Reuben Butters

Reuben Butters
Butters c. 1858
Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 17th District and 22nd District
In office
January 2, 1866 – January 4, 1869
Preceded byJohn J. Porter
Succeeded byEdson R. Smith
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 16th District and 17th District
In office
January 6, 1863 – January 2, 1865
Preceded byJohn J. Porter
Succeeded byL. C. Harrington
In office
December 2, 1857 – December 6, 1859
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byBurroughs Abbott
Personal details
Born1816 (1816)
Maine, U.S.
DiedMarch 29, 1888(1888-03-29) (aged 71–72)
Kasota, Minnesota, U.S.

Reuben Butters (1816 – March 29, 1888) was an American politician, businessman, and early citizen of Le Sueur County, Minnesota. Between 1857 and 1869, Butters served three nonconsecutive terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives and three consecutive terms in the Minnesota Senate. Butters was a significant figure behind the quarrying of Kasota limestone in southern Minnesota.

Early life

Butters was born in 1816 in Maine.:371 Butters originally worked as a clerk in Maine before moving to Minnesota Territory in the autumn of 1851 and in 1854 settled in what is now Kasota, Minnesota alongside James Lindsley and George Thompson.:371-372

By 1852 Butters owned and operated the Breen quarry in Kasota which quarried the regionally famous Kasota limestone. Butters, along with Joseph W. Babcock became prominent leaders of the limestone industry in southern Minnesota following the American Civil War.

Political career

Local offices

Butters was elected as a county commissioner of Le Sueur County in 1857 and held the office until 1858.:384 Butters was again elected in 1860 as a county commissioner.:384 From 1879 to 1880 Butters served as the postmaster of Kasota.:404

Minnesota House

Butters was first elected to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives on October 13, 1857 representing Minnesota's 16th House district. The district at the time included Blue Earth County and Le Sueur County. Butters served in the 1st Minnesota Legislature where he was a member of the Towns and Counties committee.

Butters' was later elected to serve in the 5th Minnesota Legislature from January 6, 1863 to January 4, 1864. During his second term Butters was a member of the Military Affairs committee, the Roads, Bridges, and Navigable Steams committee, and the Agriculture and Manufactures committee. Butters was ultimately reelected on November 3, 1863 to serve a consecutive term in the Minnesota House during the 6th Minnesota Legislature representing the same district. During his third term Butters was a member of the Public Lands and Railroads committees, and was the chair of the Towns and Counties committee.

Minnesota Senate

Butters was later elected to serve in the Minnesota Senate on November 7, 1865 representing Minnesota's 17th Senate district. At the time the district included Blue Earth County and Le Sueur County, but later when it was changed to District 22 only represented Le Sueur County. Butters would serve three consecutive terms in the Minnesota Senate from January 2, 1866 until January 4, 1869 during the 8th Minnesota Legislature, 9th Minnesota Legislature, and 10th Minnesota Legislature. During his three terms in the Minnesota Senate, Butters was a member of the committees.

Death

According to the The St. Paul Globe, Butters died on March 29, 1888 in Kasota.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Death of Reuben Butters". St. Paul Daily Globe. March 30, 1888. p. 6. LCCN sn90059522. Retrieved October 11, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Gresham, William M. (1916). History of Nicollet and LeSueur Counties Minnesota. Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.
  3. 1 2 Douglas, Bob (2019). Two Praries, One Place: A Historical Geography of the Kasota Prairie. St. Peter: Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library. pp. 76–77.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Reuben Butters - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved October 11, 2026.