Butler, Geo. E. (George Edwin), 1868-1941

George Edward Butler was the co-superintendent of public instruction of Sampson County, N.C., and lawyer of Clinton, N.C.; trustee of the University of North Carolina; director of the Bank of Clinton; member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, 1905; member of the Republican State Executive Committee; delegate to several Republican national conventions; and unsuccessful candidate for several offices, including state attorney general, U.S. Senator, Superior Court judge, and Supreme Court Judge.

George Edwin Butler was born on 5 June 1868 in Salemburg (Sampson County), NC . His parents, Wiley Butler and Romelia Ferrill, had six children (4 boys and 2 girls). One of George's brothers, Marion, was the United States Senator from North Carolina from 1895 to 1901 and national Chairman of the Populist Party.

George Butler attended Salem High School and went on to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1887 to 1889. He then returned to Sampson County and was the principal of Salem High School for three years. In 1893 he again went to Chapel Hill, this time to study law. After the completion of these studies, Butler returned home and became the co-superintendent of public instruction for Sampson County. He also set up a law practice in Clinton, North Carolina.

Butler ran successfully for a seat in the North Carolina State Senate in 1897, but, with the coming of the Spanish-American War in 1898, his political life was set aside as he volunteered for duty in Cuba and was commissioned a major in the First North Carolina Regiment. During his service in Cuba, Butler, in addition to his normal duties, served as a Summary Court Martial Officer and was president of the General Court Martial Board of the Seventh U. S. Army Corps. He was addressed as Major for the rest of his life.

Following the war, Butler returned to his law practice in Clinton and married Eva B. Lee on 8 January 1902. The couple had three sons (Algernon, Edwin, and Mossette) and one daughter (Frances). During this period, Butler, in addition to practicing law, became a trustee of the University of North Carolina and a director of the Bank of Clinton. He also continued his interest in politics and was elected to the North Carolina State House of Representatives in 1905 as a Republican.

Following his term in the House, Butler resumed his law practice but continued an active involvement in Republican politics both as a candidate for various offices and as a state Republican Party executive. The offices Butler sought during the following years included state Attorney General, Superior Court Judge, and Supreme Court Judge in 1924. He also ran for the Republican nomination to the U. S. Senate in 1930 and was the Republican candidate for Congress from the Third District on two occasions. He was unsuccessful in all of these races. Butler continued to be an active member of the Republican State Executive Committee and served as a delegate to several Republican National Conventions.

In addition to his political interests, George Butler was involved in many aspects of civic life. He was twice president of the Sampson County Agricultural Society and was the first president of the Sampson County Chamber of Commerce. He also served as commander of the North Carolina Home Guard during World War I, and was a member of the Ports and Terminals Commission under Governor Morrison from 1921 to 1925. He was head of the state organization of the Rotary Club and was chairman of the Executive Committee of the North Carolina State Bar Association. For many years, Butler held the position of vestryman at St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Clinton.

Butler had a special interest in public education in North Carolina. He advocated local taxation for public schools, consolidated school districts, raising standards for county superintendents, and equal educational opportunity for all children of the state.

Butler died in Clinton on 1 May 1941. At the time of his death he was a member of the Committee to Revise the State Constitution.

Sources:These papers; Biographical Clippings File, North Carolina Collection, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill.