JOHN MILTON BUTLER
The Butler family, of which the subject of this sketch is a member, descends from Deacon Richard Butler, who came from County Esssex, England, with the so-called Hooker Company in 1632 and first settled in Newtown, near Boston, Mass. His brother William emigrated to America about the same time, but died leaving no children. Before 1639 Richard and William Butler moved with Rev. Thomas Hooker to Hartford, Conn., of which Deacon Richard was one of the prominent founders. By his integrity he held several offices of trust. He was a man of influence, a devout Christian, and repeatedly served as a representative to the general court of the colony. He married Elizabeth Bigelow, and their fourth son, Joseph married Mary Goodrich. Benjamin, the second son of the latter, wedded Thankful Sage, and their fourth child, Eli Butler, was born in Middletown, Conn., January 26, 1740, married Rachel Stocking, of the same place, and had four sons and seven daughters, of whom Sylvester, John, and Eli Jr., have descendants living in Oneida County. In the spring of 1789 Capt. Eli Butler visited his old neighbor and kinsman, Judge Hugh White, the proprietary founder of Whitestown, and before returning east purchased lands in what is now the town of Paris, N. Y., whereon, in the fall of that year, he settled three of his son, Ashbel, Sylvester, and John. In 1792 Capt. Eli visited these sons, with another son, Eli Jr., and was so pleased with the country that he brought a farm, just south of the village of New Hartford, from Solomon Kellogg, the deed being dated April 17, 1795. This is well known as the Butler homestead, and passed successively to Eli jr. and the late Morgan Butler, and is now owned by the latter’s widow. Eli Sr. was a captain of the volunteer cavalry in the Revolutionary war, and died in New Hartford April 19, 1802. His wife was born January 29, 1743, and died September 1, 1805. Their children were Ashbel, born November 28, 1765, married Sarah Williams; Sylvester, born April 18, 1767, married Lydia Wetmore; John born March 28, 1769, married Hannah Todd, daughter of Capt. Asa Todd, who came on horseback from Wallingford, Conn., to Oneida County at a very early day, and settled on a farm in Paris; Eli jr., born March 28, 1779, married Rachel Kellogg, and was the father of the late Morgan Butler, of New Hartford; Rachel (Mrs. Richard Sanger), born April 10, 1774; Lucy (Mrs. Benjamin Morris); Martha, who married her cousin, Joseph Butler; Clarissa (Mrs. James Berthrong) born April 3, 1785; Sarah (Mrs. Asa Eames) born March 4, 1781; Percy born in 1783, married Hezekiah Eames, twin brother of Asa; and Chloe, who married Moses Maynard. John Butler, third of these children, was one of the builders and owners of the Franklin Cotton factory. He also built and owned a large woolen mill and was an extensive land owner, all on Sauquoit Creek.
Chauncey Sage Butler, the fourth child of John and Hannah (Todd) Butler, was born in Paris, Oneida County, December 27, 1802, became a civil engineer and surveyor, and located most of the mill powers along Sauquoit Creek. When twenty-one he purchased a farm adjoining his father’s. In 1843 he built a house in Sauquoit which he occupied until his death on March 25, 1893. His principal business during his long life was that of a farmer. When Michigan was first settled and began raising wheat he spent much time in that and other States buying wheat for eastern markets. In 1853 with Charles H. Doolittle and others, he organized the Oneida County Bank in Utica and was its vice-president from 1855 until his death, and the last of the original stockholders. He was highly respected by his townspeople, and the position he occupied among them was something like that of a county squire in England. His counsel and advice were often sought in business, and though not a lawyer he drew many wills, deeds, mortgages, etc. settled estates, and frequently acted as assignee. IN 1844 he took an active part in the Washingtonian temperance movement, and for many years in the cavalry arm of the State militia, and by Gov. De Will Clinton was commissioned cornet March 16, 1825, second lieutenant July 14, 1825, and captain July 21, 1826, and by Gov. E. T. Throop, lieutenant-colonel June 20, 1829, and colonel January 21, 1831- all in the 6th Regiment. In 1852 he represented the second Oneida district in the Assembly as a Whig. Later, on the organization of the party, he became a staunch Republican. He was public spirited, progressive, and charitable and long gave nearly all of the produce from his farm to the poor. May 9, 1826, he married Elizabeth Mosher, of a French Huguenot family, Mosier, who died March 29, 1836, leaving three children: John Milton, Charles A., and Mrs. P. V. Rogers. October 3, 1844, he married Julia Sherrill, of New Hartford, who died August 22, 1878, leaving one daughter, Julia Henrietta.
John Milton Butler was born in Sauquoit, Oneida County, on the 9th of July, 1827, and inherited from these worthy ancestors those sterling characteristics which distinguish the successful man. He spent his youth in attending the district schools of his native town. In 1844 he entered Hamilton College and was graduated thereof with honor in the class of 1848. Two years later he obtained his first business experience as a partner of S. A. Millard, of Clayville, Oneida County, in the manufacture of farm tools, but this continued only until 1852, when the precarious condition of Mr. Butler’s health compelled him to abandon the undertaking and seek rest and restoration in travel. The following years was accordingly spent in the South. Returning home with health restored he was invited to come to Utica and accept the position of bookkeeper in the Oneida County Bank, which he did in 1853. In 1854 he was made teller and in the succeeding year cashier; he held the latter office thirty-two years, or until 1887, when he was elected president of the institution, which position he still fills. He is also a manufacturer of agricultural tools in Clayville, having succeeded the S. A. Millard Manufacturing Company in 1895, and is also the successor of the Hubbard, Babcock, & Millard Axe Company in the same place.
The year 1853, the date of the organization of the Oneida County Bank, was not a very auspicious time for the launching of a financial institution, for three years later saw a panic such as has not since been experienced, and many banks which were accounted strong went down in the crisis. But under the prudent and sagacious direction of Mr. Butler and his associates this bank weathered the storm safely, and most of the detail and a large share of the general management of the bank have since that time fallen directly upon Mr. Butler’s shoulders. He applied from the start a firm, conservative hand to the conduct of the institution, has enabled it since the beginning of his administration to accumulate a surplus of $225,000 on a capital of $125,000, and has always made it pay larger dividends than most banks. The Oneida County Bank did not pass into the national system with the many others which adopted that course, chiefly because it had been uniformly successful as it was, leading a number of directors to favor its remaining a State bank, although Mr. Butler favored the change.
It has been Mr. Butler’s policy and belief that a man in his position should give his whole time and energies to the bank of which he is a manager, and carefully watch over its interests. His life is an excellent example of faithfulness to duty, and he has met with a degree of success which gives himself and his friends the right to regard his record with complacent satisfaction. He has never married.
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