Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/91

 BUTLER.

BUTLER.

town meeting in 1729 to defray the expenses of an aggressive campaign against him, and Mr. Butler was chosen to represent the remonstrants of the colonists before the general court at Bos- ton, whence the complaint had come. Upon his return to Berwick, the town paid his expenses, and in 1733 elected liim to the board of selectmen until 1738. From 1734 to 1756 ]ie held the office of crown surveyor, and from 1747 to 1756 again served on the board of selectmen. In the latter year he was chosen moderator of town meeting. In 1744 he was among the first to recruit a com- pany for the service of the Louisburg campaign which he commanded, under Sir William Pepper- ell, during the siege and captured the fort. In 1748 he again attended the general court in Bos- ton to reply to a petition executed against the town of Berwick, and in the following year was chosen a representative to the general court. In 1754 he again took the field and served through the campaign of 1754-'55. See Thomas Butler and his Descendants, by Geo. H. Butler, M.D. (1886). His death occurred at Berwick, Me., between Sept. 15 and Dec. 13, 1756.

BUTLER, Nathaniel, educator, was born at Eastport, Me., May 22, 1853. He was graduated from Colby university A.B.. 1873. A.M., 1876, and taught school in Illinois, 1873-'83. He was pro- fessor of rlietoric and Englisli literature in the Uni- versity of Chicago, 1884-"86 ; professor of Latin and of rhetoric and Eng- lish literature in the University of Illinois, 1886-'91 ; associate professor of English literature and subse- quently * director of the university exten- sion department of the University of Chicago, 1892-'95, which he represented at the uni- versity extension con- gress in London in

1896-1900, received the degree D.D. from there in 1896, and returned to the University of Cliicago in 1900. He was an editor o{ Johnson's Cijclopoidia, and published a Latin text book.

BUTLER, Nicholas Murray, educator, was born in Elizabetli, N.J., April 2, 1862; .son of Henry L. and Mary J. (Murray) Butler ; grand- son of the Rev. Dr. Nicholas Murray (" Kirwaii"). He was graduated from Columbia college, A.B., 1882, A.M., 1883, Ph.D., 1884; and was a uni- versity fellow in letters there, 1882-'84. He studied at Berlin and in Paris, 1884-85, and was an assistant instructor of philosophy, ethics and

psychology at Columbia, 1886-87, tutor, 1887-'89, and adjunct professor, 1889-90 ; became dean of the faculty of philosophy and professor of phil- osophy and education in 1890, and president of Columbia in 1902. He founded in 1886 and was president of the New York college for the train- ing of teachers, 1886-'91 ; was a member of the New Jersey state board of edut;ation, 1887-"95 ; special commissioner froin New Jersej' to the Paris exposition in 1889, and president of the Paterson, N.J., board of education, 1892-93, and of the National educational association in 1895. He established and became editor of the Edu- cational Revieio in 1891 ; and became editor of the Great Educators series (Scribners) in 1888 ; of the Teacher's Professional Library (Macmillans) in 1898 ; of the Columbia university contributions to Philosophy and Education in 1894; and of monographs on Education in the United States in 1899. He received the degree LL.D. from Syra- cuse, 1898, and Johns Hopkins, 1902. He wrote "Tiie Meaning of Education" (1898).

BUTLER, Pierce, senator, was born in Ireland, July 11, 1744 ; son of Sir Richard Butler. He re- moved from Boston, Mass., to Charleston, S.C. ; sold his major's commission in the British army in 1773, and was a delegate to the Continental congi'ess, 1787-'88, and a member of the constitu- tional convention of 1787. He was a U.S. senator, 178!)-'96, when he resigned, and 1803-'05, when he again retired. He was a director of the U.S. bank. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 15, 1822.

BUTLER, Pierce Mason, governor of South Carolina, was born in Edgefield district, S. C, April 11, 1798; son of William Butler, soldier in the American revolution. He was educated for the army, and entering the service in 1819 he soon displayed ability which led to rapid promo- tion. In 1829, having attained the rank of cap- tain, he resigned his commission and engaged in the banking business at Columbia, S. C., return- ing to the army in 1835 upon the commencement of the Seminole disturbances in Florida, and win- ning renown by his gallantry on several hotly contested fields. In 1836 he became governor of South Carolina, and upon the expiration of his term of office in 1838 was appointed by President Van Buren agent for the Cherokees west of the Mississippi, retaining the office until the beginning of the Mexican war in 1846, when he entered the army as a colonel of the "Palmetto" regiment, which he had organized. He distinguished him- self by his bravery at the battle of Cerro Gordo and afterwards at the battle of Churubusco, when/ he was twice wounded, in spite of which he con- tinued to lead his men into the thickest of the fight until he was shot through the head. He* died on the battlefield Aug. 20, 1847.