and I'll venture to say that If the
three of them could speak that they
would say that they fought each other
squarely and openly.
From an old-fashioned conservative
republican he became a radical. 1t is
interesting to note however that his
radicalism of those days is now deem
ed conservatism and many of the
things he advocated are now the law
of the state and later on were press
ed forth by LaFollette and other pro-
gressive leaders of this later time.
Several times after his divorce from
the ties of the republican party he APP
peared as a candidate for state and
congressional office with his new poll
teal associates but fate decreed that
he should not be successful. He was
leader of the farmers alliance move
ment of the early Cos and his ener-
getic work was responsible for its
getting such a foothold in the badger
state.
In appearance both Butt and Rusk
were most striking. Uncle Jerry was
blonde giant Col Butt was of a
darker type, wore a heavy black beard
and had strong expressive eyes. Their
farms adjoined The last summer of
his life Rusk spent on his farm and
| have often wondered what thoughts
went through their minds as they
passed each others place.
Western Wisconsin owes its devel-
opment to such pioneers as Rusk,
sohooled not in book learning, but in
The college of grim, practical exper-
fence, and Cyrus NJ. Butt, finely edu-
Gated, polished, also highly honorable,
loyal and brave Wisconsin State
journal.