Evening star., 1941-01-12

he endured the hardships OF the
loWly when young and worked his
way to the top of his calling with
grit, perseverance and determina-
ton.
He was born among the mountains
of Western Maryland, an old bio
graphical sketch tells us, in what is
now the city of Cumberland, and
there in the cemetery close by lies
the body of his grandfather, a
soldier of the American Revolution
and pioneer Lutheran clergyman,
for whom he was named.
His father was a country mer-
chant, and the son, John, received
his early education in the academy
of the town. But it was while man
aging a store for his father in Ber-
lin, Pa, that he connected himself
publicly with the church Of that
village and pursued private studies
under the pastor, the Rev. Jesse
Winecoff.
Called From Seminary.
According to the record We find
that the call of DR.. Butler TO st.
Pauls was due to the resignation
of the second pastor of the church,
the Rev. ]. E. Graeff. who served
from November 20, 1846, to July 2.
1849, and who resigned on account
of Ill health. 1t was on this last
date, and at a regular meeting Of
the church council, that the name
of J. G. Butler, student at the
seminary. was presented as q suit
able candidate to succeed the retir-
ing pastor.
Mr.. Graeff was instructed to
write at once to Mr.. Butler and in
vite him to visit the congregation.
with view to the pastorate. The
election of Mr.. Butler by unani-
nous vote of the council took place
on the 10th of July, l849. The
secretary was instructed to notify
him of his election and that he
should have a salary Of s400, with
the promise of larger salary in
case the congregation should in
crease Mr.. Butler accepted the
call, with its stipulations, and soon
entered on the discharge Of minis
terial and pastoral work in st. Paul's.
where he continued in faithful and
successful labors for the period Of
almost "a years.
The first communion and con-
firmation services held by Mr.. But
Ter bear the date of November 25,
1849. First baptism, same date.
first marriage, February %. 1850;
first funeral, August 29, 1850"
From the date Of the dedication
of the memorial chapel at Four
teenth and N streets, in 1858, to
1873, DR.. Butler, with the aid of
associate pastors, had charge of
both the old and the new organ
izations, and he found plenty to do
in his new charge in building up the
congregation and in paying off the
church debt. But he was equal to
the occasion and met every demand
He was a tall man, built on the lines
of Abraham Lincoln, without any
surplus weight; full Of energy. The
writer never saw him walking
slowly; he always seemed to be in
hurry to get where he was bound,
and even when he was in his 80s
he still maintained that character
istic.
Served 81 Years
In all, DR.. Butler served the
Lutheran churches in Washington
for 81 years. He passed away sud-
denly on the morning Of August 2.
1909. and The Star of that after
noon gives an excellent account of
his life.
Dr. Samuel Domer, who sue
ceeded DR.. Butler, came to ST.
Paul's Lutheran Church in 1874 and
for rs years was its noted pastor.
Recently the north side of E street
between Sixth and Seventh streets
NV. has undergone quite a change.
due to the removal of a number of
small buildings to be replaced by a
large addition being erected on the
site by the Hecht Co. Only a
few years ago this firm, in order
to erect a large parking station.
removed the old Salmon p. Chase
residence at the northwest corner
Of Sixth and E streets, where once
resided the Chief Justice Of the
United States Supreme Court and
his attractive daughter, Kate Chase
Sprague, whose social triumphs we're
at their peak when she lived here
with her father.
This particular block, between
Sixth and Seventh streets, was early
built upon and many important
people had their residences here
besides Chief Justice Chase. John
F. Callan and John E. Kendall lived
close by. The skating rink, still
within the recollection Of many, was
on the north side of the street.
On the south side still stands the
old E Street Baptist Church, where
preached for many years the Rev.
George Whitehead Samson, who at
one time was president Of Colum-
bian College, or what is now George
Washington University.
The residence Of John C, Calhoun
was also on the south side Of the
block not far from the Benning-
MCGUIRE residence, at No. GA, which
today is doing service as transient
house, operated by the Young Wom-
mems Christian Association. George
Collegiate, DR.. John Davis, Leonidas
Coyle and Leonidas Campbell were
also early residents of this side Of
the street.
In the block between Seventh and
Eighth streets the most noted build
ing was the Blodgett Hotel, built in
1893 by Samuel Blodgett. 1t stood
on the north side of the street,
where is now the large Government
building, erected many years ago for
the Post Office Department, and
used as such until the building Just
vacated at Eleventh street and Penn
sylvania avenue was completed.