Those Writing Butlers!

 

The times we gathered with the Butler side of my family were always interesting. It seems that all of us liked to talk – a lot. Conversations varied but usually included family stories or anecdotes, some repeated so often that one uncle began holding up fingers for how many times he’d heard it. So I suppose it was inevitable that some of us would decide to write about ourselves, each other, or other interests.

I’m not sure how far back the literary legacy goes, but our great-grandmother, Carrie Campbell Butler, wrote short stories. Her great-granddaughter, Carrie Campbell, compiled and published “Carrie Campbell Butler Remembered,” which includes memories written by her son and granddaughters and a couple of the short stories. 

Carrie Butler’s grandson, J. Warren Butler, wrote a brief autobiography, “One of the Twins,” that detailed his time in WWII. He made copies for family members but declined to publish it formally. However, he was interviewed and recorded for the Library of Congress. That interview is still available: John Warren Butler Collection (AFC/2001/001/05562), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

His son, Craig G. Butler, wrote an article, “Twins from Cotton Fields in Louisiana,” which appeared in The AF News in March 2012. It talked about those ‘famous’ Butler boys in WWII. His son, John Butler, wrote about a different battle, cancer, in his book, “Envying Job,” published in 2014. Finding out about his book made me think of family history.

The twins suggested that my mother write her autobiography. At the time, she was losing her eyesight and could no longer see to write. She made a few attempts to record information on cassette tapes, but unfortunately, changes in her health did not allow her to complete the task. Time elapsed after her death before I finally decided to transcribe that information and add to it to complete the book “V. B. R.: My Mother’s Story,” published in 2014. Some excerpts are also in “Alalitcom” 2004, 2007, 2015, and “Listen Up: Alabama Women Speak” 2019.

Lest you think we only write about ourselves, my cousin, William B. Butler, published “The Fur Trade in Colorado” in 2012. Extensively researched, besides the fur trade, it’s a look at what life in the American West was like on the frontier. And though I usually write more in the memoir genre, “Bugs, Catalpa Worms…and Murder” is my undertaking in the cozy mystery area.

I hope I haven’t left anyone out. If so, all you Butler kin need to let us know if you’ve written. Scattered across the country, we haven’t kept up. As is usually the case, the older generations are no longer with us, and we of the younger generation don’t seem to get together or keep in touch. We need a family reunion!