Pane-Joyce Genealogy
William Butters.
Born ca 1630. William died in Woburn, MA on 13 Nov 1692.125
William was an inhabitant of Woburn in 1666 when he was taxed in the Country Rate 26 Aug of that year.125
He was granted land by the town of Woburn 23 February 1675.
he served in King Philip's War for 3 months in Capt. Joseph Syll’s Company.
For a genealogy of the descendants of William Butters, see The Genealogical Register of the Butters Family,209 by George Butters, Chicago, 1890. From that book:
William Butter was born about 1630 in Scotland, from which country he came to America, settling in Woburn, Mass., prior to 1666, being taxed in the County rate August 26 of that year. His name appears regularly on the Woburn, town records for each succeeding tax rate, including that for the New Meeting-house in 1672, and December 2, 1679, for the building and finishing Mr. Julius Fox's house (the minister); also at different times for the maintenance of the minister.
He was one of the twenty men who were granted by the Town of Woburn, February 23, 1675, one hundred acres of land on the other side of Maple Meadow river, which was to remain to them and their heirs, provided they staid in the town seven years. He was also one of the forty-four men to whom the town granted, February, 1678, seven acres each in a tract of land on the north side of Maple Meadow river.
The records of lands belonging to William Butter in the town of Woburn, entered in the year 1674 (19 acres imprimis), one dwelling house, bam and outhouses, with nineteen acres of land thereunto belonging, situated or lying at a place commonly called Boggy Meadow Field, seven of it being formerly the land of Isaac Brooks, bounded east and west by the land of Joseph Carter, south by Will Butter and north by the land of Robert Eames. The other twelve acres purchased of Joseph Carter, seven acres Summers’ lot, seven acres Joseph Pierce's lot, seven acres Aaron Cleveland’s lot; one parcel of land more lying southward of Settle Meadow being a lot purchased of Henry Summers, by estimation seven acres, and seven acres adjoining to it being given by the town; also one lot adjoining to that of seven acres given by the town, all these three lots being purchased by the said William Butter, of Henry Summers, making a total of sixty-one acres in his homestead in the year 1674. So well had his residence become known, and being one of the first settlers in the north Hmits of Woburn, that his home and the road leading to it were used often in describing boundaries of adjacent land.
We find in the records under date “6th November, 1682, the description of land laid out to Israel Walker, on his father's wood lot near the highway that goeth over Wood Hill to William Butter’s house.” Also, on April 26, 1688, in land laid out to Francis Kindall, which lands lie adjoining to Clear Meadow Brook on Wood Hill, on the east side of the way going to William Butter's. In 1669 Samuel Converse, son of Deacon Edward Converse, was killed while cutting ice off the water-wheel to his corn mill. In the settlement shown of his estate he was owing William Butter 000-2-3, for what purpose is not known. (Converse Family, page 121.) William Butter's name does not appear upon any list of freemen. He may have been one of those who, because of their religious opinions, would not allow them to join any of the New England churches, which was the case of many of the inhabitants of Massachusetts who stood high in position and character. During King Philip’s war he saw three months' service, enlisting August, 1676, in Captain Joseph Syll’s company, and took part in one of the most important engagements of that war. The records of service of Captain Syll’s company were for many years mislaid, but came to light, and were published in volume 41 of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society. Captain Joseph Syll was of Cambridge, born 1639; called into military life early in the war, and served continuously in important times and places till its close. William Butter enlisted in his company in August, 1676, and continued in service until the middle of the following November, during which time Captain Syll joined his forces with Captain Hathom, with orders to follow the Indians who escaped at the Narragansett fight. A large band were overtaken at Cochecho (now Dover) on September 4, 1676. Some 400 Indians were gathered at this point, and at the same time there marched into town the two companies of troops from Massachusetts, under orders to seize all Indians concerned in Philip's war. Major Richard Waldron, a resident of this town rendered the Massachusetts men assistance by planning with the Indians a sham battle. The Indians, by agreement, fired olBf their guns first. Before they could reload. Captain Syll and his men surrounded them and took them prisoners. Three hundred were taken to Boston; six, who were identified as having slain Englishmen, were hung on Boston Common; the rest were sent to the Bermudas and sold as slaves. This capture of so many prisoners was recorded as the stunningest . blow of all given the Indians. The Indians never forgot this act of treachery on the part of Major Waldron, for after a lapse of thirteen years, they came in force, and, by the treachery of an Indian who pretended to be his friend, he was captured and cruelly tortured to death. William Butter again accompanied Captain Syll who, equipped for a Winter's march, was ordered to
Ossipe and Pequaquet, leaving November 1. When, after four days’ march of very difficult way, over many rivers not easy to pass at that time of the year, they arrived, but found no Indians. On account of snow and severity of an early Winter, further search was abandoned, returning home November 9. While this brave soldier was absent fighting the Indians his little family was left at home under the watchful eye of the “tithing man” for the Boggy Meadow district, who, from time to time, advanced money for the town to the wife as necessities required. The Woburn Town Records, vol. I., page 69, recite as follows:
“The town debtor in 1676 deducted off William Butters' account, being overrated ooo-8s-o more in silver, to relieve William Butters’ wife, 2s advanced.” “To Francis Kindall, for William Butters’ wife, silver 000-4s-00.” “To the Captain, in silver, for Butters’ wife, 1s.”
One child was born to William and Mary Butter, a son.
William married
Mary.
Mary died in Watertown, MA on 5 Jan 1701.209
From the Butters Family:209
Of William Butter's marriage, no record of the event could be found other than his wife was Mary. It is inferred that the marriage of William and Mary was dissolved some time prior to his death, as she contracted a second marriage February 13, 1691 [at Watertown to Samuel Stratton30], and died January 5, 1701, in Watertown under the name of Stratton.