Clarkson Butterworth ~ Clerk of Miami Monthly Meeting (Hicksite), Historian and Genealogist

Friend Clarkson Butterworth (1828-1916) was a farmer and stock raiser who was also a surveyor and civil engineering. He served as Justice of the Peace for two terms while living in Warren County (Hamilton Township), acquiring at that time, considerable knowledge of law pertaining to wills, deeds, lease, etc., and was very helpful to others in later years along that line, but with little financial profit to himself. In addition to his great mathematical ability, he had a wonderfully clear conception of the correct use of the English language, and continued to write concisely and clearly, up to the time of his death. He was also knowledgeable about astronomy physics, ocean tides and winds. He was adamantly against strong drink, tobacco, war and firearms. His life-long hobby was genealogy. He collected and systemized a huge amount of genealogical information about the Butterworths and other local families. This information was found in the Butterworth vertical file entitled: From Russell I. Butterworth, 1213 E. Church St., Marion, Ohio 43302), May 1968: To the Butterworth Cousins and Kinfolks, located in the The Ohioana Room of The Mary L. Cook Public Library, Waynesville, Ohio.

Clarkson Butterworth was one of the clerks of Miami Monthly Meeting and had charge of the records. As a genealogist he was able to use the records and personal accounts of Friends to compile the genealogies of the early pioneer families. His writings are all in manuscript form and are not published in print. His handiwork as a compiler can be seen throughout the collection of Miami Monthly Meeting records deposited at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

Clarkson was a son of Moorman and Fanny Smith Butterworth. Moorman Butterworth was a native of Campbell County, Virginia, and moved to Ohio in 1812 and settled on the Little Miami River in the southern part of Warren County, Ohio. Fanny Smith Butterworth was a native of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In about the year 1823 she moved to Waynesville, Ohio, traveling the distance in a one-horse wagon in company with Ezra Adams, one of Waynesville’s early settlers. Moorman and Fanny Butterworth were married 9th mo. 7th 1825. They had six children.

Clarkson Butterworth was married to Rachel Irvin Butterworth (1829-1916) and they also had six children. They lived almost all their lives in Warren County, but then moved to Portland, Oregon to be with their children and died there.

Manuscripts of Clarkson Butterworth:

o Genealogical Notes of Quaker Families in the Vicinity of Warren & Preble Counties, Ohio prepared by Clarkson Butterworth. (A copy is at Earlham College)
o Directory of Meetings: Indiana Yearly Meeting Religious Society of Friends (Listed Up To Near The Separation - About 1830) compiled by Clarkson Butterworth. (A copy is at Earlham College)
o Diary of Clarkson Butterworth, (1826-1916). (A copy is at Earlham College. The original is in the archive at The Waynesville Area heritage & Cultural Center at The Friends Home, Inc. in Waynesville, Ohio.)
o List, Nearly or Quite Complete of Changes of Membership in Miami Monthly Meeting and some other Matters, from 10.13.1803-5.24.1843 compiled by Clarkson Butterworth in 1904. (A copy is at The Mary L. Cook Public Library in Waynesville, Ohio).
o Descendants of Isaac (or Benjamin) Butterworth by Clarkson Butterworth.
o Catalogue of the Members of Miami Monthly Meeting, 7th mo. 1897 by Clarkson Butterworth (A copy is at The Mary L. Cook Public Library in Waynesville, Ohio).

Clarkson also wrote an extensive "History of Miami Monthly Meeting from 1803 to 1828" which is printed in "Friends Centennial, Miami Monthly Meeting, Waynesville, Ohio, 1803-1903"(Waynesville, Ohio: Miami-Gazette Press, 1903). See, The Centennial of Miami Monthly Meeting in 1903 ~ 100 Years of Ministry.