gaged in paper-making, and manufactured the first domestic letter-paper used by the U. S. senate.
BUTLER, Thomas Belden, jurist, b. in
Wetherslield, Conn., 22 Aug., 1806 ; d. in Norwalk,
Conn., 8 June, 1873. He received a classical edu-
cation, entered Yale medical school in 1826, and
took his degree of M. D. in 1828. He practised
medicine for eight years in Norwalk, when, finding
that it afl'ected his health, he abandoned it, and
studied law with Clark Bissell. He was admitted
to the bar in Norwalk in 1837, was a member of the
Connecticut house of representatives in 1882-'46,
and of the state senate in 1848-'53, and in 1849 was
elected to congress as a whig, and served one term.
In May, 1855, he was elected a judge of the superior
court, in 1861 was appointed tf the supreme court
of Connecticut, and was made chief justice in 1870.
He was a careful student of the law, and his in-
sight into difficult points, and perception of the
principles of equity, gave his decisions a high re-
putation. He was also an excellent farmer, versed
in the principles of mechanics, and interested in
meteorology. He published " The Philosophy of
the Weather" (New York, 1856), and in 1870 an
enlarged edition under the title of " Concise Ana-
lytical and Logical Development of the Atmos-
pheric System, and Prognostication of the
Weather "(Norwalk).
BUTLER, William, soldier and politician, b.
in Prince William co., Va., in 1759 ; d. in Columbia,
S. C, 15 Nov., 1821. He was a son of James But-
ler, who was captured and murdered by the notori-
ous Cunningham, was graduated at Soutli Carolina
college as a student of medicine, became a lieuten-
ant in Lincoln's army in 1779, was engaged at
Stono, and served in the famous corps of Pulaski.
Butler next joined Gen. Pickens, subsequently
served with Gen. Lee, under Greene, at the siege of
Ninety-Six, and was detached on several separate
services requiring celerity, courage, and vigilance.
He at length rose to a command of mounted rang-
ers, and took part in many affairs with the tories.
At the head of a body of cavalry, he, with C'apt.
Michael Watson, attacked and dispersed double the
number of the enemy in Dean's swamp, though
Watson fell in the action. He was soon after the
war made a brigadier-general, and, in 1796, major-
general of militia. He was a member of the con-
vention of 1787 to consider the adoption of the
federal constitution, and, with Gen. Sumter and
others, voted against it. He was subsequently a
member of the convention that passed the pres-
ent constitution of South Cai'olina, for some time
a member of the legislature, sheriff in 1794, and
served as a magistrate. Prom 1801 till 1818, when
he resigned his seat to make way for John C. Cal-
houn, he was a member of congress. In 1818 he was
again a candidate for congress, but was defeated
by Eldred Simkins. In the war of 1812 he com-
manded the South Carolina troops for state defence.
— His son, Andrew Pickens, jurist, b. in Edge-
field district, S. C, 17 Nov., 1796 ; d. near Edgefield
Court-House, 25 May, 1857, was graduated at
South Carolina college in 1817, admitted to the bar
in 1819, and soon gained a reputation for eloquence
and humor. He was elected to the legislature in
1824, and in 1825, as aide to Gov. Manning, took part
in the reception given to Gen. Lafayette. In 1827
he was one of the committee that conducted the
impeachment trial of Judge James, a revolutionary
veteran, charged with incompetence and drunken-
ness. During the nullification trouljles in 1831 he
commanded a cavalry regiment. He was judge of
sessions in 1833, and of the state court from 1835
till 1846, and was then appointed by the governor
to the U. S. senate to fill a vacancy, and was after-
ward elected by the legislature, remaining a sena-
tor till his death. Soon after taking his seat he
became chairman of the judiciary committee, and
he took a conspicuous part in debate, particularly
on questions affecting the south. His report on
the fugitive slave law was defended by him in an
able speech. His last effort was in reply to Charles
Sumner and in defence of his state. Judge Butler
was a relative of Preston S. Brooks, and it was
because of remarks about him in debate that Mr.
Brooks assaulted Mr. Sumner in the senate-cham-
ber. — Another son. Pierce Mason, b. in Edgefield
district, S. C, 11 April, 1798; killed in the battle
of Churubusco, Mexico, 20 Aug., 1847, received
a military education, and entered the army in 1819
as second lieutenant of infantry. He displayed
from the first abilities that promised distinction,
was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in
1823, and attained the grade of captain in 1825.
After four years of service, he resigned his com-
mission, and in 1829 became a resident of Columbia,
S. C, and was elected president of a bank estab-
lished at that place. In 1836 he resigned the
office and accepted the appointment of lieutenant-
colonel in Goodwyn's regiment of South Carolina
volunteers, raised to aid in suppressing the Semi-
nole Indians of Florida. He served throughout
the war, and won distinction in several hard-fought battles. On his return from Florida, he was in 1838 elected governor of South Carolina. At the end of his term, having given great satisfaction to the state by the dignity and ability that he displayed in the office, he was appointed by the president Indian agent, and filled that place to the satisfaction of the government until the beginning of the war with Mexico in 1846, when he resigned it to enter the army. He organized the Palmetto regiment, was elected its colonel, and led it with the greatest gallantry in the fierce conflicts in which it took part, winning marked distinction in the battle of Cerro Gordo. At the battle of Churubusco, 22 Aug., 1847, Col. Butler was wounded in the early part of the engagement, but would not retire from the field, and continued to lead his men in the impetuous charge upon the Mexican lines until he was shot through the head and killed instantly. Col. Butler was over six feet in height, finely proportioned, his features classical, his face beaming with the ardor of his heroic spirit, and his bearing full of soldierly dignity. — Another son, William, b. in Columbia, S. C, was educated at South Carolina college, and served in the federal house of representatives from 1841 till 1843.— Matthew Calbraith, senator, son of William, b. near Greenville, S. C, 8 March, 1836, was educated at South Carolina college, studied law at Edgefield Court-House with his uncle, was admitted to the bar in 1857, practised at Edgefield Court-House, and was elected to the legislature in 1859. He entered the confederate service as captain in June, 1861, became colonel of the 2d South Carolina cavalry on 22 Aug., 1862, brigadier-general on 1 Sept., 1863, and afterward a major-general, commanding Wright's and Logan's brigades of cavalry in the Army of northern Virginia. At the battle of Brandy Station, 9 June, 1863, he lost his right leg. He was elected to the legislature of South Carolina in 1866, was a candidate for lieutenant-governor in 1870, and received the democratic vote for U. S. senator the same year. In 1876, when there were two contending state governments in existence, he was elected U. S. senator by the democratic legislature, as the successor of Thomas J. Robertson, republican. David T. Corbin, who was elected by the
