Name/Title
William G. Butler to father, 1832Entry/Object ID
2024.04.118Description
Butler's first letter from the Kalamazoo Harbor area to his father.
"Letter addressed from Kalamazoo Harbour on Lake Michigan, and sent from the Prairie Ronde post office with no postmark, for 25 cents postage. The paper is torn and stained with wax residue where it was sealed. William Gay Butler writes to his father Jonathan Butler in West Hartford three years after their last correspondence. He and his family have settled on the Kalamazoo River in Michigan Territory, and William describes at length the local situation and politics. They live and trade among the Ottawa people as the only white family in the area. William is seeking a preemption to entitle him to the land. While at the land office to register the township site, he was informed of local conflicts with the Indians including depredations by the Sauk warriors and their allies in Illinois. He describes a council called by the settlers of Niles Township on May 30, wherein the Potowatomi offered a pledge of neutrality. On his next visit to the office, William learns of the recent Battle of Stillman's Run and defeat of 275 Illinois militia troops by the Sauk warriors of Black Hawk's British Band, marking the beginning of the Black Hawk War. He describes the subsequent deployment of 2000 Illinois militia troops by Governor John Reynolds, and reports that General Henry Atkinson was at last account surrounded, his supplies cut off. On the day William was at the land office, June 13, a company assembled to march the following morning."*Context
William Butler and family are traditionally considered Saugatuck's first white settlers. The first drop of a coming wave.
*This letter, plus many other documents that give insights into William Butler and his times, are available in the Butler collection at the Connecticut Digital Archive
http://hdl.handle.net/11134/690002:butler
The collection comprises manuscripts and printed material including account ledgers, correspondence, estate records, land deeds, peddler's accounts, and ephemera, spanning 1734 to 1910. Principal contributors include Jonathan Cadwell (d. 1768), Zacheus Butler (d. 1791), Jonathan Butler 2nd (d. 1855), William Gay Butler (d. 1857), Maria Butler Welles, and Elizabeth Gay Sisson Hubbard. Collection topics include agriculture and industry, itinerant peddlers, westward expansion and the Connecticut Western Reserve, the Union Army, American Indian relations in Michigan Territory, and society in New York and Europe in the 1890s.Collection
1830 Settlement, pioneer era, 0001 Anishinabek/Ojibwe/Odawa/BodéwadmiCataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2024.04Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionNotes
A link to this collection was emailed to Sally Winthers from Chris Clark on 30 Oct 2024. Understanding the value of these primary sources, James T. Faasen downloaded and transcribed this letter and a second between William Butler and his father. Although the SDHC does not hold these items, they have been included in this catalog to assist future researchers in finding the William Butler collection in Connecticut.Location
* Untyped Location
Digital data in CatalogItRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Butler, William Gay 1799-1857, Butler, Mary W. (?) 1805-1835General Notes
Note
Transcript of a second letter from William to Johnathan Butler by James T. Faasen:
Entry St. Joseph Nov 9 1832
Respected Parent
Sir, I impose my time to inform you that my health and self since I left you. I returned to
Brownhelm on Friday (Saturday) morn after you left. tolerable well, concluded to go to Buffalo.
Maria & George informed me you expected to spend the Sabbath at Mr. Miners near Erie. I
took the steamer S.Thompson. Sunday morn at Huron. Landed at Erie in evening, Monday
morning went out to Mr. M. and heard you went on. On Saturday, I took stage for Buffalo but
only went to Springfield and into Buffalo Tuesday eve. Heard of you going in to Buffalo on
Monday eve but could not hear of you in the city. Sent 3 Nights. Reached Detroits on 17th Sept
Land Office White Pigeon Prairie, St. Joseph County and entered my Land 22nd Sept. got
home 25. un well several day before got a very severe attack of fever the night before I got
home. but I had a Frenchman & an Indian to paddle the canoe. I lay very sick for12,15 Days
came up here the 20th Oct, went up to Elkhart Prairie, purchased my grain, and returned to this
on the 3rd, the Manenga & Detroit were in and left when I went up the Napoleon & Austerliz
none lying at anchor out the bar very heavy Gail.
Nov 14
I now take my pen again and have the unpleasant news. to record, that the Austerliz Boat on
crossing the barr, a coming in the river, capsize, and Capt. Miller a Gentleman Passenger a
resident of Chicago and two hands were drowned, two hands were saved. The wind still
continues to blow almost a Gail. It is now 11 Days I have been waiting here and not a time I
could go with my Sail Boat
[Page Break]
I am very anxious to get home have a hired man and a surveyor to go down with me. The
surveyor will return soon, hope we will be able to go in two or three days. I was extremely
fortunate in getting my land entered and home before sick. I have sort you a plot of a fractional
town at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River have designated the particular valuable points I
have been very successful in getting my situation and think some so in getting St. Petro and all
land entered there on can be till sale which will be next June. I wish that I could obtain the
fraction of 46. 70/100 acres at the mouth of the river and have wrote brother Epaphras situation
and solicited him to come out in the course of winter and make improvements on it and try for
a preemption it is not probable that it will pass till late in session if at all say by march would do
if no preemption a chance of purchase at sale if he liked he could help me put in a crop and get
his family on next season, if not perhaps he would like some other part of country but little
trouble or expense to make trail for a preemption and if successful it would be a very pretty
speculation. I thought you would willing to assist him to leave his family in a comfortable
situation and expense money wish you would write him soon your mind and wishes, but now is
the time next season will not do. You wished me write particulars of my situation. I have been
successful to get my situation and think it a very good fortune but that I would not be able to
get any thing near the value at this time, but wish and hope I will be able to keep it for a few
years. The proprietors of this town sold shares of this place at a rate of $3,000 two years ago
since now will bring thirty thousand of more. The most I have been offered was $500 cash and
a store of goods to do business on commission for a length of time for one half my reserving
Burying Ground & House lot, but have not offered it for less than $2,500 for an undivided half
except in the above lots and the Gentleman that made the above offer thought it worth what I
asked when he there last season and this season when he made the offer.
[Page Break]
II borrowed of Mr. Robinson of Grand River four hundred sixty dollars till June next at 10 per Ct
for which I gave a transfer of my certificates for security. I think if I am able to hold on to my
place I. Shall be able to pay you and all others. I shall need about $1,000 in Spring to refund to
Mr. Robinson, purchase a little more Land, build me a house & ware house. I am sorry to solicit
you to come so long a journey to see us but must solicit you to come out here in Spring and
see us. To bring out all Paper appertaining to all our old affairs and I will give you a mortgage to
satisfy you and if you have funds and could assist me or purchase some Land, I will give you
security for all Stake and think you would make a good speculation in purchasing Land, if you
are able to undertake the journey. I hope you will make it convenient and will not mind
expense. I shall not solicit you ever to come to see me so far again and hope. you will and not
fail to come in Spring, another season will not a[torn] and I think you will be well satisfied or I
should not request it and trust it will be quite to your interest. I wish you to write me soon after
receipt of this and inform me your mind and wishes and prospect your coming out in Spring
your helping me. Epaphras coming to this country &c. direct me to Kallamazoo Harbor,
Saranac Post Office, M. It is very important that I know before or early in Spring as I shall want
to get money of some other person if not of you before June as the Land will come in market in
June. If you should come you would need to come as early in May as possible. I am very
certain there is no mistake in speculation a Land in this country. I received 2 kegs butter & 1
Bal Cheese per Napoleon this day from George & Maria. Had purchased each here before
receiving for use till Spring but they are good cash articles at 10 & 18 3/4 cts please accept my
own and Mary’s best wishes and give them to all others that inquire if any. —with much respect
from your son William G.
Mr. Jonathan Butler 2nd
Hartford Ct
_____
Notes from James T. Faasen:
Here is a transcript of Butler’s 2nd known letter to his father.
Words like "heare" have been changed to "here" and so on
It is very interesting and might change some existing notions on the beginnings of Saugatuck.
It also seems to verify the existing of the fractional town of Kalamazoo Harbor
And in that, might change when Comstock and Nichols arrived and started a store, by almost two years.
Vessels have been verified, the steamer Sheldon Thompson was a 3 masted side wheel paddle boat with an interesting history in the Black Hawk War
The drowned Capt. Miller is most likely Wells Miller, but no other info found to confirm that, except he had a Brother Capt. Frederick Miller of Buffalo that help him with the rigging.Create Date
November 17, 2024Update Date
November 20, 2024
