Draft talk:Samuel Riley Butler

Just trying to help with a bit of research - although evidence is very thin!

On Wednesday, March 31, 1915, The Huntsville Daily Times reports that Professor S. R. Butler, county superintendent of education, would be traveling to Montgomery to attend a meeting of the Alabama Educational Association, of which he was President.

On Friday, March 21, 1930, The Huntsville Times reports that he would be pallbearer at the funeral of a friend, William R Ware of Confederate Army.

On Monday, August 6, 1928, The Huntsville Times has an obituary of his wife. It's a rather long obituary full of praise but effectively lacking in very much actual information, I am sorry to report.

On Sunday, March 22, 1931, one Huntsvile Times headline reads "Prof. S. R. Butler says goodbye" and separately - also on the front page - is a story about him addressing the Kiwanis club. The story is that he is moving to Montgomery to become head of the State Tax Commission, and the Times is printing a letter from him to the community.

On Wednesday, September 16, 1936, the Huntsville Times reports that S. R. Butler and others would motor to Scottsboro Alabama to attend the funeral of Mrs. Canada Butler, who died the morning before. paywalled source.

On Sunday, December 20, 1936, the Huntsville Times reports that Prof. S. R. Butler will be the principal speaker at the New Hope High School homecoming event, and a big attendance is expected.

On Friday, January 12, 1940, the Huntsville Times delivers the news that Prof. Butler is ill with the flu.

On January 21st, we learn that he is recuperating.

You will be relieved to know that by February 18, 1940 he was said to be presenting the award at the annual "Butler Cup declamation contest." I don't personally know what a "declamation contest" is - nor do I know if the Butler cup is named after him.

On Monday, May 6, 1940, the Huntsville Times reports very briefly that he is critically ill at his home on East Holmes St.

On Monday, May 27, 1940, the Huntsville Times notes very briefly that S. R. Butler has been seriously ill at his home on East Holmes Street, is improving slowly.

On July 28th, he has been critically ill for the last week.

On 13 November 1940, the paper has a nostalgic photo of the State school football team of 1905. S. R. Butler is standing in the background and is identified as the Principal of the school.

On 28 February 1941, there is a discussion of the Butler Cup which answers my earlier question - the contest is sponsored by former students of Prof. Butler, in his honor. Unfortunately, Prof. Butler will not be able to attend this years event due to failing health.

In February 1942 there is another brief article about the Butler Cub competition, and no mention of whether Prof. Butler could attend.

On 18 October 1942, there is a brief notice that Miss Lockie Smith "is the guest of S. R. Butler and Mrs. Kate Collier." As you will see in a moment, Mrs. Kate Collier is (very likely) his sister.

On December 24, 1944 we are told that S. R. Butler and his sister Mrs. Joe F Collier are both seriously ill at their home on East Holmes Street. I assume that Mrs. Kate Collier and Mrs. Joe F Collier are the same person.

On 27 Feb 1945, we hear that Prof. Butler is, as ever, seriously ill at home. We learn his actual address for the first time, 509 East Holmes Street. In today's Google Maps, I don't find any such address, although there is a 509 Holmes Avenue. I don't know whether Holmes Avenue today is a renamed East Holmes Street in the past, but the home there today (streetview) could easily be this old and looks rather nice.

On Wednesday February 28, 1945 is it reported that his health "is reported much improved today."

Alas, we learn on 04 April, 1951 that he is "the late" Prof. S. R. Butler and that the new high school will be named after him.

More details of his death are found in the Huntsville Times on 05 June 1952. It says "He died March 30, 1947 at the age of 78." So the fellow in the Coosa River News is perhaps someone else. A pretty careful search turns up no actual obituary in the Huntsville Times, which seems odd, since for so many years they covered his ups and downs of health regularly.

This was an enjoyable project.--Jimbo Wales (talk) 00:20, 30 May 2022 (UTC)

An addendum: This article talks about a house that was at 406 East Holmes Street but whose address was changed to 405 Holmes Avenue NE. This might imply that yesteryear's 509 East Holmes Street became 508 Holmes Avenue NE. Without a great deal of pointless work, I suppose there's no way to know.--Jimbo Wales (talk) 00:29, 30 May 2022 (UTC)