The Butler house is on Switzer Hill Road [the name of the road that descends
steeply], and it is actually in Fonda and much more accessible via Fonda
than Johnstown. It is owned by Cynthia Lang, who is very gracious about
visitors and photographers. The descendants of this branch of Butlers still
visit Butlersbury [the name of the house and original estate]--most of them
live in Canada and come to upstate New York to visit their original homesite
quite frequently.
-----Original Message-----
From: William Ringle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2000 11:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Sir William Johnson's wives?
Regarding Betsy Butler:
Walter Butler and the rest of the family were good friends of the Johnsons
and tories during the Revolution. They returned from Canada to lead Indians
in raids upon their former neighbors. They have -- or had -- a legendary
reputation. The words "murderer" and "terrorist" are often used in the same
sentence with Walter Butler.
Their house is still standing. You drive out Glebe Street in Johnstown, N.
Y. and just as the road begins its steep descent to Route 5, along the
Mohawk River, you'll see the house on a little road -- Butler Road, I
think -- to your left.
Just south of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario (not more than 45 minutes out of
Buffalo) there is a nice gravesite dedicated to the Butlers. I can't recall
if there's a Betsy there. Needless to say, the Butlers are held in high
esteem there, if not in the Mohawk Valley.
In James Thomas Flexner's "Mohawk Baronet," the biography of Sir William
Johnson, John, Walter, Walter, Jr. and Thomas Butler are all mentioned, but
Betsy isn't. A footnote on p. 69: "Johnson found the younger Butlers --
Walter , Jr., and his brothers, John and Thomas -- very useful assistants in
administering the Valley and Indian affairs. Later John and his son,
(Ensign) Walter N. Butler, gained an unenviable eminence in American history
as Tory raiders."
There's a lot about the Butlers (not Betsy) in Codman Hislop's "The Mohawk":
Ensign Butler, who was also a lawyer, was captured while trying to recruit
for the British in the Mohawk Valley, was tried and sentenced to be hanged.
However,some "higher authority" intervened and he was taken to Albany for
further questioning. He escaped and was able to play a major role later in
the the Cherry Valley Massacre.
Hislop has dozens of relevant citations, among them "Butlers of
Butlersbury," from the Cornhill Magazine (London) of Nov. 19, 1921. and "War
Out of Niagra: Walter Butler and the Tory Rangers," Harold Swiggett,
Columbia U. Press, 1933.; and "The Story of Butler's Rangers and the
Settlemetn of Niagara" by E. A. Cruikshank, Tribune Publishing House,
Ontario, 1893.
Also William W. Cam0pbell's "Annals of Tryon Couinty," published in 183l
in New York, contains quite a bit about the Butlers.
William Ringle
)
-----Original Message-----
From: Burch, Wanda (SAR) <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, July 13, 2000 5:59 PM
Subject: Re: Sir William Johnson's wives?
>There was a prominent Butler family in the Fonda area during the 18th
>century. Information on their geneology could be researched through
>Canadian loyalist records, and there should be information available via
the
>Montgomery County Dept. of History and Archives/Old Courthouse/PO Box 1500/
>Fonda, NY 12068. The telephone there is 518-853-8186. They deal with
>geneological research in the Fulton/Montgomery County area.
>--Wanda Burch, Site Manager, Johnson Hall
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: John Rathbone [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 12:47 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Sir William Johnson's wives?
>
>
>>From John Rathbone at [log in to unmask]
>
>G'Day, All!
>
>A question has arisen regarding a woman, Betsy Butler, and any connection
>she may have had with the Johnson family and the Iroquois.
>
>Our family would appreciate any information, references, or guidance which
>anyone may be able to provide.
>
>Many thanks in advance!
>
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