Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-11-15
Matthew Calbraith Butler.
(By James Henry Rice, Jr.)

which Lord McCaulay would have
reveled. Indeed part of MeCaulay's
matchless talent was expended on the
dukes of Ormond, to whom the But
lers claim kinship.
While the late George D. Tillman
may have stretched things a bit far
in terming General Butler "the best
blooded man in America" in :blurt-
ing out in the constitutional conven-
tion of 1895, yet it would be long
time before the equal of M. c. But
Ter in intelligence and patriotism
would sit in the United States SEN
ate," it is still true that his lineage is
illustrious; his patriotism without
taint. Men of his race have won dis
tinction in every crisis of American
history. Their women have shone
with charm of manner, grace of mind
and beauty of person in the highest
stations of Americas social realm,
Matthew Calbraith Eutler was the
son of DR.. William Butler and his
wife, Jane Tweedy (Pelry). He was
born on Lowndes and Butler Hill
some four miles from Greenville.
DR.. William Butler again was the
second son of General William But
Ter and his wife, Behethland Moore
Foote Butler.
There clusters romance about DR..
William Buffers marriage. Gradual
ing at South Carolina college, he
rode horseback to Philadelphia, in
companw with a man named Hill,
from Wilkes county, Ga. Remaining
at Philadelphia until graduating, he
rode back home to Greenville. While
assistant surgeon in the navy, and
walking the deck of his ship anchor
ed in the harbor Of Newport, R. l.,
he saw a young girl promenading by.
1t was case of love at first sight,
and they were shortly married in
New York City, at the house of Com
modore Matthew Calbraith Perry,
an older brother of Commodore Oil
yer Hazard Perry, who gained the
famous victory on Lake Erie over the
British.
DR.. Butler and his 16 year old
bride came South on horseback and
settled on the family plantation over
the river from Saluda Old Town
(now Saluda). Four children born
here all died of malaria, which ragged
like pestilence in the up country
at that time.
Thereupon DR.. Butler moved to
the place near Greenville with his
wife, where IL more children were
born to them. Gov. B. F. Butler was
fond of telling about Mrs. Butler. He
wrote sketch of her from which
and from divers other accounts, she
must have been a woman of rare
charm and force of character. Hav-
ing been appointed agent to the
Cherokee Indians by President Polk,
DR.. Butler travelled across country to
Fort Gibson, Ark, then the nearest
point to civilization. His work lay
in Indian territory, now Oklahoma.
He died in 1850 and his son, George,
was appointed agent in his stead.
Judge A. P. Butler Of Edgefeld
and Comndr. M. C. Butler both asked
for a boy to educate and adopt. The
choice fell on Matthew Calbraith
Butler, who arrived in Edgefeld on
cold bleak November day, describ-
ed as ga little sickly pickle-faced
boy" with only grip. William Pulas-
XII Butler, merchant at Edgefeld,
fitted him out in clothes and sent
him out to his uncle at Shorelands,
five miles from Edgefeld. Here he
enjoyed the motherly influence of
Judge Buffers mother, Behethland
Moore Foote Butler, one of The hero
ines of the Revolutionary.
Going to South Carolina college,
Butler left during the Rebellion"
and took up the study Of law un-
der his uncle, Judge A. P. Butler. 1t
was on this trip to Judge Buffers
plantation that, in passing through
Edgefeld, he stopped at "Eolgewood"
and met his future wife, daughter
of Colonel Francis Wilkinson Pick
ems, later Governor Pickens of South
Carolina. There was an affair on at
once, for Calbraith Butler made love
as ne fought and spoke, going