William Edward Butler (1790–1882) was a pioneer settler of western Tennessee and a kinsman of President

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...

. The son of Revolutionary War officer Thomas Butler, he married Jackson's niece and ward Martha Thompson "Patsy" Hays, sister of

Stockley Donelson Hays Stockley Donelson Hays (December 1788 – September 8, 1831) was a 19th-century American lawyer, military officer, and nephew of U.S. president Andrew Jackson. He was involved in historically significant events from an early day, accompanying Aa ...

and

Samuel Jackson Hays Samuel Jackson Hays (–November 3, 1866) was an American militia officer, lawyer, slave owner, plantation owner, and railroad investor in west Tennessee. His father was Robert Hays and his uncle was President Andrew Jackson; Jackson's wife Rache ...

. Butler served as a "surgeon of the 2nd Tennessee Regiment under Andrew Jackson" in the War of 1812. Butler ran against

Davy Crockett Colonel (United States), Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennesse ...

in 1821 for a seat in the

Tennessee General Assembly The Tennessee General Assembly (TNGA) is the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is a part-time bicameral legislature consisting of a Tennessee Senate, Senate and a Tennessee House of Representa ...

. Butler was at that time known as "one of the wealthiest, most public—spirited, aristocratic, and hospitable men of Jackson, Tennessee." Crockett won, partly because he handed out whiskey and tobacco to voters, partly on public policy and charisma, and partly because he appealed to the proletariat with stump speech descriptions of Butler's fine lifestyle including luxurious carpets, such that "every day he walks on truck finer than any gowns your wives or your daughters, in all their lives, ever wore!" One history states, "The Butlers were very wealthy and owned a racetrack and many fine horses." Jackson and Butler discussed horses in their correspondence; Butler's track was located where the National Guard Armory stood in Jackson in 1946. Butler is considered by some to have been the founder of

Jackson, Tennessee Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Tennessee, United States. Located east of Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis and 130 Miles Southwest of Nashville, it is a regional center of trade for West Tennessee. Its total population wa ...

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, William Edward People from Madison County, Tennessee 1790 births 1882 deaths

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