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Joseph L. Butler

A man who is deserving of the credit and esteem which are accorded him by all who have been associated with him either socially or in a business way is Joseph L. Butler, of Oelwein, who was born in Fayette county, a mile north of Oelwein, in May, 1874. He is the son of Harrison and Mary (Meikle) Butler. The former was the son of Caleb Butler and was born in Wisconsin, from whence he came to Fayette county with his parents while he was only a child. The families of both parents settled in Oelwein in the early days when the county was just beginning to be settled and here they developed farms and established good homes. To Harrison and Mary (Meikle) Butler four children have been born: William, who married and is living in Missouri; Joseph L., of this review, Effie married J.R. McDuffee and she lived in Oelwein until her death, on June 16, 1909; Verna married Julius Heubner and lives one and one-half miles north of Oelwein. Harrison Butler died on July 21, 1909, and Mrs. Butler died on October 11, 1880.

Joseph L. Butler grew to maturity on the home farm in Fayette county, where he worked during the summer months and attended the public schools during the winter time. After leaving school he returned to farming, which he continued with success until 1899, when he moved into Oelwein, where he bought an interest in the firm of Smith & Wheeler, owners of the Oelwein Feed Mill. In 1903 Mr. Smith sold his interest to Mr. McDuffee, who, with Mr. Butler, conducted the mill about a year, when Mr. McDuffee retired from the business and Mr. Butler managed the mill alone until February 27, 1905, when Wallace A. Rundle became a partner and the firm still continues as Butler and Rundle, and is doing a very extensive business buying, selling and shipping hay, feed and grain, both wholesale and retail, and a lucrative and extensive patronage has been built up as the result of judicious management and honorable dealing.

In November, 1901, Mr. Butler was married to Elizabeth G. Rundle, daughter of Richard and Celena (Green) Rundle. She is a native of Bremer county, Iowa. Her parents were born in England and both the Green and the Rundle families came to this country and settled in the state of Wisconsin, when Richard Rundle and Celena Green were children. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rundle moved to Bremer county, Iowa, in pioneer times and lived there until 1902, when they moved to Oran township, Fayette county, where they still reside.

Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rundle, two of whom died in infancy; those living are, William, who married and is living in Sumner, Iowa; Sarah married Frank Simpson and lives in Jennings, Kansas; Eliza married A.S. Peck and lives in Bremer county, Iowa, near the Fayette county line of Oran township; Robert is married and is living in Oran township, near the home of his parents; Elizabeth is the wife of J. L. Butler, of this review; Wallace is a partner of Joseph L. Butler in the grain business; Ella lives at home with her parents in Oran township.

To Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Butler two children have been born, Richard Lloyd and Lyle Harrison. Joseph L. Butler is a member of the Yeoman lodge and he and his family are well and favorably known here.

~transcribed by Claudia Meyer