~ N. B. BUTTERWORTH, b. 4 Jan 1830 ~
Related Surnames - BOOMER, SNYDER, VAN METER,
N.B. Butterworth represents the early settles of Perry Township he having accompanied his
parents, who were pioneers of Jackson County, to this place in the spring of 1838, when he
was not quite nine years of age, and, aside from some members of his family, he is the
only one now living here who came at that early period. He is a man of wealth and
influence in this community, where he owns much valuable property, including a fine farm
on sections 22 and 23, besides owning three blocks of houses, a hotel and livery stable,
and a residence in Andrew.
The father of our subject, Nathaniel Butterworth, during his life was a man of much
prominence in these parts, conspicuous in public life, in business circles and in
politics, and also quite a large land-owner and an extensive farmer. He was born, May 15,
1800, in Bellingham, Norfolk Co., Mass. His father, Otis Butterworth, was a native of
Massachusetts, and was for many years a manufacturer of cloth in Milford, Mass. He served
in the War of 1812, and finally died in the afore-mentioned town. His father was of
foreign birth. The father of our subject was early sent to the public schools in Orange,
Franklin Co., Mass., and being a close student and a great reader he secured an education,
and became well informed. When a boy he went to Fall River, as an operator in one of the
mills owned by Claflin & Co., and for his attentiveness to his work and faithful
service, was promoted step by step, to the position of overseer of the mill. He was
married, in 1827, to Sarah Boome!
r, a native of that city, born April 13, 1801. Her father, Nathaniel Boomer, was a farmer
by occupation, and was born and died in Fall River. His father was of English birth, and
located in Massachusetts during the last century.
In 1829 Mr. Butterworth left Fall River with his family and moved to Mina, Chautauqua Co.,
N.Y., where he bought 160 acres of land from the Holland Purchase Co. He became an early
settler in Mina, and engaged in farming. In 1837 he made a pedestrian tour to this part
of the country, and bought a claim to 160 acres of land near what is now Andrew. In the
spring of 1838 he sold his property in New York, and returned with his family by boat on
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Bellevue, and thence by team to their destination near
Andrew, they being among the first settles of that locality. The country round about
being in its primitive condition plenty of wild game abounded, and the father amused
himself hunting and trapping, making a grateful addition to the somewhat limited bill of
fare, while at the same time he disposed of the furs at Galena. He busied himself in
preparing his land for cultivation, improved it, and erected a substantial set of
buildings, and was so p!
rospered in his work that he was enabled to purchase more land, until he became the
possessor of 600 acres of valuable farming land. He was the first Postmaster of Perry
Township, on the old stage road between Dubuque and Davenport, and he also ran a hotel for
years. He was County Treasurer at one time, and Justice of the Peace for years, and was
an active Democratic politician. In 1850 he went to California with our subject,
remaining one year, and then his health being greatly improved, he returned home by the
way of Panama and New Orleans. After that he continued to reside on the farm until his
death Oct. 15, 1881. His devoted wife had preceded him to rest, dying Aug. 24, 1876.
Eight children were born of their marriage: Laura A., deceased; N.B.; Sarah J.,
deceased; W.C. occupies the old homestead; Lydia M., Otis P. and Augustus are all
deceased; Laurane resides in Andrew.
The subject of this biography was born in Mina, Chautauqua Co., N.Y., Jan. 4, 1830. His
early life was passed on his father's farm in his native town, and there he received
the rudiments of his education in a public school. He was eight years old when his
parents came to Perry, and there were no schools here in this then recently settled
country. He was but nine years old when he began driving and breaking cattle and horses,
and followed that exciting work for years. Abundance of deer and other wild game incited
him to partake of the pleasures of the chase. He remained at home until he was twenty
years old, and in the spring of 1850 he started with his father to cross the plains with
teams, taking the North Platte route. They arrived in Placerville in July, and engaged in
mining in that place, and then on the south fork of the American River. They were
materially improved, both in health and fortune. In 1851, pocketing their gains, they
returned home by the way of Pa!
nama and New Orleans, thence to St. Louis, and from there by stage to Andrew. After his
return our subject resumed farming, and removing to Guthrie County, in this State, became
an early settler there. He bought 160 acres of wild land, began its improvement, remained
there one year, and then returning to this county bought 200 acres of land near the old
homestead in Perry Township. He improved it, and continued to manage it until 1872, when
he rented his farm, and removing to Andrew bought a hotel and livery stable, which he took
charge of until 1883, then returned to his homestead, having rented his hotel and livery
stable.
Mr. Butterworth was married, in Bellevue, June 17, 1855, to Miss Margaret Snyder, and
their pleasant wedded life has been blessed to them by the birth of four children:
Nathaniel E., Alfred S., Willis F. and Wales, twins; the latter dying at the age of ten
years. Nathaniel, who is married and has his home in Maquoketa, is traveling in the
interests of Clement and Sayre, Chicago, Ill. Alfred S., married and living in Maquoketa,
is a confectioner, and a retail and wholesale dealer in tobacco. Willis is a student
under Dr. Loose, at the pharmacy at Maquoketa.
Mrs. Butterworth was born in Hebron, Ohio, July 23, 1834, to Alfred and Mary (VanMeter)
Snyder. Her father was born in Maryland Jan. 15, 1800. His father, Michael Snyder, a
native of Germany, came to America sometime during the last century, and located in
Maryland, where he was engaged as a miller. He spent his last days in Ohio. The father
of our subject was a wagon-maker, and worked at his trade at different places in Ohio. In
1847 he came with his family to Iowa, traveling by wagon to Cincinnati, thence by the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers to Rock Island, and from that point overland to his new home in
Andrew. He engaged in wagon and carriage making at first, and later turned his attention
to farming, buying eighty acres of land, which he cultivated a few years, and then resumed
his former business in Andrew, where he resided until his death in October, 1863. He was
a strong Democrat, a good man of business, and well thought of in his community. The
mother of our s!
ubject was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1809. Her father, Col. John Van Meter, a
native of Westmoreland County, Pa., was an early settler of Lancaster, Fairfield Co.,
Ohio, where he engaged in farming. He took an active part in the War of 1812; was Colonel
of George Sanderson's company of Ohio Volunteers, under Gen. Hull, and was present at
the engagement at Ft. Malden and the surrender of Detroit. He died, Sept. 26, 1841, at
the age of sixty-five years. His father was a native of Holland. Mrs. Butterworth's
mother died in Lancaster, Ohio, in 1839, leaving four children; Mary. E., living in
Andrew; Margaret, our subject's wife; Thomas, now deceased; Lavonia, living in
Hopkinton, Delaware Co., Iowa. Mrs. Butterworth was thirteen years old when she
accompanied her father to his pioneer home in Andrew. She received the advantages of a
good education, and for a period of six years was a very successful teacher, being engaged
one year as assistant teacher at the !
Normal School.
Mr. Butterworth is one of the leaders of the Democracy in this part of Iowa, and is a
member of the Democratic Central Committee. He has served on both the Grand and Petit
Jury. Our subject has been prominent in the administration of local affairs, has been a
member of the School Board, and held other local offices, and while a resident of Andrew
was Mayor of the city one term. He is a man of good parts, is well endowed physically and
mentally, and his reputation for truth and honor is of the highest.
("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published
in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)
