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john butler
01-24-2003, 09:57 PM
This is a story my dad wrote when he was 15, I'm now 39 with two kids. I hoped Jon would read this.

Through the years, by Bill Butler
My name is Bill Butler, I was born on Wednesday, September 3, on a farm two and three fourths miles southwest of Hornick, Iowa, in Monona County. My fathers name is John Andrew Butler, he was born in Oakland, Iowa January 13, 1898, his parents names were Uriah J. Butler and Rosena Fusena Butler.
My Grandfather died before I was born, but, I can remember my Grandmother. My mothers name is Hazel Fern Boyd Butler. She was born on a farm one and One-half miles southeast of Hornick or where Charles Daniels now lives. I can recall my grandmother for she used to be very good to me. My mothers dads name was Henry Spencer Boyd, and her mother was Sybil Irene Boyd. My great grandmothers parents were from England, from England they moved to Canada. After her high-school days she moved to South Dakota. At this time the Indians were savage, and my great grand mother would tell me of some very exciting experiences. She and my great grandfather and their parents were the only ones to escape the Colten-Woods massacre. When they lived in Minnesota a friendly Indian told them to leave, so they hitched up their team and were 20 miles from there, when the indians massacred the village. None of the others would believe that the Indians would massacre, so they wouldn't leave when my folks did. I have two sisters, Beth Johnson and Jessie Zelmer. I have two brothers, John Robert and James Rodney. James Rodney enlisted in the navy the day he graduated, May *, 1942. He was attached to the 42 Bombing Squadron, on the U.S.S. Ranger and was lost while on a mission, one year and four days after graduating. The sport I like best is baseball, although basketball runs a close second. I have been active in band, I play the drums, both bass and snare, the trumpet, the brass horn and a small amount of the piano. My favorite food is strawberry shortcake. My favorite passtime is listening to baseball games. My favorite ball players are, the '48 champions, Cleveland Indians. I am now a Sophmore in Hornick High School, I hope to graduate in '54. I see no use in planning my future until Uncle Sam has decided what he wants of me.

This is a story written by my father back in 1952. My hope is that my children will not be nearly as effected by war as what is obviously the history of our country.

Earl Grey
01-25-2003, 07:02 AM
Thank you for sharing your Father's story John.
I have a 21 year old son, and worry about him in these crazy times. God forbid the draft becomes an issue again.

Here's hoping for peace!

Earl:yesbird:

Dances w/PURPLE
01-25-2003, 06:40 PM
That was awesome John Butler. I now want to go watch Dances With Wolves! Great story and very much reminds me of a story in my family.

My father's people arrived from England and settled in North Carolina. When the territories opened up to settlers and all you had to do was better the land and it was yours, my people came.
My mother's people were Irish and came also from North Carolina, to Tennessee, to "Middle Tennessee" settling for a short time then deciding they could farm better in the bottoms of the Mississippi. The had a wagon that the women slept IN during the night and the men slept under, with shot guns because of the wolves. They settled in Missouri.
My father's people settled in north Georgia near the Alabama state line. These lines shifted during the Civil War such that after the Civil War, my grandfather, who had been born in a town in Alabama, later found it in Georgia! During the war between the states, my great-great grandfather went to town for supplies leaving Grandmother and the babies. The home was raided by Creek Indians and as Grandmother ran for the door to brace it, she stepped on a loose plank and it cocked up and ended against the door such that her one foot was on one end and the other end of the board was against the door. That saved them.
Many stories in our family, much heritage with one family line going back to the Revolutionary War. He is in the history books!

I love history.