INTRODUCTION

My name is Margaret Ann Butler, only daughter of the late Clarence Cecil "Red" Butler, and granddaughter of Noah Isaac Butler, also deceased. Noah's father was George William "Willie" Butler, born May 30, 1875, in Arkansas.1 Willie's parents were said to be "Francis Butler" and Mrs. Martha Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson Butler.

The hunt by myself and many family members for Francis Butler has been long, difficult and frustrating. For many years, the only information we had with regard to Francis were simply comments and memories from our older Butler family members. Sometimes they agreed; sometimes they disagreed.

Our search appeared to end in late September 1992, when my father and I received a large manila envelope pertaining to a Civil War soldier, "Francis Marion Butler," allegedly from Jackson Co., TN. The package contained copies of numerous documents compiled by the U.S. Department of Interior during their 1919-1921 inquiry into the life of Francis Marion Butler, alias Norman Barnard Butler.

The Department inquiry was instigated in response to a 1919 claim filed by Francis' widowed wife, Lillie May (Flannery) Butler, in which she had requested a widow's pension stemming from Francis' Civil War military service. At the Department of Interior, her application apparently raised eyebrows at the mention of another wife, Lavina (or Lavinah) Butler. The government began a check to see if the information provided by Lillie pertaining to the death of Francis' previous wife was correct. It was not. Additional research into Francis' background brought to light even more discrepancies; hence, the investigator's quote, "We have some case here ...."

Nevertheless, was this Francis MY own Francis?

The file we received on Francis Marion contained 200-300 pages, among them, affidavits, depositions, and miscellaneous documents. The information from that material -- along with info provided from other individuals such as Duane O'Neal, grandson of Nelson Garrett Butler, and my great-uncle Ted Butler, son of George William "Willie" Butler -- has helped me piece together this document. Herein, I try to compare my own family's rumors concerning our Francis to that of the Missouri Butler family. In doing so, however, some of his secrets are unveiled.

Francis' Appearance and Personality.

U.S. Army military enlistment papers recorded Francis as having blue eyes,2 light hair, fair complexion and five six in height. (Recently, one of his & Lillie's great-granddaughters, Dorothy Fisher, informed us that he had had blonde hair as a young man.)

In a 6-18-1921 affidavit, comrade-in-arms James M. Mills offered his own description of Francis Butler:

[Frank] was small, and I judge that he was about 5 feet 6 inches tall, and of medium [complexion], neither dark or light. His brother Bill was lighter than Frank. Dark hair and blue eyes. No marks or scars..... He had some education and was able to write ....

Another military comrade, William H. Rush, remembered Francis' athletic abilities:

He was quite athletic - good runner, jumper & wrestler - a good soldier.

Soldier William H. O'Kelley remembered Frank's military capability:

[Frank] was on guard duty at Berryville, Arkansas and a prisoner asked to go out at night - it was a very dark night, the prisoner made an attempt to escape. Francis M. Butler followed this prisoner and by the flashes of his own weapon located the prisoner and killed him. He chased this prisoner thru a field about-between one quarter and one half mile from where the prisoner first made the attempt to escape.

Lillie M. Butler, his fourth wife, stated in her affidavit dated 4-15-1919:

Francis Marion Butler was about five feet five inches in height, light complexion, with dark brown hair, blue eyes; that the only permanent scar appearing upon his person, was one upon the left hand caused by the cut of an axe during boy-hood.

Concerning Francis' appearance, the only conflicting information I have comes from my great-uncle, Ted Butler, of Raymondville, TX, born 9-3-1912 and the youngest surviving son of Willie Butler. Ted was told by his brother John that Francis had coal black hair. However, Francis was an older man when he visited Willie's home in the early 1900s, so he was probably turning gray by that time.3

In Lillie's 3-25-1921 description of her husband, we learn a bit more about Francis' personality:

He was a medium-sized man, had blue eyes, dark hair, rather light complexion, was not over 5 � feet tall. He had no marks nor scars on his face or hands which would likely be noticed by anyone.

In a way he was an irresponsible sort of a chap, drank more or less, did not much like to work at certain [things] but still he worked pretty steadily, was not bad after other women, sometimes was rather easy to get on with and at other times not.

Lillie also said Francis was a radical -- too radical to be in the service -- and that his occupation had been "stationery [sic] engineer."4

Lillie's description of Francis' personality sounded very much like my father's in his younger days. Perhaps that's why my dad laughed and was so tickled upon reading about this Francis Marion Butler. Dad may have recognized a little of himself in Francis.

At times, Francis' story seemed humorous; other times, sad. The government had their own opinion of Francis as well.

Department of Interior letter dated 4-13-1921 states:

Claimant's [Lillie's] reputation is good. She is respected and well thought of in the community [Springfield, Oregon] in which she has resided for many years though the same cannot be said of soldier [Frank].

So now we have a little insight into the personal appearance and personality of Francis. Next comes the challenge of proving that the Francis Butler in my family and the Missouri/ Oregon Francis are one and the same.

My Family Grapevine:Willie Butler's father's name was Francis Butler.

Some relatives insist it was Francis Hyempson Butler; others say Francis Marion or George Francis. But most agreed he was often called Frank Butler.

Mark B. Lewis, soldier, wrote:

I just remember we were in the same company and that we always just called him "Frank" for short.

William Mahan, an acquaintance, testified 6-23-1921:

I never knew him [Francis] by any name other than Frank Butler.

Willie Butler's eldest son, Noah Isaac Butler, always insisted the name was Francis Hyempson Butler. Even though we knew how to spell "Hyempson," no one that I know of has ever located a single person who carried that unusual name.

Willie's son, Ted Butler, always heard his name was Francis but never remembers him being called Frank.

Nevertheless, Willie Butler's father's name is confirmed as "Francis Marion Butler" in the memorial booklet from Willie's funeral. This booklet is now in the possession of Willie's granddaughter, Bonnie Van Pelt, of Chickasha, Oklahoma.

Searching through census, court and military records for an individual named "Francis Marion Butler," and who also fit the family description of Francis a/k/a Frank Butler, was a complete search in futility until we found Francis Marion Butler, alias Frank Butler, from southwestern Missouri.

My Family Grapevine:Francis was from/born in the north, probably in Illinois or Ohio.

Francis was born in the north in Cass County, Michigan, and his parents were born in Ohio. His family probably traveled through Illinois from Michigan to Missouri, but to say they resided any length of time in Illinois will require additional research.

Prior to settling in Missouri, however, there is a suggestion that they may have lived in Jackson Co., TN. For example, on one enlistment form in Francis' military records, it shows he apparently declared that he was from Jackson, TN, as did another document in brother William's military records. Yet on another of Francis' military documents, the heading reads "State of Ohio."

In her affidavits dated 4-15-1919 and 7-22-1919, Lillie May Butler stated:

Francis told me he was born in Michigan on November 24, 1847....

Francis Marion Butler, deceased, was born on the 24th day of November, 1847 at Casopless [sic], Cass County, Michigan ....

Later, in her March 25, 1921 affidavit, Lillie reworded her earlier statement:

I have always understood he [Francis] was a man born in the north, either Michigan or Ohio and I do not know which. Oh no, I never heard that he was born in Tenn.

We do know that his parents were both born in Ohio. In Nelson Garrett Butler's 1915 two-page published biography (he was a younger brother to Francis), Nelson stated his parents had been born in Ohio. That statement is confirmed by the 1860 Christian County, Missouri federal census tape, which not only lists Benjamin and wife as both having been born in Ohio but also reflects that Francis was born in Michigan circa 1845.5

Their parents, Benjamin B(ernard?) Butler and Emily Morlan,6 both natives of Ohio, resided in southwestern Michigan, because it was there they married. This is confirmed by their 9-3-1845 Cass County, Michigan marriage certificate. The document reflects they resided in or around Volinia in Cass County, where Francis was born.

Additional proof of Francis' birthplace is offered through documents pertaining to his brother, William A. Butler. The microfilmed records of the Soldier's Home at Sawtelle, CA (compliments of the Department of Veterans Affairs, San Francisco) show that William A. was born 1847 in Michigan. Since Francis was the eldest child and William A., the second oldest, this offers additional proof that Francis was indeed born in Michigan.

As for Francis' birth year, it appears he was born in November 1845 rather than 1847. First, the 1860 Christian County, Missouri census lists him as having been born circa 1845. Second, the 1870 Douglas County, Missouri census places his birth year in 1845. Third, an inference is made in William A. and Nelson's affidavits that both Francis M. and William A. told the military they were older than their years, because they wanted to join the Union Army together. If "older" meant only 1845 and 1847 -- if, in fact, they were indeed born in 1847 and 1849 respectively -- then why do the July 1863 Union Army records list them as having been 19 and 18 respectively? This puts their birth years at 1843 and 1844 -- years perhaps chosen if born in 1845 and 1847. Fourth, as just stated, even William A., in his 'golden years,' reported to the California Soldiers' Home that he was indeed born in 1847, thereby placing Francis' birth in 1845.

My Family Grapevine: Francis fought for the North during the Civil War.

Francis Marion fought for the North, serving in the United States federal army. Not only do military records from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. prove this statement, but in affidavits dated 7-22-1919 and 3-25-1921, Lillie May Butler confirmed Francis' military record:

Francis was a bugler in Co. A, 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers; enrolled 7-19-1863 and served three years. Was discharged 8-20-1865 at Memphis, TN. [P]urposely misstated age when he enlisted to show he was older, to enable brother [William A.] to enlist at same time with him.

Francis lost his discharge certificate, but after his death, [Lillie] ordered a copy.

In earlier affidavits, Lillie talked as if Francis had personally confided his military stories to her. By 1921, Lillie admitted the truth:

[Francis] was a soldier but not a pensioner..�.�. Don't have his discharge certificate but have ordered it.... Francis served in the 2nd Arkansas Cavalry Company A ... enlisted July 19, 1863 ... discharged March 20, 1865.... Only served in Company A, 2nd Arkansas ... brother, William, served in same company. Never knew until after he died that he was a soldier ... his brother told me ... [Francis] never belonged to the G.A.R.... never related to me any war experiences..�.�. Never heard he was in the Confederate army, navy or militia ... too radical for that.

In his affidavit dated 4-25-1919, Francis' military cohort, William A. Butler, also talked about his brother's military service:

I now reside at the Soldiers Home, in the State of California.... I had an older brother whose name was Francis Marion Butler ... a private and a member of Company "A" 2nd Arkansas Cavalry, who enlisted July 19th, 1863, and was discharged from the service August 20th, 1865 at LaGrange, Tennessee.

Another brother, Nelson Garrett Butler, gave testimony in his affidavit dated 6-15-1921 that Francis and William were soldiers:

Frank and Will were the only soldiers [among the brothers]. Both were together in Co. A, 2nd Kansas [sic] Cavalry. Both enlisted after father [Benjamin B. Butler] came out of the army and died.� .�.�. enlisted at the same time. We were living in Christian County [MO] near Linden or Ozark, "and we were living at ... grandfather's home in the country."7

The government even interviewed former military comrades of Francis. Among them, William T. Hill, Mark B. Lewis, Edward Long, Thomas K. O'Kelley, George W. Miller, William H. Rush, William H. O'Kelley � all of whom remembered Frank, having served with him during the Civil War.

Francis' Missouri children also testified to the fact that their father was a soldier. In an affidavit dated 6-16-1921, Madison G. Butler swore:

I knew father was a soldier ... I had papers showing service. He served under the name of Francis M. Butler ... was a bugler.

Both Francis and William were buglers; however, William went directly into the service as a bugler, while Frank enlisted first as a private, then was later assigned the task of bugler.

My great-uncle Ted Butler always heard that Francis was a soldier. Ted recalls that Francis' Civil War trunk -- which Willie Butler received after Francis' death -- contained, among other things, an old mirror (currently in Ted's possession) and a photo of Francis. Ted recalls that in the picture, Francis was clean shaven, had on a uniform "with medals," and a flag hung nearby.8 Unfortunately, a tornado destroyed Willie Butler's home when it hit the small community of Peggs, Oklahoma circa 1920. The tornado blew away the old trunk and the majority of its contents in the process. The only items of Francis which were said to have survived the disaster were his old mirror and the old photo. The picture's whereabouts today are unknown.

My Family Grapevine:Francis had twin sisters, Mary and Martha.

The 1915 published biography of Nelson Butler outlines the family members:

[Father] Benjamin ... died March 1862, and Emily died about a month later.... [Their children were] Francis, "whose whereabouts are unknown," William ... Fernando who died ... Norman ... Benjamin ... Nelson�... Mary [Isabella] ... and a little baby who died.

Wayne Butler, grandson of Nelson, wrote this writer a letter dated 3-28-96. In it, he stated:

[Francis'] father was Benjamin and [he] came home during the War and came down with smallpox and along with his wife and little baby girl died when grandpa [Nelson] was 3 yrs old.

It appears there were two daughters and one was named Mary. Whether or not the girls were twins is uncertain. An argument can be presented for both possibilities.

The 1860 Christian Co., MO census tape records:

Benjamin Butler 41, Susan 35, Francis 15, William A. 13, Norman�8, Jobe 5, and Nelson 2

That census was taken in July 1860. Mary, whose birth date was March 4, was not shown on the 1860 census, so this suggests she was born after the date of that document.

The 1870 Douglas County, MO census provides little help.

Francis Butler 24, Lavina 22, William M. 1,9 Mary 12, and Nathan Stout 17 [Lavina's brother]

This puts Mary's birth at 1858, which is undoubtedly incorrect, especially since brother Nelson was born in October 1857. It would be impossible for their mother, Emily, to have a child in October and another less than five months later.

The 1920 McIntosh Co., Oklahoma census seems to be more accurate. It was taken February 3 & 4, 1920, before Mary Isabella turned 59 in March.

[Hichita, OK]
Gray, Jack52 (husband)
" , Della43 (wife)10
" , Oliver 4 (son)
Byers, Mary58 (mother-in-law)
White, Oscar18 (stepson)

This 1920 census, taken during Mary's adulthood, puts her birth year at 1861.

Lastly, Mary's death certificate reflects yet another birth date for her.

Mary Isabella (Butler) Byres, born 3-4-1859, died 2-10-1936, age 76. Informant was her daughter, Mrs. Della A. Gray.

My own personal belief is that Mary Isabella (Butler) Byers/Byres was born March 4 in either 1859 or 1861. If it was 1861, the possibility exists that Mary may have been a twin. Otherwise, she was a little girl in '61-'62 when her sister was born.

My Family Grapevine: Francis had a sister who lived in Illinois.

To-date, there is no known proof to show that Francis' surviving sister, Mary, ever lived in Illinois.

During a 4-20-96 phone conversation with Duane O'Neal, I learned that in his family, they had heard that "old Benjamin" Butler was from Ohio and that a sister of his -- not Francis -- supposedly lived in Illinois. They had also been told that one of her sons was James Butler Hickok, also known as "Wild Bill" Hickok.

Nothing is yet known as to the parents and siblings of Benjamin B. Butler, so whether this rumor is true or not is uncertain. Nonetheless, Wild Bill's mother was definitely a Butler and did live in Illinois. Her name was Polly Butler,11 born 1804 in Bennington, Vermont. She was the daughter of James Butler and the wife of William Alonso Hickok. Her father, James Butler, was married at least twice, and had several children. Among them was a son named Benjamin, but he was born in 1788 and married Sophronia Hazen. Our Benjamin B. Butler was not born until circa 1819.

Polly and our Benjamin could still be either half-brother/half-sister or perhaps close cousins. Additional research is required.

My Family Grapevine: Francis rode with Jesse James and the Younger gangs. Also, he was supposedly a Kansas Jayhawker.

We have no proof that Francis Marion Butler was ever connected with any criminal activity; however, both my own family and that of the Missouri group were told of Francis' alleged connection with Jesse James. The Wild West was alive and well during his lifetime, so anything's possible. We can state, though, that Francis did have a few similarities with his possible cousin, Wild Bill.

With regard to appearance and personality, there were similarities in both men. Both loved music and dancing, a love which seems to run in the Butler family, and both were adventurous and apparent travelers at heart. Wild Bill could be "a terror to evil doers," and even though it is unknown whether Francis had that reputation, it certainly ran in my own Butler family. Additionally, Hickok had blue-grey eyes and what I call "hollow cheeks," as did Francis. As for patriotism, they both fought for the North and served as scouts.

If Francis did have the opportunity to meet Hickok, it was because locale was in his favor. Hickok moved from Illinois to the Kansas/Missouri region and resided in and around Leavenworth and Junction City, Kansas. He was also the U.S. Marshall at Abilene, KS. Most importantly, though, his biography stated Hickok visited, on more than one occasion, the Springfield, Missouri area. The reasons for his visit were unstated, but what is certain is that Hickok was acquainted with several criminals of that day, including Jesse James and the Younger gang.

In my own family, a story is told of how Jesse James was in the vicinity of Springfield, MO, and when shot, was taken to the Dripping Springs cave to convalesce. My family's rumor mill stated Francis was one of those who stood guard outside the opening of the cave while Jesse recovered.

As for Francis being a member of the Kansas Jayhawkers,12 no one seems to know the truth, especially since his activities between 1864 and 1869 are unknown. That is the time period during which the Jayhawkers, a band of post-Civil War criminals, roamed. They committed various crimes, including rape, robbery and murder. They terrorized citizens of Kansas, Missouri and neighboring states. It is recorded they even rode into Marion County, Arkansas, the area where my gr-gr-grandmother, Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson Butler, resided.

There is no proof to-date that Francis knew any criminal, much less, was one. Nevertheless, he certainly lived during a time in America's history when anything was possible.

My Family Grapevine: Francis Butler married Martha Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson.

A grandson of Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson, the Reverend Zeddox "Zed" Wilson, wrote in his Bible13 that "Francis Butler married Martha Elizabeth Coker."

This was also confirmed by Florene Morrison of Mountain View, Arkansas, a great-granddaughter of Elizabeth. Florene informed us of Elizabeth's three Wilson children, among whom the youngest was Florene's grandfather, William Lawrence Wilson, born 5-31-1870. Florene then stated that George William "Willie" Butler, Francis' son by Elizabeth, was indeed a half-brother to her grandfather. She identified Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson as being the same woman who married a man known as "Francis Butler."

In a recent letter, Florene Morrison discussed Elizabeth and Francis:

I know and remember my father told me, he remembered an old man that came in here, Onia or Timbo, Ark[ansas], to see Willie Butler who was Willie's father. Just said he just came by or through.14 He must have thought something of Willie to come see him.... I went to ... see Anis Mealer Brewer, one of [Elizabeth's great-granddaughters]. The only family member (on Dad's side I knew of). I wrote to her several times. Have her letters. She died a few years ago. She told me, 'We didn't know or was told about our family because there w[as] Indian blood and they would call us half-breeds.' In one letter she said [Elizabeth's daughter-in-law, Phoeby, told her] Elizabeth would work all day for an arm full of onions. She thought people had used her without paying her as she should have been. It was hard times. Guess she could not get her family by. Another family member (old lady) .�.�. said her step-mother, Bell Wilson Taylor [Elizabeth's daughter], told her they [Elizabeth's kids] were orphans.15 Said they lived in the yard of their aunt (a Woods). I don't have my chart but I know Elizabeth's sister married a Woods.

These family revelations provide us with some evidence that Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson did marry Francis Butler. If she indeed was a "half-breed," as her family member suggested, then one possibility could be that she and Francis were married in an Indian marriage ceremony, the same as her Uncle Joe Coker, a bigamist, married his Indian wife. No written record would be kept of such a marriage.

My Family Grapevine: Francis stayed around for about four years [1878/79?], then walked out on Elizabeth and son Willie, the latter of whom was born May 1875. Family always wondered how he could do such a thing.

Madison Garrett Butler's 6-16-1921 affidavit:

I do not know why [Frank and Vina] separated, but I understood from mother that he run around and went to dances and they quarreled and separated.

Nelson Butler's 6-15-1921 affidavit:

... [Francis] was around in the country until 1879 when he and I went to California.

Just prior to the time of his departure to California (ca. 1878), Francis Marion Butler was married to Lavina, had three sons -- William M. "Will/Billy," Madison Garrett "Mat" and Jesse Eugene "Jesse" Butler -- and had been residing near Rockbridge in Ozark County, MO.16

During this same time period, Francis was apparently married to Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson, a resident of Marion County, AR.17 Together, Francis and Elizabeth had one son, George William "Willie" Butler.

Rockbridge is located in the northern half of Ozark County, MO. Bordering Ozark County on the north is Douglas County. Bordering Ozark County, Missouri, on the south is neighboring Marion County, Arkansas. I've been to that area of the AR/MO state line. At times, I felt as if I was the only person for miles around. It would have been very easy for Francis to commute by horseback the distance between his household in Missouri and that of Elizabeth's in Arkansas. And from what Francis' son Madison and Francis' brother Nelson both said, Francis had ample opportunity to do just that.

So we've proven that the locale between the two households was fairly convenient for Francis' escapades. To prove that he ran out on either wife, however, involves looking at his four marriages and the situations which occurred. Let's begin with his first wife, Austa Jane St. Clair. They were married only two short months.

On 4-25-1919, William A. Butler testified:

[Francis] was married to Austa Jane St. Clair, of Berryville, Arkansas, on or about September 1864, that the said Austa .�.. died on or about November 1864 at Springfield, Missouri.

How they met is uncertain, but a military friend of Francis may have shed some light on their meeting. William T. Hill stated on 6-13-1921:

Don't know how long they [Frank & William] were in command [Company A]. They were in before me ... came with command from Cassville, MO to Berryville [Arkansas], and remained there from January to June 1864.18

Frank's Missouri children did not seem to be aware that their father had been married prior to their mother, Lavina "Vina" (Stout) Butler, Frank's second wife. However, Frank's siblings knew about Austa.

Nelson Butler's 6-25-1921 affidavit:

[Francis] married a woman named St. Clair, but don't know first name .�.. she died. They lived away ... had no children.

Even Frank's friends were aware of his first marriage. William Mahan of Rockbridge, MO, testified about Frank and the St. Clairs in his affidavit dated 6-23-1921.

I met Frank Butler along about 1867, and I knew him until about the time he left here. I knew of him marrying Vina Stout, and I knew them while they were living together, and I heard of him leaving her ....

I understood that he married a woman named St. Clair, and that she died, prior to the time that he married Vina Stout. Well, I heard him tell about his wife -- the St. Clair woman -- dying, and then I knew the mother of the woman he married, and I heard her speak of the death of her daughter, and so I am positive of her death prior to his marriage to Vina Stout.

... I have the impression he married the St. Clair woman in Christian County, and that she died in that County about Ozark, altho I am not positive of it. But she was dead before I knew him in 1867. Don't know the date of her death.

I knew the St. Clair family and heard them talk of her death, and heard Butler talk of her death .... I knew the mother of the St. Clair woman, and a son of hers and they were living in the edge of Douglas County.

Soldier's wife's brother was Sam St. Clair, and I also knew J.C. Wallace who married a sister of the woman whom soldier married. I don't know where any members of the family are living, but they came up here to Missouri from Searcy County [AR?] as refugees, and later returned to that County, and the mother of the St. Clair woman was an old woman.

By the time Francis had turned 19, not only had his parents, brother Fernando and a baby sister died, but then, while still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage, he lost his young wife Austa. So many deaths must have affected him deeply and, in doing so, affected not only his future relationships but set him on a path which eventually led to his own abandonment of so many loved ones.

Francis' second marriage was to Lavina Stout. That marriage evidently went sour, and much of the fault seems to lie on his shoulders. One of their own sons stated Francis and Lavina argued a lot, and that he had run around on her. But, of course, only Lavina and Francis would know why their marriage failed. We can only guess. Perhaps it was due to a possible change in his personality after the loss of so many loved ones, or perhaps he allowed a deep-seated, psychological unhappiness to negatively effect their marriage. Perhaps he had returned from the Civil War a different, more difficult man -- different from the boy who had enlisted. Whatever the reason, or perhaps because of them all, his state of mind was apparently the catalyst for his delving into a simultaneous relationship with Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson, his third known wife. Along with their union came the unbelievable act of bigamy.

Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson resided at Yellville, Marion Co., AR,19 but her Coker family resided primarily at Yellville and at Lead Hill in Boone Co., Arkansas. Among those residing at Lead Hill were Elizabeth's grandfather, Arkansas pioneer William "Buck" Coker, Sr., and her infamous uncle, Joe Coker. Joe was a known bigamist, married to two Indian women at once while having an alleged extramarital affair on the side. It is written that each Indian wife -- both nicknamed "Aney" -- resided in a separate household down the street from one another.20

It is quite possible that Francis Butler knew Uncle Joe Coker, the bigamist, and perhaps Joe's activities were a bad influence on Francis. Nevertheless, at this point in time, Elizabeth and/or her family should not be judged or blamed for Francis' own actions. Most people do not abandon those they love, and it is proven that Francis did just that. But why?

Let's look at a time line:

1867-68 Francis and Lavina married about this time..

Jan. 1868-69 Francis and Lavina's oldest son, William M. Butler, was born.

5-31-1870 Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson's 2nd son, William Lawrence Wilson, was born.

Jan. 1871 Francis and Lavina's second son, Madison Garrett Butler, was born.

Jan. 18, 1872 Francis & Lavina's baby girl, Lucinda, was born.

Bef. 1874? Elizabeth and Francis probably met and eventually married.

5-30-1875 Francis & Elizabeth's son, George William "Willie" Butler, was born.

Sept 1874 Francis & Lavina's dau. Lucinda died.

Sprg 1877 Francis starts using the name of Norman Barnard Butler.

1874-78? My family states Francis stayed around "about four years." As for Elizabeth, no record of her has been found after Willie's birth. She apparently died, cause unknown, because her children were referred to as "orphans."

1878 Despite earlier reasons for separation, Francis reunited with Lavina in late 1877 or Jan. 1878 and she became pregnant. For whatever reason, Francis left again, only to return about 3 weeks after the birth of son Jesse Eugene on 9-5-1878. Francis attempted another reconciliation, but Lavina allegedly refused. This time, Francis sold everything except some corn and a yearling, then left.

1879 Francis & Nelson went to California and settled in/around Sutter/Yuba Cos., CA.

1880 Francis & Lavina correspond via letter. (Son Wm. M. stated his mother heard from Francis only once after he left.) Francis attempted to blame Vina for the situation she & the children are in. He wrote: "God help you...."

1882?? Francis returned to Missouri (perhaps when his grandfather died in May 1882) during which time period the siblings' family portrait was taken. Also, he supposedly watched, in secret, as his and Vina's three sons "played nearby."21

What was the reason for his abandonment of not only Elizabeth but also Lavina? In her affidavit dated 7-22-1919, Francis' fourth wife, Lillie May (Flannery) Butler, offered her opinion:

Francis told [her] he assumed name of Norman B. Butler, when he left his first wife [Vina], in order to conceal his whereabouts, so that she would not be able to trace him .�.. continued to use same name till his death .�.�. they [Lillie & Frank] were married under that name..�.�. [She] tried to get Vina's death date .�.�. Jesse [Eugene Butler] wouldn't tell [her].

After Francis was in CA, however, he wrote Lavina at least one letter,22 which is odd for someone who is allegedly hiding from the exact person they are writing. Also, remember that he had begun using his alias during the spring of '77 -- two and one-half years before he left Missouri! He wasn't hiding from Lavina in 1877! And if he was using an alias after his departure from Missouri in an effort to hide from Lavina, then why did Lavina know his whereabouts in 1880?

For argument sake, if Francis really did conceal his whereabouts from Lavina, isn't it probable that he did so only after he married a 14-yr-old CA girl, Lillie May Flannery. Elizabeth appears to have been long dead, so his actual hiding from Lavina -- if his actions were solely to hide from her -- was probably due to his 1882 marriage, and may be one of the reasons he and Lillie eventually moved to Oregon.

Nonetheless, that doesn't explain why Francis began using an alias as early as the spring of 1877, or why he wrote Lavina making reference to the risk of writing and to sending his next letter to "a place safer."

Madison G. Butler talked at length about his family in his 6-16-1921 affidavit:

Never heard father had previous marriage. Mother [Vina] had not. Father has two brothers living ... Father has sister Mary living .... Know nothing more of my father's family. Uncle Nelson was with my father when he left here and went out West .�... Understood after Francis left mother, "came here to Greene County, he was known as Norman Butler" .�.�. he used the name of Norman ... suppose he did not want mother to find him. "Uncle Nelson kept Francis' whereabouts away from us" and he knew his address all the time. Don't know why they wanted to shield him ... I asked Nelson to tell me father's address but he refused ... said he promised never to tell address or residence. Nelson said after Francis died, he would tell us, which he did. I never knew of marriage to Austa Jane St. Clair.

I've pondered over Madison's statement: "I asked Nelson to tell me father's address but he refused ...." It gives the impression that Madison knew his father was alive, which goes against everything sworn and stated to in these affidavits. But recently, I received a copy of a letter written, circa July 8, 1936, by Francis' daughter, Nina, of Springfield, Oregon. She wrote to Madison G. Butler.

This will no doubt be a big surprise to you to hear from a sister you never saw and perhaps did not know existed.

I have know[n] of you three boys for eighteen years in fact ever since Father's death [in May 1918] but never knew where any of you were except Jess, who wrote to Mother a couple of times. I never knew about any of your famil[ies] or anything so you can [i]magine my surprise when Preston [Madison's son] came to see me.

I understand you have tried to locate us several time[s] and could[n't] and I am sorry for Uncle Nelse and Jess both have known for years where we were.23

You see we never knew of you boys or any thing about Father's past until shortly after his death ....

This explains why Madison said he had asked Uncle Nelson for Francis' address but was never given it. Even after Francis' death, his brother(s) maintained the shroud of secrecy concerning Francis. Why?! Could it be that Uncle Nelson knew the whole story had yet to be told -- that Willie Butler still existed and there were other secrets still to be kept hidden from the family?24 The less the brothers and sister communicated among themselves, the less known perhaps.

Continuing now with William M. Butler's affidavit dated 6-16-1921 which reflects: Mother was Lavina Stout .... [My] parents married in either Douglas or Ozark County. I am the oldest child [born 1869].... My parents separated when I was eight [1878], and we were living within two miles of Rockbridge, MO. Father left mother there .�.�.. Don't know if mother was divorced. Father remarried before she did ... guess that divorced her. No knowledge of her divorce from father ... don't think she did. Never heard that father got a divorce.

In an affidavit dated 1-5-1920, William M. Butler also said:

Lavina never heard from father after desertion except once about one year after.25

Since Francis' brothers William A. and Nelson were primary witnesses to Francis' actions, it was important that they be questioned. The investigator interviewed Nelson G. Butler on 6-15-1921:

Frank married Lillian M. while I was in California, and married under the name of Norman Barnard Butler.... Frank's only reason for changing name ... his leaving wife [Vina] and family .�.�. didn't want [Vina] and family to know where he was. Don't think Lillie knew him by other than Norman Barnard ... I never told her his name was Francis Marion or Frank Butler..�.�. Vina was not his first wife ... I never saw first one.... Frank's second wife, Vina Stout, but separated from her..�.. Don't know if Vina divorced Frank .�.�. Vina's children refused to furnish [to him?] Vina's date of death or ... certificate of discharge..�.�. Frank and [Austa] married a short time before she died.

When completing her 'Declaration For Widow's Pension,' dated 3-5-1919, Lillie wrote:

The soldier was previously married [to] Vina Stout in 1868 in Douglas County Mo. who died at Ava Missouri about 1884; That said Vina was divorced from the soldier at Ava, Missouri, Douglas County, about 1880 or 1881.

That statement was obviously incorrect. Newspaper & funeral home records prove Lavina died in 1904.

A few months before his own death in 1919, William A. Butler offered the following statements in his affidavit dated 4-23-1919:

I now reside at the Soldiers Home, in the State of California. That I had an older brother whose name was Francis Marion Butler .... That my brother was married to Vinna Stout, on or about 1867-8 in Douglas County, Missouri and was divorced by decree of the Circuit Court of Douglas County, State of Missouri, on or about the year 1878. That after the divorce from Vinna Stout, my brother was known as Norman Barnard Butler, who left State of Missouri and moved to State of California, in or about the year 1879-80. That my brother married Lillie M. Flannery .�.. in the year 1882 .�.�. that my brother was never married except as stated ....

At first glance, it seems Francis told his wife about his past, and Lillie stuck to her story through three or four affidavits. William A. was also very specific in his own testimony. Yet it becomes obvious that the truth about Francis' life was being hidden.

Note, though, that only after William A.'s death in 1919 did Lillie truthfully and freely testify. She told a different story -- a story which conflicted with William A.'s testimony made earlier that year. Lillie said she didn't know about Francis' history prior to his death. Instead, she admitted that William had supplied the story about Vina and Frank's separation and Vina's so-called 1884 death.

Lillie Butler affidavit, 3-25-1921:

I was 15 years old when I married [Francis, alias Norman Barnard Butler]. Knew him about two years before marriage..�.�. Francis was a single man .... September 24, 1882 was date of our marriage.... Francis was married three times in all ... I learned that after his death ... William [A.] told me. I did not know it positively but suspected previous marriage. I didn't ask him directly, before our marriage .... I never questioned him about it .�.�.�. Understand that he [Francis] married a Sinclair woman about the time he went into the army .... Second marriage was to Vinie Stout, and the children were William, Mat and Jess.... A brother of his told me they [Vinie & Frank] divorced but I don't know for sure .�.. only know what William said ... however, Vinie remarried. William said Francis had left Vina ... that she was a regular cat and made life miserable for him. Don't know when they parted or where they were living. I understand my husband came to California in 1879 ... William said Nelson told him Frank separated from "his first wife" about 1 � years before he came to California. They parted in Douglas County, MO. I know nothing of divorce .�.�. do not know if they were lawfully married ... have [no] reason to suspect they weren't.... Brothers told me Francis changed his name because he did not want her [Vina] to bother him or find out where he was ... didn't want Vina to know about him. Nelson knew of everything .... I knew Nelson before my marriage to Francis, yet Nelson never told me anything about the wife and three kids back in Missouri.

Probably as a result of her newly-admitted testimony, and remembering the statements made by others, the Department of Interior Investigator interrupted Lillie during this interview and commented:

Since Frank didn't want Vina knowing where he was, indicates Frank never got a divorce from Vina.

It also indicates he was on the run, hiding out, like my family had always heard.26

The investigator's comments bring to mind the words of William Akin, an acquaintance of both Frank and Vina. Affidavit dated 6-16-1921:

Knew Lavina ... [after Frank left] she was called "the widow Butler" ....

If Vina had received a divorce from Francis, someone would have mentioned it to her. Certainly, the court would have wanted her to receive notice of the divorce action. Instead, Akin's comment confirms the testimony in which one of her sons, Jesse Eugene, stated Lavina thought Francis was dead (see pp. 26-27). Hence, she was considered a widow, not a divorcee, by members of her community.

Continuing with the 3-25-1921 interview between the Department of Interior investigator and Lillie May Butler:

Don't know anything about a divorce by him or her [Frank or Vina]. Far as I know or suspected, Francis was not communicating with former wife or with her children.... Our property is in my name and always has been....27 I didn't know about Vina during my husband's lifetime and we were not, therefore, remarried after December 1904 [date of Vina's death]. The statements in my declaration, namely that Vina died about 1884 and that she divorced my late husband about 1880 or 1881 were based upon what the brother, William told me. Of my own knowledge I knew nothing of those matters and, as hitherto stated, Butler never vouchsafed any information concerning his marital career before he married me.... I was known as Mrs. Butler, wife of Norman B. Butler .... He never deserted me .�.�. not type to do that without extreme provocation.

I did suspect another marriage. Once he got a letter from a brother and on the sheet [page] was written, "I WILL LEAVE THE OTHER SHEET FOR WILLIE BUTLER." Right then, I suspected he had a boy named Willie, but I did not quiz him ... I knew he wouldn't tell me....28 Don't know who would know about Austa. Know nothing of her ... maybe brothers will know or can refer someone who will ... "the same reference to whether he was married more than twice before he married me." ... Understand Francis & Vina parted while living in Douglas County, MO. I wrote to [Ava], county seat, for divorce record but courthouse burned.... Never knew if Francis filed for Divorce in California from Vina or not.... Quite sure he never sued her after our marriage .�.�. I never knew of it or suspected it. My brother-in-law William was here with me for about a month in the fall of 1918 - after Butler died. Then it was that I got a history of my late husband's doings matrimonially. (Emphasis added.)

Note that Lillie didn't say she suspected Francis was writing a grown man, nephew, or brother. She said, "Right then, I suspected he had a boy named Willie...." Just a few sentences before, she testified that as far as she knew, Francis was not communicating with his former wife or with her children. Even Francis' sons, including William M., stated they never heard from him after he left.29

The mention of another possible child probably caused the government investigator to suspect Francis of additional marriages other than those to Austa, Vina and Lillie. The investigator knew that Francis had gone to extremes to avoid Lavina and their sons.30 He also knew the Missouri boys had been abandoned and had believed their dad was dead long ago. So the mention of "Willie Butler" apparently made the investigator even more suspicious than he already was, which was evidenced by his notes written two months earlier.

1-5-1921 Dept. of Interior letter

It is represented ... that the soldier [Francis M. Butler] was first married to one Austa Jane St. Clair about September 1864, and that she died ... November 1864; that about 1867 or 1868 he married one Vina, whom he deserted ... about 1878 and then went to California where he married the claimant [Lillie M. Butler] in 1882 ....

It is alleged that he was divorced from Vina ... and as he deserted her and changed his name ..., there is hardly a probability that he secured a divorce ... and the sons of Vina ... state that they were not divorced.

Special examination is desired to determine ... whether he [Francis] had been married more than twice prior to his intermarriage to claimant ....

Despite the investigator's hope for additional information, the investigation eventually hit a dead end.

4-13-1921 Dept. of Interior letter:

I find no evidence of a divorce in favor of Francis M. or Norman B. Butler ..

[Concerning the investigation of possible additional marriages, n]o testimony touching the questions at issue is procurable, so far as known ..

6-29-1921 Dept. of Interior letter

I think that we can accept it as a fact that Vina and the soldier were not divorced -- testimony all indicates such, and I have been unable to find any record of a divorce on the part of either.

The United States government believed Francis Marion Butler, a/k/a Norman Bernard Butler, had committed bigamy, and it even suspected additional marriages. The above testimony of so many also confirmed that Francis did commit the act of abandonment during the same time period and locale as that which occurred in my own family.

My Family Grapevine:Francis was scouting, on the run, supposed to have killed someone -- maybe a sister or someone over an estate.

One of the first things Nelson's grandson, Duane O'Neal, told me was that in his Missouri family, he had always heard that Francis had been on the run from someone. The story goes that Lavina had allegedly run around on Francis, he had learned of his wife's indiscretions, killed her lover, and then ran.

It's obvious Francis ran away and eventually broke off all ties with Lavina and her three sons. Also, it's proven that he went so far as to change his name -- even before he left Lavina.

William M. Butler in his 1-5-1920 affidavit:

[I] was the [oldest] son of Francis M. Butler. In the spring of 1878, we lived in Douglas County, Missouri. Father deserted my mother and three children after selling all his stock, corn and feed except one cow and heifer ... left mother, Lavina Butler, and myself William M., Jesse Eugene and Madison G., his three children, to make a living on a rented farm.... Mother only heard from Father once after he left home about one year after.

My parents separated when I was eight, and we were living within two miles of Rockbridge, MO.31 Father left mother there .�.�..

Madison G. Butler testified on 1-7-1920:

Mother had four children by father, but only three are living, my brothers Will, Jess and myself.... Will is oldest, then me, and Jess is youngest, who wasn't born until after father deserted mother.

Son of Francis M. Butler, soldier. When I was five years old, lived in a rented farm in Douglas County, MO with mother and two other boys.... Father sold stock and feed, and took his team and wagon load of corn off to sell and did not return.... Deserted mother and three small boys, forced to make a living with one cow and yearling heifer...�. Mother worked hard for us and didn't know what happened to Father ... she never applied for divorce .�.�. she always worried about him.

Brother Jesse E. Butler, 1-8-1920:

Son of Francis Marion Butler. In 1878, my parents lived in Douglas County, MO on a rented farm.... Father sold the stock and farm products ... took a team and left the country. Mother worked hard for us. Father never again helped to keep up the family. Mother heard a year after that [1879] Father was in California. After that, she thought he was killed in a mine. Mother never got or applied for a divorce.

Even Nelson G. Butler knew what his brother had done:

About spring of 1877, Frank took brother's name [Norman Bernard Butler]. His home was in Douglas or Ozark County ... he left home, came to Green County, and took name.... Frank left wife and family and changed name.... He was around in the country until 1879 when he and I went to California.... Frank's only reason for changing name ... his leaving wife and family ... didn't want his wife and family to know where he was .... The wife he deserted was Vina Stout, and he married her in Douglas or Ozark County.... Frank's second wife was Vina Stout, but he separated from her.

How could Francis walk out on his wife and sons? What would make a man do such a thing? Even if he didn't love Lavina, how could he leave three (four) young children? Lillie Butler said he never deserted her (Lillie), and wasn't the "type to do that without extreme provocation", yet he appeared to do just that to his Missouri family as well as to Willie. His attempts to hide even went so far as to have all of his Oregon property put in wife Lillie's name only.

One could imagine all sorts of reasons: Had Francis been threatened by family or friends of Elizabeth (Coker) Wilson? Perhaps they had learned of his Missouri wife and children residing across the state line. Did he kill a lover of Elizabeth's rather than Lavina's?32 Was Elizabeth an innocent victim of circumstances and love gone wrong, or was she a wild, indiscriminating temptress who loved to party and dance? Had she been unfaithful to Francis? Did he catch her with another man and, in the heat of passion, murder Elizabeth's lover? Or had Elizabeth herself been murdered?

If something criminal had not occurred, then why did Francis' brothers continue to protect Francis even after his death? If Francis had been secretly communicating with his Missouri son, William M., rather than our own Willie Butler, then why didn't Nelson or William A. admit the truth to the investigator? It would have certainly put Francis in a kinder light than a man who walked out on his three sons, one only three weeks old, never to communicate with them again. (The sons' testimony stated Francis never helped to support Lavina or the three boys again, and that they "all thought he was dead.")

Remember, too, that even Francis' daughter, Nina, commented to half-brother Madison about Uncle Nelson and Jesse's continued secrecy and refusal to give her Madison's address -- a secrecy which spanned a period of at least 18 years after Francis' 1918 death!33

What other secrets were there to hide? I can only think of two reasons why the secrecy would have continued after Francis' death:

(1) the family's shame at Francis having had an illegitimate child by an apparent 'half-breed' woman in a bigamous relationship; and/or,

(2) the knowledge of a still-pending felonious crime.

If Francis indeed had committed murder, the statute of limitations would have never run out. He would have been arrested, no matter what his age, no matter where he resided. Also, it is possible that his siblings would have been eventually arrested as accessories to the crime -- a very strong inducement for them to remain silent.

Lastly, as to my family's memory of his "scouting," Francis Marion did scout. His Union Army military records reflected the following more than once:

Francis Butler ... scouting ... escorting trains....

My Family Grapevine:Francis visited Willie and his family when Francis was an old man. He stayed a short time.

None of the testimony given in the affidavits told how many times Francis returned to the Midwest from California and Oregon. However, his brother Nelson did say that during his residency in California, Francis remained in that state except for one visit back,34 which offers confirmation that Francis did travel back and forth.

It's also obvious that, through the years, Francis became homesick and wanted to go back home. This is reflected in an excerpt taken from his unmailed, handwritten letter, dated 6-11-1894, to his brother Nelson:

... You know that I have to make some terms or else I would walk off with myself for it seems like I want to see all of you as bad as ever and maybe it will happen again in life.��...

No Body Butler

Between Nelson's testimony and Francis' own words, it appears proven that the latter desired to, and did, travel back home to visit. And in our family, we know he even went to see Willie on at least one occasion. Ted Butler, who was born 9-3-1912 and only 5 years old at the time of Francis' 1918 death, recalls the story told him of his grandfather's visits. (There's more than one version of the story.)

Willie Butler's son John remembered seeing an old man walking up the road carrying a stick over his shoulder with a cloth sack hanging from it. (Amie, one of Willie's daughters, remembered the man riding up on horseback.) The old man stopped at their house, introduced himself by another name, and asked for a bite to eat and a place to stay for the night. Since that was the norm usually offered weary travelers, the Butlers let him sleep over. He left the next day.35 Neither Willie nor his family knew the man was really Francis, if he was.

Ted's unsure of the length of time between Francis' two visits, but sometime later, he reappeared at Willie's home, asking to stay over again. Initially, Francis gave them the same false name as offered earlier, but later that evening, he finally admitted his true identity to Willie. In turn, Willie let him stay longer with them.

Ted Butler stated that Francis eventually left, stating a need to go to a soldier's home for medical treatment. Perhaps he was going to see William A. before heading home to Oregon? Anyway, Francis departed Willie's home and was never seen again.

As to him being "an old man," sheer mathematics tell us Francis was in his 70s by the time he died in 1918. Today, being 60- or 70-ish may not seem that old, but to a young boy, it would be. Even a man of 65 would be old to a ten or 15-year-old.

My Family Grapevine:George William "Willie" Butler received a call late in 1918, informing him that his father had died.

Willie was allegedly led to believe that he was his father's only heir, and that Francis' trunk was being shipped to Willie from an "old soldiers and sailors home." Willie's kids remember the call coming from a long distance away. Some believe the trunk was shipped from nearby; others believe it was shipped from a distant location. All seem to remember it arrived on a snowy day.

Through the years, there have been conflicting stories surrounding the 1918 phone call(s) to Willie Butler regarding his father's death. Willie Butler's youngest son, Ted, stated he was told Willie received two phone calls concerning Francis.36

The first call was allegedly made by "an old soldier" (William A.?) from a soldiers & sailors home, informing Willie that his father was seriously ill. If Willie wanted to see him again, he was allegedly told he needed to come quickly. So Willie began getting ready for the trip, but, per Ted's story, a blizzard hit causing Willie to cancel his planned trip. When asked where Willie was planning to go to visit his father, Ted replied that no one seemed to remember.

Following the first call, Ted was told a second call came a few days later, perhaps in the same week, announcing Francis' death. (This is the telephone call this writer was always told of.) The caller, who was from the old soldiers & sailors home, wanted to know where to forward Francis' belongings. Instructions were given, and Francis' trunk supposedly arrived "on a snowy day."

Let's take this step by step. Francis did die in 1918. His May 19, 1918 death was confirmed in writing by his medical physician, and in Lillie's own testimony: "Francis died in our house May 19, 1918."

1-5-21 Dept. of Interior letter

The soldier in this case ... died in the State of Oregon on 5-19-1918.37

This is confirmed by the 5-5-1919 affidavit of Francis' personal physician:

I, W.C. Rebham ... say that I am physician and surgeon .�.�. and reside at Springfield, Lane County, Oregon; that I was well and personally acquainted with Norman Barnard Buttler, sometimes known as Francis Marion Buttler in his life-time, and attended him during his last illness; that the said Norman Barnard Buttler died at Springfield, Lane County, Oregon, on the 19th day of May, 1918, and that I saw him and attended upon him on the day of his death.

Note that the doctor refers to Francis' real name, but then states that "Norman Barnard Buttler" died in May of 1918. Upon requesting written confirmation of her husband's death, Lillie probably told Dr. Rebham the real name of her husband.

Next is the question of why the sons were not informed of Francis' death until months later. The answer can be found in the Department of Interior affidavits.

Lillie M. Butler affidavit dated 3-25-1921:

Brother-in-law, William A., was here with me for about a month in fall of 1918 .�.�. after Francis died.38

In another of her affidavits, she stated:

In the fall of 1918, William A. Butler came and stayed a month .�.�. it was then I learned of my husband's history.

Jesse Eugene Butler affidavit dated 1-8-1920:

In fall of 1918, I heard from one of Father's brothers .�.�. told me Father was dead. We all thought for years before that he was dead.

This may explain any time delay between Francis' death and the phone call to Willie Butler.

Francis' widow, Lillie May, would not have called Willie or the Missouri boys, because as far as we know, Lillie never knew about them until William A. visited her in the fall of 1918. During that visit, William might have told her about Lavina and the three boys, but Lillie's sworn testimonies reveal no evidence whatsoever that she was told of Willie's existence. She was suspicious, yes -- "I suspected he had a boy named Willie" -- but the brothers never admitted the full truth to her.

So the third question is, who called Willie Butler and shipped the trunk to his Oklahoma address? It wasn't Lillie. Had Francis kept with him his Civil War trunk, uniform, photo and mirror, she might have eventually seen them. Remember that she and Francis were married 25+ years. But she stated she "never knew he was in the service ...."39 It's logical, then, to accept the fact that his war belongings were in someone else's possession. But whose?

My guess, it was one of two individuals: �Nelson or William A. Butler. Since William was a resident of the California soldier's home, it was, most likely, he who called. However, Nelson could have easily concocted a simple story to tell Willie.

Remember that it was to Greene County, MO (to Nelson?) that Francis went during his separation from Lavina. And it was with Nelson Francis went to California in 1879. Hence, Francis had ample opportunity to deposit some of his belongings with Nelson or other Missouri family before ever going west. Even in California, after meeting, then marrying, 14-year-old Lillie May Flannery -- all the while using the alias of Norman Bernard Butler -- Francis had very good reasons for perhaps sending some of his personal items back to Missouri with Nelson.

As for brother William A., the resident of the soldier's home in California,40 the possibility exists that he himself had somehow obtained Francis' trunk and was storing it for his brother. He had plenty of opportunity to do just that. William A. even lived in Oregon until circa 1917, so he would have had easy access to Francis. After that time, William A. moved to California to be near his children; in particular, daughter Hattie. He stayed with her a short time before moving into the soldier's home at Sawtelle, where he intermittently resided until his December 1919 death. This latter move set him in the right place and time period for his probable call to Willie in late 1918.

Lastly, what about the fact that Willie was made to believe he was the only heir of Francis? When Willie received the call about his father's death, he was given the impression that he was sole heir to Francis' estate. Until a person studies the affidavits, it's hard to understand why he thought he was the only child. In reality, however, it may be quite logical.

Missouri son, Madison Garrett Butler, stated:

Uncle Nelson kept Francis' whereabouts away from us ....

Jesse Eugene Butler:

We all [referring to his brothers and mother] thought for years before that he [Francis] was dead ....

Francis had abandoned them, had struggled for years to hide from them, and even after death, was shielded from them by his brothers. So why would Francis even think about sending the Missouri boys anything from his estate? Obviously, he didn't. Neither could he have asked that an item be sent to his Missouri children. If he had bequeathed them something, then his Oregon family would have had to be told some of the truth -- which we know, they were not.

Lillie Butler's testimony of 3-25-1921:

I didn't know about Vina during my husband's lifetime. I never knew he was in the service ....

This fact was later confirmed in daughter Nina's 1936 letter to half-brother Madison, in which she wrote they didn't know anything about Francis' previous life until after his 1918 death. This statement proves that, initially, each group of children, Willie included, thought they were Francis' only heirs (with the exception of the Oregon children who knew their mother was an heir also).

What about the arrival of the trunk "on a snowy day?" Well, if William A. went to visit Lillie May for about a month "in the fall of 1918," it was probably days afterwards that all of Francis' children were notified of his death. By the time the trunk arrived at Willie's, it could easily have been "a snowy day."

My Family Grapevine:Francis' letter to Willie was postmarked Excelsior Springs. There was also a belief that he had lived at Leavenworth, KS.

Whether this is true or not, I cannot prove. Francis traveled, yes; that's obvious. During his military service, he scouted and traveled about, and escorted trains. Perhaps he did go to those two places, writing letters home. But to say definitely that he was in Excelsior Springs or Leavenworth would be inaccurate, because to-date, there is no evidence to prove such a statement. The only thing I can say is that we're discussing a man who was dishonest with others and with himself. He and his brothers spent years keeping his secrets.

It is to be remembered, though, that there are familial connections to areas in Kansas. William A. Butler resided in eastern Kansas for several years, and Nelson owned land there also.

Lastly, it was recently learned that one of Francis' grandsons did, in fact, serve prison time at Leavenworth prison.

CONCLUSION

Why did the Butler siblings -- the keepers of Francis' secrets -- continue to maintain their cloak of silence even after his 1918 death? Why did William A. tell an incomplete story to Lillie May and to each of his children? Would it have really mattered if they had known the truth about their father? Was it that important to maintain a never-ending cloak of silence? Apparently so.

First, if Willie Butler had been told of his father's true past and his true location, it may have spurred Willie to hunt for him and, in doing so, discover the real history of Francis' life. If Willie had done so, his efforts may have also brought the truth to light for all the members of the Butler family -- something that Francis and his siblings obviously did not want to happen. His efforts may have also caught the attention of law officers, if Francis had indeed killed someone.

Even though the Missouri boys, William, Mat and Jesse, were eventually told some of the truth, to tell all three Missouri boys and Willie that their father had committed adultery and bigamy while married to their mothers, had an illegitimate child with a possible "half-breed," older woman, and had possibly killed someone during the process -- well, that was too much to share. Especially since illegitimacy, bigamy and adultery were not tolerated and were looked down upon during that time period by the majority of the public -- even more so then than now.

Such a great network of secrecy created even greater loneliness. One can almost feel it when you hear of Francis standing in the shadows, watching his three Missouri sons at play, probably longing, yet unable, to talk to and hug them. The loneliness is audible in the words he wrote of his longing to see his family again, signing his name No Body Butler. Yet how much greater was the loneliness and sadness suffered by Lavina and her sons after having been abandoned by someone they had loved. Then there's Willie's loneliness, of being 'orphaned' and living in the yard of his aunt, growing up without parents, always wondering where his father was, and believing he was the only child of his father. Lastly, what about the sadness and loneliness felt by his Oregon family upon hearing of Francis' deceit and lies. Their hurt must have been great.

I firmly believe that the deceased Francis Marion Butler, formerly of Missouri, California and Oregon, is my great-great-grandfather. I'm not proud of what he did, but I do know that I have sympathy for the inward pain and self-hatred he must have silently suffered, as well as even greater sympathy for those he hurt so deeply. No matter how much we would love to change Francis' past, no one can. It's a part of history -- my history -- and we can only learn from the mistakes made.

Footnotes
1 I had always heard Willie was born at Lead Hill in Boone County, AR, where his mother's family lived; however, Willie's memorial funeral book states he was born in Marion County, AR, which seems logical. Its proven his mother was there in 1860, her three other children were said to have been born at Yellville, the county seat of Marion County, and it's also said that she died and is buried there.

2 Blue-grey eyes run in my Butler family, as well as in the MO family. When young, the eye color is blue, but as a person ages, the color turns grey. Mine are also blue-grey.

3 In a photo provided by Sandra A. Curtis of Stockton, CA -- a descendant of William A. Butler -- an older man is shown sitting in a chair with four other gentlemen standing behind him. It has been confirmed that the older man is indeed Francis. In the photo, an obviously aging & possibly ill Francis had gray, almost white-looking hair, and a full matching beard.

4 From Francis' small account book, Duane O'Neal deduced that Francis was apparently in the whiskey business. This is quite possible; however, Francis' great-granddaughter, Dorothy Fisher, believes he may have worked at the Boothe Kelley Saw Mill, which was located about a mile from Francis' home. Her maternal great-grandfather also worked there.
Nevertheless, Francis probably enjoyed his whiskey, as did his children. His son, Charles Nelson Butler, born 4-26-1884, occasionally worked at a tavern, and Francis' daughter Nina owned more than one in her lifetime.
This information may explain why Francis' wife, Lillie May, inserted a paragraph into her 1946 will, stating that it was her strong desire that not one penny of her money, or any made from the proceeds of her will, be used for the purchase or selling of whiskey.

5 On the 1870 Douglas County, Missouri federal census tape, Francis was listed as being 24 years old, having been born in Michigan circa 1845.

6 Emily was born ca. 1825 in OH, and was the dau. of William Morlan (Jr.), a/k/a William Moreland, of Ozark, Christian Co., MO. Her known brother was Jobe William Morlan. The identity of her mother is yet uncertain, but it is apparent she died before 1852. By that year, William (Jr.) was married to Sarah A. Stone, who was several years younger than William. Sarah was probably related to Christian County Judge Benjamin A. Stone. Judge Stone signed early 1850s land records of William Morlan, and Judge Stone is also buried in the same cemetery as Benjamin and Emily (Morlan) Butler.

7 In one record, William A. Butler stated they lived at Kenton, near Ozark, in what is now Christian County, MO.

8 Remember that Francis was only about 17 years old when he and brother William enlisted in 1863. Being that young, it is doubtful that he would have had a beard. Years later, an older fellow soldier did, however, recognize Francis in a photo by the simple fact that Francis wore a mustache -- something he wore during the War, as testified to by the soldier. In a later Missouri photo taken with his siblings, dated circa 1880s, Francis wore a full beard. In all, we know of the existence of four photos of Francis:
(1) A 1919-21 government affidavit refers to a photo of Francis and brother Nelson taken in Marysville, CA circa 1883. In that picture, Francis had a mustache and was sitting in a chair, with Nelson standing behind him. Testimony proved that two copies existed of this particular photo: one originally in the possession of Francis himself and Lillie May, and the other, Nelson. However, Jesse Eugene Butler, youngest son of Francis & Lavina, said Nelson later gave Jesse his copy. As for Lillie May having a photo of Francis in uniform, if she had had such a photo, she would have realized her husband had served in the military. Since she never knew that fact, as sworn in one of her later affidavits, it's obvious that Francis, if he indeed did so, hid his military photo in his Civil War trunk, the same trunk which was later shipped to my great-grandfather, Willie Butler. (Francis & Lillie's great-granddaughter, Dorothy Fisher, stated that her great-Aunt Nina remembered seeing bright, shiny buttons on his uniform. It's possible that Francis kept his uniform, but if it was so out in the open that even Nina, as a little girl, remembered the buttons, then Lillie Mae's testimony is questionable. Yet Nelson and William A. both said that Lillie knew nothing until William A. told her the truth about Francis.)
(2) A photograph was taken of Francis, William A., Norman B., Benjamin J., Nelson & Mary. My personal guess is that it was made during the time of their grandfather's funeral in May 1882.
(3) In a letter written circa 1936 by Francis' daughter Nina to half-brother Madison, she stated Preston (Madison's son who lived in OR) was going to mail Madison a photo of Francis taken in later years. That photo shows Francis shaking hands with a young man dressed up in slacks, shirt & vest -- allegedly Nina's new husband.
(4) The fourth photo is of Francis sitting in a chair with four younger man standing behind him. His hair and beard look much neater in this last photo.

9 Francis' oldest son was William M. Butler. The majority of references to William M. have consistently been "William," "Will," or "Billy." Even as late as the 1970s, some descendants continued to refer to William M. as "Billy." Only once, in all my research, was William M. ever referred to as "Willie," and that 'slip of the tongue' was made by his Uncle Nelson G. Butler.

10 Note that Della Gray, Mary's daughter, was born in 1877. Mary Isabella must have been 15 years old at Della's birth.

11 One publication incorrectly stated that Polly was "an aunt" to Civil War General Benjamin Franklin Butler. Polly and the General were fourth cousins, descending from Nicholas Butler of Martha's Vineyard, who had immigrated to Massachusetts from England during the early 1600s. (Gen. Butler was also a Governor of Massachusetts, and President Lincoln asked him to be his vice presidential running mate when Lincoln ran for a second term. Fortunately, Butler declined.)

12 Instead of being a member of the Jayhawkers, could Francis have been a Baldknobber? That group was very active in Christian County, MO during the time Francis resided there. The Baldknobbers began as do-gooders but ended up becoming no better than the criminals they first sought to apprehend. It is said they would drive a man out of the county for simply leading an immoral life such as Francis'.

13 Zed's Bible is now in the possession of Paul and Fern Johnson of Okemah, Oklahoma.

14 Francis probably knew that all of Elizabeth's children, as adults, had resided in Stone Co., AR. When Francis arrived in that county, he probably went straight to Elizabeth's middle son, William Lawrence Wilson, (Elizabeth's eldest son had earlier died) and asked about Willie Butler. Willie had resided at both Onia and Timbo in Stone Co. but had since moved to eastern Oklahoma. That's probably why the "old man" moved on. We know in our family that Francis did visit Willie in Oklahoma.

15 Willie Butler was very close to his half-sister, Bell. He always said she raised him as a young boy.

16 Jesse Butler's affidavit dated 6-17-1921.

17 Several Marion Co., AR Coker individuals "refugeed" to the Springfield, MO area toward the end of the Civil War. It is possible that Elizabeth did this; however, it is not proven. Nevertheless, there's always a possibility that she was living in Missouri when she met and married Francis. Much more research is required to prove or disprove this theory. Her Wilson descendants, however, believe she lived her whole life in Marion County, AR, in and around Yellville.

18 Wm. Hill's mention of Cassville is interesting because Jesse Butler, Francis' son, stated in his affidavit of 6-17-1921 that he believed Francis had stayed in Barry County, MO, where Cassville is located. This was probably sometime after Austa's death in November 1864 and before 1867-68 when he met and married Lavina. Who or what drew Francis to Cassville, if he did in fact reside there, is uncertain. Was it the home of Frank's guardian, Dennis Roberts? I don't know. But it is known that brother Benjamin J. and wife Mary later resided in Barry County, as did their Grandfather William Morlan. The latter moved to Cassville from Ozark circa 1870. So there was a definite tie between the Butler family and that area.

19 It is said that Elizabeth's parents were Charles and Elizabeth (Trimble) Coker, but this has not been proven.

20 Joe Coker, the bigamist, was known to have married three times. His third wife was Cynthia Ann Rogers, whose father was Cherokee Chief John Rogers. Cynthia was related to Sam Houston's wife, Talihina, and to the mother of Jesse Chisholm. Cynthia was also an ancestor of the last Cherokee Chief W.C. Rogers and the famous actor, Will Rogers.

21 In June 1997, Floyd Butler of Hugo, OK, grandson of the real Norman Bernard Butler, remembered that Nelson Butler (Floyd knew him as "Garrett") had visited Norman in southeastern Oklahoma ca. 1926. Perhaps it was during that visit, or perhaps at a later time, but Floyd remembered hearing the story of Francis and his abandonment of his Missouri sons. Floyd recalled that Francis had returned home "about four years" after leaving. Floyd heard that Francis had stood and watched his sons at play, but the boys had not been aware of their father's presence. Francis' return seems to coincide with the time that the Butler siblings' portrait was taken. Floyd's story is also believable, since years later, Francis made a similar visit to his then-adult son, Willie Butler.

22 In that letter, he was responding to Lavina's request for money. He also blamed the failure to reconcile on Lavina and wrote something to the effect, God help you for putting us in this situation. That's after he sold everything they owned, except some corn & a yearling, and abandoned them.

23 Is it possible that Nelson admitted much of the truth to nephew Jesse Eugene? Jesse was the minister in the family, and the one to whom Nelson gave the photo of Francis. Were they so close that Nelson, perhaps stricken with a guilty conscience, decided to confide in Jesse and together they continued the pact of silence?

24 Why did Francis run away and change his name? There was a rumor in my family as well as the Missouri family that someone had been murdered. It's probably not true, but if -- and I said IF -- he killed someone, the statute of limitations would not run, which would explain the siblings' continued shroud of secrecy, even years after Francis' death. IF Francis committed murder & was later caught and arrested, his siblings would have been questioned and possibly charged with aiding & abetting a known felon. However, remember that during his military service, Francis shot and killed an escaping prisoner, so this may be the source of those rumors.

25 William M. Butler probably was referring to the 1880 letter that was written by Francis to Lavina after he was in California. It was recently uncovered amid Dolly Detzell's belongings. Dolly was Jesse Butler's daughter, and it was in Jesse's household that Lavina resided just before her death.

26 In a newly-discovered letter which was written by Francis to Lavina after his arrival in California, he made an odd comment at the end. He stated that he would send his next correspondence to another location because it was safer.

27 Apparently, Francis had not even wanted his name on official documents -- documents which could be traced.

28 The sentence from the brother's letter only referred to a name; it did not say whether Willie was a boy, nephew, uncle, butcher, farmer, or soldier. So why did Lillie say that she suspected a "boy named Willie?" This brings to mind an old tintype which was recently brought to this writer's attention by Dorothy Fisher of Florence, OR. (She is a granddaughter of Charles Nelson and great-granddaughter of Frank & Lillie Mae.) The tintype is old, worn and was folded in the middle. It is of a single child, appearing to be about two years of age, sitting in a chair. The child's hair appears to be blonde. The child wears a dress, so at first glance, it appears to be a girl. After studying the photo, however, the child has a boy's short haircut, hair combed back off the forehead as male children often wear their hair, and the facial features appear to be that of a boy rather than a girl. But the child wears a dress. After seeing a photo of William A.'s young son, Garrett, wearing a plain dress, it appears that little boys and girls wore dresses at very young ages -- probably for potty training purposes. Lastly, what's interesting about the photo is that it was wrapped in lined paper and a single name was written on it: �Willie. Of course, the photo could be of a child from the maternal lines of the Oregon family, but the facial features and hair color are very similar to those of William A.'s sons. It may be a photo of Francis' nephew, Willie, but that seems odd that it would be protected in paper for so long and marked with only the name "Willie." Perhaps it's a photo of Francis' eldest son, William M., or perhaps it is an old tintype of Willie Butler, only child of Francis and Elizabeth. He abandoned Willie when Willie was about the same age as the child in the picture. Something to ponder....

29 Frank's son, William M. Butler, testified that his mother heard from Frank "only once about a year after he left." Lavina could be the reason Frank was eager to move from CA to OR.

30 We now know that Francis allegedly returned to Missouri during the 1880s and, while there, took time to watch his three Missouri sons playing. The boys were unaware of his presence, but it is said he did in fact watch them from afar on at least one occasion. (Information provided by Floyd Butler of Hugo, OK. Floyd is the grandson of the real Norman Bernard Butler.)

31 Rockbridge is in Ozark Co. near the Douglas Co. line.

32 There's a lot of mystery surrounding Elizabeth. No record has ever been found concerning Elizabeth after the birth of Willie in 1875. She has yet to be found on any 1880 census, and although we believe she's buried in or around Yellville, Marion Co., AR, no one seems to know how, when, or why she died. In fact, family members have stated that young Willie was raised by his older sister, Belle..

33 Nina's referenced letter was written circa 1936.

34 Nelson's affidavit dated 6-15-1921.

35 Grandpa Noah told the same story, but he always connected it to a possible outlaw rather than Francis. He said the stranger ate and after he departed, they later found several dollars ("a lot of money") left behind by the stranger. This, Grandpa said, was a custom of most outlaws -- a way to say thanks. Grandpa Noah said the family always wondered which outlaw he might have been.

36 Ted's older brother, Noah Isaac Butler, only remembered one phone call.

37 Francis is buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Springfield, Oregon. Buried next to him are wife Lillie and son Charles Nelson Butler.

38 William A. Butler resided at Beckley, Oregon in the year 1915, so William A. didn't have far to travel to visit Francis' home.

39 Dorothy Fisher stated Francis & Lillie's daughter, Nina, remembered being a little girl and seeing shiny buttons on a uniform, inferring that it was Francis' military uniform. If this is true, how much of Lillie's testimony is true? But what if the shiny buttons were on someone else's uniform?

40 Soldier's Home, CA letter dated 2-2-1921: "William A. Butler was discharged from this Home .�.�. October 16, 1919."