William Butler (175920 March 1818) was an American

militiaman A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

who fought in the

Creek War The Creek War (1813–1814), also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil War, was a regional war between opposing Indigenous American Creek factions, European empires and the United States, taking place largely in modern-day Alabama ...

. Born in

Louisa County, Virginia Louisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,596. The county seat is Louisa. History Prior to colonial settlement, the area comprising Louisa County was occupied by severa ...

, he moved to

Hancock County, Georgia Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,735. The county seat is Sparta. The county was created on December 17, 1793, and named for John Hancock, a Founding Father of the Amer ...

, where he married Charity Garrett in 1796 and served in the state legislature. He then moved west to the

Alabama Territory The Territory of Alabama (sometimes Alabama Territory) was an organized incorporated territory of the United States. The Alabama Territory was carved from the Mississippi Territory on August 15, 1817 and lasted until December 14, 1819, when it w ...

. He served as a militia leader during the

of 1813–1814. Butler was killed near what is now Butler Springs, Alabama, on March 20, 1818, when he and four others travelling from

Fort Bibb Fort Bibb was a stockade fort built in present-day Butler County, Alabama during the First Seminole War. History After the Ogly Massacre, many of the settlers in the surrounding area began to build protective stockades around their homes. Fort B ...

Fort Dale Fort Dale was a stockade fort built in present-day Butler County, Alabama by Alabama Territory settlers. The fort was constructed in response to Creek Indian attacks on settlers in the surrounding area. Background After the Creek War, a numbe ...

were attacked by Creek Indians led by Savannah Jack. Butler managed to kill one of the attackers, but was overpowered by their numbers. His body and those others killed were found horribly mutilated the next day and were buried in the woods. Nearly 40 years later, the remains of Captain Butler and his companions were moved to the cemetery at

Greenville, Alabama Greenville is a city and the county seat of Butler County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,374. Greenville is known as the Camellia City, wherein originated the movement to change the official Alabama state flow ...

, where a monument stands in their memory. John Butler Little, History of Butler County, Alabama, 1885

Butler County, Alabama Butler County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,051. Its county seat is Greenville. Its name is in honor of Captain William Butler, who was born in Vir ...

, was named in his honor.

References

1759 births 1818 deaths People of the Creek War American military personnel killed in the War of 1812 {{US-mil-bio-stub