Paulina Butterworth ~ 1838-1915

Paulina Butterworth was the unmarried fourth child of Moorman and Fanny Smith Butterworth. She was a birthright Quaker and an ardent Temperance worker, a member of the W.C.T.U. and member of Miami Monthly Meeting (Hicksite). She was the sister of Clarkson Butterworth.

The following is the obituary of Paulina Butterworth found in the Miami-Gazette, July, 1915:

“Paulina Butterworth, fourth child of Moorman and Fanny Smith Butterworth was born near Maineville, Warren County, Ohio, 5th mo. 19th 1838, and died 7th mo. 1st 1915, at her home on Third Street, Waynesville, Ohio, aged 77 years, 1 month and 12 days. Her father was a native of Campbell County, Virginia and moved to Ohio, with his parents, in 1812 and settled on the Little Miami River in the southern part of Warren County. Her mother, Fanny Smith, 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 Butterworth and Fanny Smith were married 9th mo. 7th 1825. They settled on their farm where all their five children were born.

Here they mingled their joys and sorrows contributing to the elevation and comforts of their community until his death in 1841, when Paulina was but three years of age. Paulina spent a number of her girlhood days in the family of Edward Butterworth, south-west of Waynesville, Ohio, having finished her school education at the Maineville Academy, but in the early sixties she, with her mother, moved to her late residence. Here she not only ministered to her mother’s declining years, but found time and pleasure in adding to the comfort and happiness of those with whom she mingled. Many persons can, and do testify to her deeds of kindness and charity. Besides the numerous individual gifts, she donated liberally to the Friends Boarding Home (also see, THE 1905 FRIENDS BOARDING HOME TIMELINE & FURTHER INFORMATION .

She was a birthright member of the Religious Society of Friends and a faithful attender of its meetings. She was likewise an active worker in the Temperance cause in her community, being a faithful member of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union for many years and gave liberally of her time and means fro the uplift of humanity. She read good books, lead an unassuming life and as to the great throng of mankind she might easily make the language of the poet her own:

'I have not loved the world, nor the world me. I have not flattered its rank breath, nor bowed To its idolatries a patient knee, Nor coined my cheek to smiles, nor cried aloud In worship of an echo. They could not deem me one of such.'

Clarkson Butterworth, a brother, and his family of Portland, Oregon, Martha Witham, of Lawrence Kansas, a sister, as well as a number of nieces and nephews, children of Ruthanna Witham, late of Union City, Indiana, and Edith Girton, late of Westboro, Clinton County, Ohio, with her numerous friends and neighbors, survive to mourn her loss."

The Paulina Butterworth house ~ Waynesville
Originally "Holloway's Tavern" where Henry Clay
stayed in 1825. Built by David Holloway.