An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, page 353.

ISAIAH J. BUTLER is one of Wasco county's good men and his labors here for many
years testify that he is possessed of industry and has accomplished a great deal
for the improvement and upbuilding of the country. He is a man of good
principles and is guided by integrity. At the present time, Mr. Butler resides
on his farm about two miles east from Kingsley. In addition to this he has some
timber land. He does general farming and is a good substantial farmer.      

Isaiah J. Butler was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on February 26, 1835. His
parents are mentioned in the sketch of his brother's life, Polk Butler. In his
native country, our subject was educated and reared and gave his attention to
farming. He had traveled some before he turned his face to the west and finally
located in Oregon, whither his brother, Daniel W., who is now in Coleville,
California, had come in 1852. It was in the spring of 1877, that our subject
landed here and in the fall of the same year, his brother, Polk Butler, came on.
The three brothers established a saw mill and operated it for some time. But the
enterprise proved disastrous and they lost nearly all the capital they
possessed. Then they gave that up and our subject filed on a homestead of
disputed railroad land which he later secured and where he lives now. The
balance of his land he secured by preemption and by purchase.      

In Illinois, Mr. Butler married Miss Emmeline Riggs, who was born in Warren
county, Illinois, and whose parents, David C. and Elizabeth (Smith) Riggs, were
natives of Missouri. The father was one of an old southern family of distinction
and the mother's ancestors were prominent colonial people. Mrs. Butler has the
following named brothers and sisters, John, Reuben, Mahlon, Douglass, Mrs. Nancy
Galbraith, Mrs. Angeline Henderson, Mary, deceased, and Mrs. Kate Wickery. To
Mr. and Mrs. Butler two children have been born, D. Clyde, and Stella, who died
July 30, 1904. At the, first call for troops to defend the flag, our subject
promptly enlisted in an Illinois regiment and served three months. In political
matters he is independent. He is a man who has the esteem of all and he and his
wife have traveled the pilgrim journey many years together and are faithful and
good people.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.