Rev. John Butterfield

Narrative:

      Rev. John Butterfield was born about 30 Apr 1780 in New Hampshire.^4,5,6
     John married first Johanna Atwood on 3 Jun 1804 in Winhall, Vermont, with Reuben Bigelow, Justice of the Peace officiating.^7,8,9

Moving to Indiana --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John and Johanna moved their family to New York before 1810.¹⁵ John appeared on the 1810 Federal Census of Rodman, Jefferson Co., New York, with a household consisting of three males under age 10 (sons Velorus, Merannoe and John), one age 16 to 26 (himself), one female under 10 (daughter Silvia), one age 16 to 26 (wife, Johanna), and one over 45 (probably his wife's mother). Listed next in the record is Jonathan Butterfield, who is claimed without documentation by several online trees to have been John's father, and Jonathan Jr., who could have been his brother.¹⁶
     John was a soldier in the War of 1812, serving as a private in Tuggle's 76th Regiment, New York Militia.^17,18
     John and Johanna moved to Indiana about 1819 with their family.¹⁹ In Dec 1819 John accompanied Benjamin Barnes and his family as they moved by ox-drawn wagon westward to the area known as the "New Purchase," meaning the area secured by treaty from the Indians about a year earlier. The men built a cabin and cleared land for planting. As soon as the cabin was built, John returned to Connersville, Indiana, for his own family. He bought 160 acres southeast of Centerton, and in the spring of 1821 brought his sons Velorus and John and three hired men to clear some land and build a cabin. One of the boys cultivated a crop of corn that summer, and John moved his entire family, consisting of his wife, five sons, and one daughter to the new residence that fall.²⁰
     While in the process of moving, John and is family were enumerated on the 1820 Federal Census of Connersville, Fayette Co., Indiana, with a household consisting of two white males under age 10 (sons Luke and Seymour), four age 10 to 16 (apparently William though he was only age 8, Merannoe and John, and one unknown), one age 16 to 26 (apparently Velorus though he was only 15), and three age 26 to 45 (himself and two unknown), one white female under age 10 (daughter Freelove), two age 10 to 16 (possibly Silvia though she reportedly died as an infant, and another), and one age 26 to 45 (wife Johanna.)²¹
     John appeared on the 1830 Federal Census of Morgan Co., Indiana, with a household consisting of one male under age 5 (son Oliver), two age 10 to 15 (Seymour and Luke), one age 15 to 20 (William) two age 20 to 30 (probably two of his four older sons), one age 50-60 (himself), one female age 10-15 (daughter Freelove), one age 40 to 50 (his first wife, Johanna.)²²
     His wife died on 8 Jun 1834.²³

A Second Marriage --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John married second Mary W. Cobb, daughter of Elkanah Cobb and Mary Willard, on 18 Nov 1834 in Decatur Co., Indiana, with Rev. W. M. Daily officiating.^10,11
     He was a prominent minister in the Christian Church, but seems to have made farming his primary occupation, at least in his later years.^24,25,26,27
     John appeared on the 1840 Federal Census of Morgan Co., Indiana, with a household consisting of one male age 5 to 10 (son Oliver), two age 20 to 30 (probably two of his four sons in that age bracket), one age 60-70 (himself), one female age 5-10 (daughter Johanna), two females age 15 to 20 (unknown), one age 40 to 50 (his second wife, Mary), and one aged 80 to 90 (Mary's mother, Mary Willard.)²⁸
     John and Mary appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Clay Twp., Morgan Co., Indiana, enumerated 17 Oct 1850, reporting real estate valued at $10,000. His son Oliver was listed as living with them, as were Lucinda Lawer, age 19, Rebecca Langley and Robert Stafford, both age 21, and George Sleeper, age 14, whose relationships with them, if any, are unknown.²⁹
     His second wife died on 25 Jan 1859.³⁰

A Third Marriage --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John married third Amanda Holeman, daughter of Daniel Holeman and Rebeccah Elkins, on 5 Jul 1859 in Morgan Co., Indiana.¹²
     John and Amanda appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Centerton, Morgan Co., Indiana, enumerated 25 Jul 1860, reporting real estate valued at $12,000 and personal estate of $3,900. Listed as living with them were her children by her prior marriage, Sarah, James and Parallu Thacker, and William Butterfield, age 70, a farmer, who would appear to be a brother.³¹
     John left a will dated 1 May 1863 stating he was of Morgan Co., Indiana, in which he left her for her lifetime the 80-acre parcel where they were living, including the residence and out houses, and use of the orchard for family use. At her death the real estate was to be sold at auction and the proceeds divided equally between his heirs. He left his wife outright personal property of her own choosing: a horse and buggy, saddle and bridle, two milch cows, and enough household and kitchen furniture to leave her comfortable in her judgment. He also left her notes for $1,200, in accordance with an agreement between them before they married. His remaining personal property was to be sold, and the proceeds, after payment of his debts, to be divided equally between his heirs. His remaining real estate was to be divided into four equal parts and sold at public auction. The proceeds were to be divided equally between his heirs after deducting amounts previously advanced to them: Velorus, $300, John, $300, Merannoe, $375, Luke, $300, Seymour, $300 and $200 due on 10 acres sold him in 1858, Freelove, $2,100, and Johanna, $1,600. One half acre including the cemetery in the orchard was to be excluded from the sale, and a brick or stone wall build around it. He appointed John N. Gregory as his executor.³²
     John died on 5 Oct 1865.¹³ He was buried in the cemetery on his farm, now known as Old Butterfield Cemetery, Centerton, Morgan Co., Indiana.¹⁴
     His will was proved on 14 Oct 1865 in Morgan Co., Indiana.³²