About the Butler Family

JOHN JOSEPH BUTLER (1849-1902): Joseph Butler was previously not known as a burial in the Gualala Cemetery. His Burial Permit, which denotes he was buried in the Gualala Cemetery, was found during a manual search of an unindexed collection of Mendocino County records at the Family History Library. He was born about 1849 in Ireland, and emigrated at a young age with his parents. When Joseph arrived in California is unknown. According to the Burial Permit, he died on 28 October 1902 at the age of 53, while employed by the Gualala Mill. There are no records found for Joseph Butler in Mendocino County or the surrounding areas.

The public administrator for Mendocino County would publish quarterly accountings for estate files in the probate process, and for which the county held funds. A posting in the Spring of 1903 and Summer of 1903 for a “J.J. Butler” were located. His probate file did not detail his burial costs as part of the estate expenditures, but noted they had been paid. From the probate file, we learn Joseph Butler was born John Joseph Butler. His parents were John Butler and Mary Nash, immigrants from Ireland. Joseph was presumably the oldest child in the family, and probably the only one born in Ireland.

His father left the family when Joseph was about 13 years old and was never heard from again. His mother, Mary, died in Chicago in 1887, leaving him and three known siblings: Thomas who died without children in Chicago (1898); Alice Butler, who briefly lived with their sister Mary, and then joined a non-denominational convent, later identifying as Sister Ann Liguori. Joseph’s sister Mary, married Thomas Phelan, and had three children: Mary, Anna, and Emmet. No living descendants from his siblings have been identified.

Research compiled by Kelly Richardson, APR, AG. Anchored Genealogy. Research for this report was funded through a grant by the American Society of Genealogists.