John Davey Butler was born in New York, the second child of George Charles Butler and Eliza Davey. His parents were both born in England with their families coming to New York in 1855.
John was born in New York in 1857 but by 1858 the Butler family came to Downers Grove to be near other family members who had settled here. Eliza’s parents and brothers rented land from Benjamin Prentiss near present day 63rd Street. Three of Eliza’s brothers served in the Civil War.
Many pioneer families lost children to illness and that is probably what happened to John Davey Butler. He died at the age of 6 and was buried here in the lot purchased by his parents in the Main Street Cemetery.
In 1868 the Butler family moved to Jasper County Iowa with their family of now 10 children. When Eliza was expecting their 11th child in 1871 George died. He was only 43 years old. In 1876 Eliza married again and had one more child. Eliza died in 1916 at the age of 83.
John Davey Butler is the only one of the Butler family buried here. In 2020 his grave was located and marked with this monument.
