Excerpts from -The Obediah & Elizabeth Laws Butler Story

Submitted by Sharon Barton

Typed & helped research: Margaret Garland Timbs

Obediah Butler (1816-1875)and Elizabeth Laws (1818-1886) are the ancestors of most of the Butlers of Mitchell County, NC, possibly coming from Ireland. They were married in Robeson County, NC, (12-18-1835), and their first son, Allen Butler was born there. A story is told that a Judge asked Obediah Butler what his occupation was: HIS ANSWER WAS RAISING BABIES .Using census, county records and family tradition, they possibly had about seventeen children. We know the names of eleven: Allen, Henry, John, Michael, William, James, Obediah “Dock”, Teletha, Mary, Johnson, Thomas Butler. One of the above males might have had the second name of Edward. Obediah, Elizabeth, Thomas Butler and John Laws are buried in Butler Cemetery in Buladean Section of Mitchell County, NC.

Elizabeth Laws probably was the daughter of John Laws (born about 1774), since he was living with Obediah and Elizabeth in the 1880 Yancey County Census, NC, age 84.

The following information has been handed down through several of Obediah’s and Eilzabeth’s children’s descendants, so there has to be some truth to it. “Family tradition is that the Butler family was wealthy ship builders and came from Charleston, South Carolina. Robeson County does border South Carolina. When Obediah married a Cherokee Indian, the family showed their disapproval by disinheriting him. They walked with their youngest son, Allen Butler, trying to get to the Cherokee Indian Reservation, and settled in Mitchell County, North Carolina.”  It is also told that Obediah’s father was a medical doctor. Whether Elizabeth was of Indian Descendant Cherokee or other we have no proof. Several of their descendants did and do have Indian characteristics.

Families of Yancey County (now Mitchell) did mention two early Butlers in the area that could have been brothers of Obediah. Thomas Butler was listed from the Yancey County area and being killed during the Mexican War. A John Butler was also listed, as serving in the Mexican War.

Children of Obediah and Elizabeth Butler

Allen Butler (10-11-1836 / 7-29-1918), was a private in the Union Army, serving in Company E of the 45^th NC Infantry. He married Lydia Street (7-2 or 21- 1846 / 4-4-1915), daughter of Thomas Street (c1824 – 1864) (son of Thomas and Sarah Rose) and Mary Garland (c1826). Children of Allen and Lydia: Henry B. 1859-61, Joseph c1861, Colbeau Calvo 2-19-1863 married Clarrisa Street, Married 11 years, John Milburn c1869, married Mary F. Weatherby; Obediah  (2-15-1871 / 2-5-1954), married in Mitchell County 9-25-1891 to Lydia Mosley (7-22-1874 / 4-26-1949), daughter of William Mosley and Sarah Buchanan. Merida son c1873; James TN c1877; Mary TN c 1875; Phebe c1879; Garrett  (1882); Elizabeth (7-4-1886) married Thomas Jefferson Mosley (9-12-1881) brother to Lydia Mosley. Carren Mosley Mattix (from Arizona) is a descendant through their son Pierce Mosley. Frank (1893).

Obediah Butler and Lydia Mosley had 17 children.

Lydia Mosley and Thomas Jefferson Mosley were children of William Mosley (9-1852 / 3-18-1935) and Sallie Buchanan (1849 / 10-8-1907). William’s death certificate in Mitchell County, listed only his mother, Ann Mosley, born in TN. Sallie was the daughter of John V. Buchanan, son of James Buchanan and Rebecca Ledford.

Henry Butler (10-10-1839 died carter County 3-28-1922), stating he was the son of Dyer Butler (actually Obediah), mother not listed. He is buried in the Burbank section of Carter County, TN. He married Caroline Hughes (1-29-1846 died Carter County 1-2-1929), daughter of Charles Hughes (c1820) and Elizabeth Garland, (4-2-1826 / c1892) twin to William Garland and children of Charles Garland and Rebecca Blevins.

John Butler (2-3-1840 / 10-31-1915) also served in the Union Army. He married Jane Morgan (c1851).

William Butler (4-5-1844 / 3-29-1917), married Phoebe Street (10-24-1852 / 12-25-1924), sister of Lydia, wife of his brother Allen Butler. William served in the 13^th Tenn. Cav. Company B (Union Army).

James Butler (1847) is not in the 1870 Census. A James Butler, age 13 was listed as being shot and killed during the Civil War Years, by the “Home Rogues of Mitchell County.” This was told in a letter written by Gutridge Garland, to William Holden, Governor of North Carolina, in 1870, given the deeds done by the Home Rogues. The Home Rogues usually were Confederate Supporters. Obediah’s oldest sons served in the Union Army.

*Obediah “Dock” Butler (3-23-1841 / 12-1-1931). He was referred to as Doctor O in the 1860 census age 16, and he could not have been a doctor then. One reason he might have been referred to as Doctor was that he was a seventh son of a seventh son, and according to folklore he would have had special healing powers. Dock married Sally Hughes (8-15-1854 / 2-8 or 18-1905), sister to Caroline above wife of Henry Butler, brother to Dock.

Aletha “Teletha or Litha” Butler (c1848), married James R. Davis (born TN c 1848.

Children were Henry (c1865 TN), Polly (c1869 TN), John (c1871 TN), Sarah married William Gouge (1871-1914), son of Nathaniel Gouge; Thomas (c1874 TN), George (C1875 NC), Jacob (b NC, died in Mitchell CO 9-3-1956 age 78, Johnson (c1880 NC) Lysia 1883, Dock 1-30-1884 NC, Charlie 1887, Frank 1888 and daughter Hinia? 1893.

Thomas Butler (5-12-1859 / 7-31-1896) married Elizabeth “Betty” Byrd (1-19-1861 and died 3-17- 1935 at Leedey, Roger Mills, OK and buried there. Betty was the daughter of George Byrd (Broke Leg George) and Mary Clark (c1831) his third wife, and married 1875 … A killing occurred on Tom’s Creek, which is at the foot of Iron Mountain, just before you get to the Buladean Community. Thomas Butler was killed by Mitchell Byrd.

*Note on Butler Linage: Obediah Butler b.1816-18 NC, m. 12-18-1835 Robeson Co, NC; d. 4-9-1875-77. He is buried in the Butler Cemetery near Bakerville, Mitchell CO, NC. His wife, Elizabeth Laws, was b. 1814-20. (1818 on tombstone). She was disowned by her father-in-law. John Laws b. 1776 NC was from Willingham, SC. Elizabeth Laws Butler d. in 1881.