An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company, Spokane, WA. 1905, page 339. RALPH E. BUTLER, an enterprising and genial young man, whose residence is in the vicinity of Nansene, was born in Tygh valley, Wasco county, on February 23, 1879. His father, Jonathan Butler, was born in Indiana and came to California in 1849, crossing the plains with ox teams. Later he mined in the Rogue river country and then settled in the Willamette valley. After that he came to Wasco county and in 1879 was living in the Tygh valley where our subject was born. After holding land there by squatter's right for several years, he came to the place now owned by our subject and remained until his death. He had married Mary A. Foster, who came to Oregon with her parents in 1849, crossing the plains with ox teams also. The first settlement of the Fosters was in the Rogue river valley. After Mr. Butler's death, his widow homesteaded the land where they lived and also bought more. She handled the estate until her death, which occurred on July 16, 1901. Our subject purchased from the heirs three hundred and forty acres of the estate and since then has given his attention to the cultivation and improvement of the same. He has also taken a homestead near by where he resides at this time. He is one of the well known young men of the community and has shown commendable industry and thrift in his labors and in handling his property. His education was received from the public schools here, and he is a product of which Wasco county may well be proud. As yet, he has chosen to take the path of single blessedness and is a bachelor, jolly and genial. Mr. Butler has four brothers; William H., a mining man in the Greenhorn district in Baker county, this state; Robert L., with his elder brother; Ebon P., at Nansene; Miron S., also at Nansene; he also his two sisters, Leonore the wife of Avisson F. Haynes, at Dufur: Nellie M., the wife of Walter J. Jones, in Crescent City, California. Mr. Butler is an active and well informed Democrat and gives of his time to serve on the school board. ******************* 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.