BUTLER, HENRY ARTHUR, was born 7 Aug 1890, the son of Thompson C. BUTLER (6 May 1860 - 26 Nov 1942, buried Pinhook Cem.) and Mary Hulda HAY (25 Jan 1863 - 1 May 1910, buried in Decatur Co.,TN). He was inducted in 1917 at Waynesboro, TN. He served in France as a medic. His siblings were Omer Witt BUTLER, Benjamin Harrison BUTLER, Reuben Vernor BUTLER, Terry Cordelia BUTLER and William Hobart BUTLER.
His part in the Medical Corps was to go behind the fighting and help the wounded and to care for the dead. He fought in the battles of Rhine River, Argonne Forest and along the Meuse, from Verdun to Sedan, from 26 Sep 1918 through Armistice.
The Battles of Argonne Forest, September 27 - October 10, 1918, were a series of fierce and decisive battles. Twelve divisions of the American Army broke through the supposedly impenetrable German line. This was a rocky wilderness where there were barbed wire entanglements.
Henry Arthur BUTLER married first to Hester TININ (1 Feb 1890 - 1 Sep 1926, buried Pinhook Cem, Wayne Co., TN.) . He married second to Clarice DANIELS LAWSON, (7 Nov 1898 - 28 Aug 1942, buried Lawson Cem. Wayne Co., TN). He married third to Lillie LUCAS of Hardin Co., TN. His children were by Hester: Mary Louise BUTLER, stillborn, 22 Aug 1923, buried at Pinhook; by Clarice: Martin Hay BUTLER, b. 1941.
After the war, Henry worked up North for several years. After Clarice's death, Henry moved to Martin, TN to live with his sister, Cordie and her husband, Charlie STRICKLIN. Cordie took care of Martin Hay BUTLER for three or four years.
Henry and son moved to Savannah to work for the Ice Company. He soon married Lillie. He died 19 May 1973 following a long illness and was buried at Pinhook Cemetery. Lillie died in a few years and Martin Hay BUTLER survives.
- Wayne County Historian - On Sunday, 2 December 1990, the Wayne County Historical Society honored all the veterans of World War I. As part of the program, surviving veterans and the families of deceased veterans were asked to submit to the Society a biography of the veteran and his activities during the war.