My Genealogy Hound

Charles Edward Butler, merchant and citizen of Fulton, holding an interest in the firm of A. C. Lea & Co., was born in Hallowell, Me., October 16, 1826, and is a son of Elijah and Lou (Kersey) Butler. His father was born in Maine, and died in 1846, and his mother was also a native of that State, but died in Aberdeen, Miss., about 1864. Our subject is of English-Scotch descent. Until twenty-four years of age, he was in the school-room all of the time, graduating at Bowdoin College. In 1851 he came South and commenced teaching at Trenton, Tenn., and continued there until 1859, when he moved to Crawfordville, Miss., and taught one year, and then taught at Carrollton, Ala., until the war, when he enlisted in the Confederate service, in what was known as Pickens’ Grays, but in a short time was transferred to Gen. Tilghman’s staff as an aide-de-camp, staying with him until his death, when he was transferred to Gen. Lorring’s staff, where he remained until just before the surrender, when he was discharged by petition in order to return to his school, which his wife had attended to during his absence. He resumed his duties as teacher there unti11865, when he moved to Gainesville, Ala., and took charge of the female institute there until 1867, when he removed to Fulton, Tenn., and became a member of the firm of A. C. Lea & Co., and is now the senior partner of the firm. August, 1852, he was married to Mary L. Lea, a daughter of Dr. W. W. Lea. They have had seven children-five boys and two girls- Charles E., Mattie L., who died December 24, 1882; William W., Albert L., Joel L., Edward I. and Myra L. Mr. Butler is a Democrat, and is a member of the I. O. O. F. He has been very successful in business and has accumulated his property by his own efforts. He is a man of fine social standing, is highly cultured and is scrupulously honest in every transaction.