Jerry and Linda Butler

James M. "Jim" Butler was born about 1813 probably in Elbert Co. GA. He was the son of Christopher Columbus "Kit" Butler and Mahala Cole. Kit and Mahala moved their family to Shelby Co. AL about 1819 and a short distance to Coosa Co. AL in 1832. The first record that we have of Jim is the 1850 census in Winston Co. MS. Jim married Sarah Crawford about 1835 and they had seven known children. Jim and Sarah lived in Alabama until about 1847 when they moved to Winston Co. MS. Sarah died after their son, Billy, was born in 1852.

Following Sarah's death, Jim returned to Coosa Co. AL at least long enough to marry Amanda Bishop in 1854. Amanda was an orphan or a widow with a three year old daughter, George Anne, when she married Jim. Amanda is living in the Samuel Pruett household in the 1850 census in Coosa Co.

In 1857, Jim purchased a land patent in Walker Co. AL. Jim and Amanda and their combined family moved there and acquired an adjoining tract of land from John Cargile. They did not stay in Walker Co. very long. In 1861, they sold their total land holdings to Noah and Mary Ann Pariss and moved to northern Alabama. Their youngest twin children were born near Tuscumbia in 1862. Jim and Amanda had five known children in addition to Amanda's daughter, George Anne.

By 1870, the family had made its way to Decatur Co. TN. Family tradition is that they were on their way west to Arkansas and stopped along the way in Decatur Co. and decided to stay. Thomas, John, James and Billy, sons from Jim's first marriage to Sarah Crawford, made the trip to Decatur County along with Jim and Amanda's five children. Jim and Sarah's sons, John and James showed up later in Arkansas so they may have continued the trip after the rest of the family stopped in Decatur Co.

Jim and Mandy and their sons farmed near Point Pleasant, TN but did not own any land. They seem to go from cotton crop to cotton crop with several liens showing up through the 1870's and 1880's in Decatur Co. TN. Their son, Columbus, was the first Butler land owner with a deed recorded in 1883. They seem to live a difficult life with Jim borrowing money in 1887 at age 74 with his gray horse and cotton crop as collateral. Jim died some time in the 1890's.

Mandy combined households with her youngest daughter, Virgie after Jim's death and the death of Virgie's husband. They were living in Henderson Co. TN near Scotts Hill in the 1900 census. Mandy died before 1910.

Winston Co. MS was formed from Choctaw Cession in 1833.

1854 - Marriage - Coosa County Alabama

James Butler to Amanda Bishop
The State of Alabama Coosa County
To any ordained or licensed Minister of the Gospel, Judge of the Circuit or Probate Courts, or Justice of the Peace for said County, Greetings: You are hereby authorized to celebrate the rites of matrimony between James Butler and Amanda Bishop & this shall be your sufficient authority for so doing. Given under my hand and seal this 29th day of July A.D. 1854 & of American Independence the 78th year.
P. W. Sutto, Judge of Probate
Partners of Lawful age -
The above named parties were married by me on the 1st day of August A.D. 1854
P. J. Vandemar, J.P.

Coosa County AL was created in 1832 from lands ceded in the Creek Indian Treaty of Cusseta and from parts of Montogomery County. It is named for the Coosa River which forms the county's western boundary. The county seat is Rockford. During the 1870 and 1880's groups from Coosa County and other parts of Alabama settled in the Cleburne County Arkansas area. Stories in the Butler family indicate that the James Butler family was traveling to Arkansas when they decided to settle in Decatur County, Tennessee.

History of Walker County, Its Towns and Its Peoples, John Martin Dombhart, published 1937, Cayce Publishing Company, Thornton, Arkansas

"In 1855 a new Federal land law was enacted which made government lands available at twelve and a half cents per acre. This law caused another great migration into Walker, and almost as many settlers came into the county in 1855 as came in during the flush times of 1836."

1858 - Land Patent - Walker County Alabama

Accession/Serial #: AL3860__.182
BLM Serial #: ES NO S/N
State: ALABAMA
Patentee Name: JAMES M BUTLER
Warrantee Name:
Document #: 27746
Misc. Doc. Nr: ---
Indian Allotment Nr: ---
Tribe: ---
US Reservations: ---
Mineral Reservations: No
Geographic Name: ---
Metes/Bounds: No
Survey Date: ---
Issue Date: March 1, 1858
Cancelled: No
Authority: April 24, 1820: SALE-CASH ENTRY (3 Stat. 566)
Acres: 80.05
Land Office: HUNTSVILLE
Comments: ---
Aliquot Parts W½NW
Sec/Blk 8/
Twnshp 14-S
Range 9-W
Fract. Sect. No
Meridian Huntsville
State AL
Counties Walker
Survey Nr. ---

Walker County was created by the Alabama legislature on 1823 Dec. 26, and was named for U.S. Senator John Williams Walker. The county is located in the northwestern part of the state, and is bordered by Winston, Cullman, Blount, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Fayette, and Marion counties. Walker County is exceeded only by Jefferson County in the production of coal. The county is drained by the Black Warrior River and Mulberry and Sipsey Forks. The county seat is Jasper, named for William Jasper, a hero of the American Revolution. Other towns and communities include Carbon Hill, Corona, and Cordova. Fires at the courthouse occurred in 1865, 1877, 1886, and 1932.

1876 - Lien on Cotton Crop - Decatur County Tennessee

Point Pleasant Tennessee
July 6th 1876
I give to Davy Torbit & Co. This Written Lien on my Crop of Cotton growing in Decatur Co. Tennessee to Secure them for goods to be furnished me & I am authorized by A M Butler & P H Butler to give Lien on their crop of Cotton growing on the Same farm for goods Bought for them to day after paying Rent we agree to have the cotton Baled and deliver Same to Davy Torbit & Co. or Enough to pay the amt advanced to be Sold at market price or Shipped.
C.C. Butler
Witnessed
E P Jones
F L. Duck & J D Eason
I bind my Self to have no Controlle of the the above name Cotton as it belongs to my Sons
James M Butler, Signed
State of Tennessee
Decatur County
Personally appeared before me John McMillan clerk of the county court of Said County J D Eason and F L Duck the Same being Witnesses to the foregoing Deed of Trust and after being Duly Sworn by me Deposed and Says that C C Butler acknowledged the execution of the foregoing Deed of Trust to be his act and Deed for the purposes there in contained on the day it bears date
Witness my hand at office this 5th day of September 1876
John McMillian Clerk

1884 - Lien on Gray Horse - Decatur County Tennessee

Know all men by these presents that I J. M. Butler have this day bargained and sold and transferred and conveyed unto R. L. Keeton one gray horse about 15 hands high from 8 to 12 years old the only horse of this color that I own at present and my entire cotton crop the consideration herein after mentioned to have and to hold all my right title and claim to himself his heirs and assigns forever. I further covenant with the said R. L. Keeton that I am lawfully possessed of said property have a good right to convey it and that the same is unencumbered but this transfer is for the purpose or following purpose and no other or nothing else. That is to say that I am indebted to J. L. Jones due by acct. in a sum of $34.30 and am to get merchandise to an amount not to exceed $15.00 more and am desirous to secure said J. L. Jones in the payment of said sum due and whatever sum I may get from him not to exceed $15.00 more if I should pay said sums by the 15th of Nov next then this transfer is to be null and void but if I should fail to pay said R. L. Keeton sums due at said time 15th of Nov next then the said R. L. Keeton after giving 10 days notice in writing in public places in Decatur County Tennessee will expose said property to sale to the highest bidder for cash and apply the proceeds first to the payment of costs of said sale, secondly to the payment of debt incurred, lastly the balance to me if any this May the 28th, 1884. J. M. Butler
Personally appeared before me J. E. Dees clerk of the county court of said county J. M. Butler the within named bargainor with whom I am personally acquainted and acknowledged that he executed the within deed of trust for the purpose there in contained upon the day it bears date. Witness my hand at office this July the 10th 1887. J. E. Dees, Clerk

In 1845, citizens of the portion of Perry County which lay on the west side of the Tennessee River petitioned for a new county. An act of the General Assembly in November, 1845, created Decatur County. It included all the parts of Perry County which were located on the west side of the Tennessee River. This new county was named for Commodore Stephen Decatur who had served in the United States Navy with distinction during the War of 1812.

Compiled by Jerry Butler, sources Trust Deed Book, Decatur Co. TN.